A beloved veterinarian, tragically killed by her former boyfriend who had been a New Jersey police officer, had previously reached out to one of his colleagues when he threatened to take his own life, as revealed by her sisters on Tuesday.
Lauren Semanchik’s communication with a female colleague led state police officer Ricardo Santos to undergo a mental health evaluation in May, according to sisters Alison and Deanna Semanchik. Despite this evaluation, they believe that Lauren’s plea for help may have intensified his unstable behavior.
The couple was found deceased the following day; Semanchik’s father discovered them, while Santos was located in his vehicle about 50 miles away.
After their breakup in September, Santos reportedly harassed Lauren, which led her to seek assistance.
“He threatened to kill himself, and despite everything, Lauren cared about his well-being,” her sister Allison, 28, noted in an interview. “She didn’t want to carry that burden of guilt, so she reached out to someone who knew him.”
Allison and Deanna, 36, expressed uncertainty about whether Santos had received an official mental health diagnosis. They felt strongly that the state police should have provided more support for him.
“There’s a responsibility on their part—those who claim to offer help and protection,” Alison commented. “There should be stricter measures to actually assess their mental states.”
Despite outreach, neither the state police nor the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office responded to inquiries about Santos’s mental evaluation.
The Attorney General’s Office had previously indicated that comments would be reserved until the investigation led by Hunterdon County prosecutors was completed.
According to Lauren’s sisters, after Lauren contacted her female colleagues, Santos accused her of being indifferent and trying to sabotage his career.
Lauren filed a police report in Long Valley, concerned about vandalism to her car. Deanna mentioned that Santos had been warned about the incident.
Lauren later visited a police station in Franklin Township intending to file for a restraining order, but Deanna claimed no assistance was offered.
Lauren left a message for the authorities, but there was no response, according to her brother.
Franklin police have not commented on the situation. In New Jersey, courts determine the issuance of restraining orders; police departments are meant to assist in that process, as noted by Lauren Van Meter, the executive director of Hunterdon Safe, an organization supporting domestic violence survivors.
Allison mentioned that Lauren was hesitant about filing a restraining order, given that Santos was a police officer, but Deanna added, “She simply wanted him to leave.”
