Allan Kassenoff and Catherine Youssef, both lawyers, had a volatile marriage beginning in 2006. Their split led to years of custody battles over their three daughters, with each accusing the other of abuse. The court dates stopped only in 2023, when Catherine, after a cancer diagnosis, went to Switzerland for a medically assisted suicide. Beforehand, she emailed a suicide note and uploaded files of her evidence against Allan. The files were obtained by a TikTok member who went viral sharing videos from the Kassenoffs' marriage, leading to a barrage of threats against Allan and the loss of his job.
Neither Allan nor Catherine was a perfect parent, but accounts of the marriage varied widely. Family and friends of the couple have conflicting views of the situation, as would be expected, but the courts, while changing custody orders frequently, most often sided with Allan. So do the three daughters, and three of the four nannies who agreed to be interviewed. But how can one fight back against a one-sided internet campaign and an opponent who is dead? Read the bizarre and tragic story of a permanently damaged family at The Free Press. -via Damn Interesting
(Image credit: Ajay Suresh)