Mother Apologizes to Her Child, Drives Both Off Cliff

A Redondo Beach woman apologized to her 7-year-old daughter, then apparently tried to take both their lives by driving over a cliff in the Malibu area Tuesday morning, authorities said.

The mother, identified by the county coroner’s office as Susan Sinclair, 29, was killed, but the child survived without serious injury.

“I’m sorry I have to do this,” the woman was quoted as telling the child just before she suddenly swerved off Malibu Canyon Road about 2 1/2 miles north of Pacific Coast Highway.

Los Angeles County Fire Department Capt. Raymond Burley said the girl--who was not wearing a seat belt--was thrown clear about 50 feet down the slope and the car came to rest more than 200 feet below that.

Burley said the child managed to clamber back up to the road, where she was trying frantically to wave down passing cars when a California Highway Patrol officer arrived about 8:40 a.m. Burley said the girl told the CHP officer about her mother’s apology.

Redondo Beach neighbors said they believe that Sinclair was an unemployed computer technician who lived with her daughter, Brooke.

Dan Winger, who lives across the street from Sinclair’s condominium unit in the 100 block of South Lucia Avenue, said a man identifying himself as her brother showed up early Tuesday morning and asked him to call police because he feared his sister had committed suicide.

Winger said the brother told him that she had attempted to kill herself earlier in the week. The brother said he advised her to take the girl to school Tuesday morning, then visit a psychiatrist.

A short time later, neighbors said, Redondo Beach police arrived and entered the home.

R. J. Washington, who also lives across the street, said the woman had “looked like she was a little down.” He said he understood that she was having trouble paying medical expenses for injuries she received at the hands of someone who broke into an apartment where she formerly lived.

Sheriff’s Deputy Hal Grant said homicide detectives found no skid marks or anything else at the crash scene to indicate that Sinclair applied the brakes before the car plunged into the canyon.

Burley described the child as “a cute little girl” and said she appeared uninjured except for “maybe a cut on the lip.” And, Burley added, “she looked a little tattered.”

Paramedics took her to Malibu Emergency Room, where she was examined and found to be unhurt. She was released to her godparents.