Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Questions Surround Carol Anne Gotbaum's Death
By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 1, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 1, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The family of Manhattan resident who died while in police custody at Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Friday night is awaiting more details about her death. US Airways and airport police say that Carol Anne Gotbaum, who was married to the stepson of NYC Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, had been acting irately and would not calm down, so she was handcuffed and left in an airport holding cell.
Police say they checked on her every 15 minutes; she had been screaming the entire time, but at one point, police realized she was quiet and found that she was not breathing. She had been handcuffed behind her back but when Gotbaum was found, her hands were front of her and the handcuffs were up by her neck, leading police to believe she was trying to get out of the handcuffs. Sergeant Andy Hill had said, "It appeared as though Ms. Gotbaum had possibly tried to manipulate the handcuffs from behind her to the front, got tangled up in the process, and they ended up around her neck area."
The Daily News has details from witnesses at the airport:
"I'm not a terrorist! I'm a sick mom! I need help!" yelled the mother of three after she missed the 2:58 p.m. US Airways Express flight to Tucson, said airport workers who witnessed the confrontation Friday.
They said one cop put his knee in her back to restrain her while others grabbed her flailing arms.
"I believe she was a little not-there. She kept punching. She kept screaming. She kept kicking," one worker told The News. "She looked really scared, really frightened. I think she was afraid to go to jail."
The police said they did not use pepper spray or a Taser on Gotbaum; they apparently performed CPR and emphasize that "The longest she was alone was five or 10 minutes."
Yesterday, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum held a brief press conference, saying, "She was a wonderful mother, she was sweet and kind and loving. It's obviously very, very difficult for us, we are dealing with it as best we can. My number one focus is those children and my stepson. I hope the press will consider our feelings and please, please, please don't ask us any more questions."
A local Arizona TV station says the medical examiner could release a preliminary report by the end of the week.
Updated: A lawyer for Gotbaum's family says that Carol Ann Gotbaum was on her way to an alcohol rehabilitation program in Tucson. Lawyer Michael Manning has delayed the autopsy, originally scheduled for today, and asked that an outside pathologist be present. He told The Arizona Republic, "We have strong concerns about how this 110-pound woman may have ended up strangling herself, given that she was cuffed behind her back and shackled to a bench." He also said Gotbaum was definitely upset when she missed her flight, "People who do muster the courage to check themselves in, they need to do it before they change their mind. It's a very delicate emotional balance when you finally realize [that] you need help."
Tagged
alcohol
Andy Hill
arizona
Arizona Republic
betsy gotbaum
Carol Anne Gotbaum
children
daily news
death
get out
international
manhattan
Medical Examiner
Michael Manning
news
News: NYC
nyc
people
phoenix
police
public advocate
Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum
terrorist
The News
tv
us
us airways
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Are NJ schools unconstitutionally segregated? It's back to the courts to decide.
Mediation didn't resolve the years-old case. A ruling for the plaintiffs could upend how public schooling works in New Jersey.
By
Colleen O'Dea
Published Oct 23, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. ET
Early Addition: New Jersey considering a ban on chewing gum because of microplastics
Because New Jersey is just trying to keep its people safe, here are your early links: Early voters get a spooky sticker, Tom Hanks returning to Broadway, a time capsule letter to the NYC mayor in 2026 and more.
By
James Ramsay
News
Early Addition: New Jersey considering a ban on chewing gum because of microplastics
Because New Jersey is just trying to keep its people safe, here are your early links: Early voters get a spooky sticker, Tom Hanks returning to Broadway, a time capsule letter to the NYC mayor in 2026 and more.
By
James Ramsay
Queens mother charged with murdering her son after failed suicide attempt, NYPD says
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Your guide to voting in New York's 2026 elections for governor and Congress
By
Walter Wuthmann
,
Jon Campbell
and
Brigid Bergin
Forest Hills Stadium can keep its concerts under deal with neighbors
By
Ryan Kost
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .