Duckett suicide note: ‘After my baby is found, I would not be a good mother’

By DAN SULLIVAN, DAILY SUN

LEESBURG — Leesburg police Tuesday released two more suicide notes apparently left by Melinda Duckett, addressed to her parents and grandparents.

The notes revealed little about what, if anything, Melinda may have known about the Aug. 27 disappearance of her 2-year-old son, Trenton Duckett.

“The main reason I’m doing this is because after my baby is found, I would not be a good mother,” Melinda wrote in the note to her grandparents. “With two jobs and full-time school I tried my hardest, but always slacked in some area. Trenton should of had my full attention at all times. I’m sorry.”

In a postscript to the note to her grandparents, Melinda wrote that she had left them something in the ashtray of her car. Leesburg police identified that object as an undisclosed amount of cash.

In the note to her parents, Melinda thanked them for giving her emotional support and asked that they not take her suicide personally.

While police collected numerous pieces of writing from Melinda Duckett’s car and apartment following her Sept. 8 suicide, police said the two notes released Tuesday and a previously released note addressed to the public were the only suicide notes that were found.

“We continue to follow up on leads as they come in,” Leesburg police Capt. Ginny Padgett said.

In addition to the release of the notes, Leesburg police for the first time identified Danny Bass as the second man who spent the evening of Aug. 27 with Melinda. Police had previously identified one of the men with Melinda that evening, the evening Trenton was reported missing, as Chris Pierce.

Trenton’s father, Joshua Duckett, said Tuesday that he remains focused on finding his son.

“If the notes don’t reference Trenton or anything about him, then they don’t really mean anything to me,” Joshua Duckett said.

Melinda Duckett told police she put Trenton to bed about 7 p.m. on Aug. 27 and discovered him missing two hours later.

Melinda committed suicide Sept. 8 at her grandparents’ home in The Villages. Police have labeled her their prime suspect in Trenton’s disappearance, citing her vague account of her whereabouts before reporting him missing, among other pieces of evidence.

Anyone with information regarding Trenton’s disappearance, current whereabouts, or Melinda Duckett’s whereabouts on the weekend of Aug. 26 and 27 is urged to contact authorities at (800) CALL-FBI (225-5324).

Dan Sullivan is a reporter with the Daily Sun. He can be reached at 753-1119, ext. 9059, or dan.sullivan@thevillagesmedia.com.