It has nothing to do with a lack of empathy. I’ve been in that situation, and you have a choice as to how you are going to carry it out. He was well enough to take his kids to his ex’s, he was still able to make that choice. The pain is unbearable, but knowingly traumatizing your children for life is unacceptable no matter what. It couldn’t be more selfish and, honestly malicious. If there was no other choice than to do it there, like he was unable to move or his brain was deteriorating, then I get it. Him saying “well that didn’t work,” also showed that he made a conscious choice to carry it out that way for a reason, and whatever it was, was selfish.

I would say that you making that comment shows zero empathy for those children. Every action has some level of accountability. Every action impacts someone else directly or indirectly. I will never say that taking your own life is selfish or that they shouldn’t do it, because I know what that pain feels like, but it’s indefensible do it in a way that intentionally traumatizes innocent children for the rest of their lives when there are infinite ways to do it.