Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Mother Kills Her Autistic Child and Herself and Throwing Stones Will Not Bring Them Back

I didn't know Tracy Hawks, 47, of Howard County, Maryland who police say killed her  autistic and mildly  intellectually disabled son Christopher Melton on June 4 using a gas generator. ExploreHoward.com  says the mother suffered from depression and there had been a family breakup. The mother was described as being close to her son  Christopher who was described by several persons interviewed at the school he attended as a great kid, well behaved, caring and welcoming with a smile for anyone who looked at him.  

People will judge the mother and many, perhaps most,  will judge her harshly, very harshly.  I do not quarrel with those judgments. Those judgments though will not change the facts ... that the mother and her son are both gone.  The study has enough details to suggest that the son's disabilities may have had little to do with the mother's desperation. Readers like me have no way of knowing that with any certainty. 

What is certain though is that with better assistance from communities and governments,   with real  support and services, with the knowledge  that an autistic child will live a decent life after a parent has passed on,   some ... some ...  of these cases would turn out differently.  In some, not all, but some of these cases, a child with autism would live and perhaps enjoy life to the fullest.  Throwing stones at the dead parents will not, however, change a thing.

3 comments:

blogzilly said...

Wow...that's a very sad story. Her diary entry is a lot to take. Having said those kinds of words before, it really makes me stop and think...am I THAT depressed that I would ever fall off the edge like that? I feel terrible for them both and the people who cared about them.

Lynn said...

When the mother in texas killed her two autistic kids, I was so sickened by the comments made on online articles that it almost overshadowed the undeniably heinous crime. These parents will undoubtably have to account for their acts...what does it serve to express all the "string her up" sentiment?

Stranded said...

I certainly can identify with thoughts of hopelessness and often at the worst times, an end to everything seems like a good idea. If only everything just stopped. At those times you need something more than spousal support, wealth, friends, family and an iron will to persevere. You need to know that the final judge and jury is God and truly believe in your personal accountability to him.

Thats what keeps me from going to the "dark side".

Our Lord, impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear, grant us forgiveness and have mercy on us. You are our Protector. Help us against those who deny the truth. (Quran 2:286)