https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13605415/whitney-hills-family-blames-church-scientology-daughters-suicide.htmlFamily of glamorous Scientologist Whitney Hills blame the church for her grisly suicide
READ MORE: Scientologist set fire to herself and shot herself dead
By Bethan Sexton For Dailymail.Com
Published: 21:14, 5 July 2024 | Updated: 23:23, 5 July 2024
lThe family of a high-ranking Church of Scientology member who self-immolated have blamed the church for her suicide. Whitney Hills, 40, shot herself and set herself on fire after believing she was suffering from cancer and Lyme Disease. Mills had reached the highest level in Scientology, known as Operating Thetan Level 8 or OT 8 and its thought she believed she could 'transfer to a new body'. However, her relatives claim she was misdiagnosed and was instead suffering from depression and anxiety, which were going untreated due to the Church's stance on mental health. They have filed a wrongful death lawsuit claiming that Scientologist doctors took control of her care and 'extorted' her for a series of alternative treatments. The Scientology Defendants brainwashed her into believing that mental health professionals, including psychologists and psychiatrists, and related medical treatments, such as antidepressants and other prescription drugs, were unnecessary and abhorrent,' the lawsuit states.
The Church has denied Mills was ever under its care and stated it does not provide medical advice. According to the Clearwater Police Department's investigation, real estate agent Mills shot herself on May 12 and died a day and a half later at Morton Plant hospital. When her brother forced his way into her apartment, he found her incapacitated from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and noticed the smell of burning hair, indicating that she had set herself on fire before shooting herself. Clearwater Police investigated Mills' death and found there were no suspicious circumstances, but a text message she sent to Albertina Mejias, a fellow high-ranking member of the Church, outlines 'advice' as to what she might do next. Her family claim her mental health had been on the decline in the run up to her death. Following an 'urgent mental health crisis', Church members ordered that Mills be 'quarantined' in February 2022 and put her on a 24/7 watch, according to the lawsuit. During this time she was allegedly assigned three caretakers who lived with her and reported back to the Church. Mills' family say during this time she was told by them there was a 'Scientology assist where she could 'drop the body,' where her spirit or 'operating thetan' would leave her body to inhabit another, causing the original body to die'. The lawsuit states the 'drop the body' concept or assist was created by L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology's messianic founder. Following his 1986 death, Scientology leaders announced that his body had become an impediment to his work and that he had decided to 'drop his body' to continue his research on another plane of existence,' the filings claim. A Church spokesman previously stated there is no teaching encouraging 'anyone to drop their body.' However Mills' text messages show that she 'asked for that assist', the lawsuit states, adding that her carers knew she had suicidal ideation and failed to act. 'Worse yet, if they actually assisted in the suicide, if they actually gave her the 'drop the body' assist that was discussed, then they are guilty of homicide,' the filings state.
Mills was sent for treatment with Dr. David Minkoff in the final three months of her life, who 'f misinformed and misdiagnosed Mills with Lyme disease and a cancerous ovarian cyst, while largely ignoring her very real psychosis and mental health crisis', the lawsuit states. Minkoff is also a high-ranking Scientologist whose Florida license was suspended for a year due to his treatment of Lisa MacPherson, another Scientologist who died in 1998. He is accused charging Mills $20,000 for 'highly questionable, 'alternative' treatments' for misdiagnosed Lyme disease and an ovarian cyst according to the filings. According to a detective's report, Mills' mother said that she had looked through her daughter's phone and found a series of messages in which she planned to ask the 'Director of Processing' for an 'assist reference suicide.' The filings also detail text messages in which Mills seems to reference suicide with her handlers but receives little push back. In a statement to DailyMail.com, the Church said: '
The passing of Ms. Mills was an unfortunate tragedy. In addition to its impact on her family, it affected her friends, many of whom are Scientologists. 'It is frankly disgusting that anti-Scientologists have latched onto Ms. Mills' passing in an attempt to forward their own agenda, as evidenced by the blatant falsehoods contained in the complaint regarding Scientology beliefs and practices. There is no such thing in Scientology as an 'assist to drop the body,' by this or by any other name. No such belief or practice exists. It is a pure FABRICATION. There is NOTHING in Scientology that even arguably means such a thing. Ms. Mills was at home and not under the Church's care or supervision at any time prior to her passing. None of the people caring for Ms. Mills at her home were staff of any Church. Any claims to the contrary are TOTALLY FALSE. Ms. Mills had many friends, business associates and family members with whom she was in constant contact prior to her passing. Church policy is crystal clear: if a Scientologist is in need of medical care, he or she must see a medical doctor. Any and all decisions regarding medical treatment are solely the decision of the individual. The Church does not provide medical advice. See Scientology.org FAQ on medical care. Public records show that Ms. Mills visited more than a dozen medical professionals in the months prior to her death. It is unfortunate that Ms. Mills’ mother filed this lawsuit. Based on available information, it appears Ms. Mills was in her mother’s care, if anyone. The Church continues to express its condolences to all those affected.'
DailyMail.com has contacted Dr Minkoff for comment.
