Aspies For Freedom

"Wendolyn Markcrow tried to commit suicide after killing her son
A depressed mother who killed her Down's Syndrome son who she had looked after for 36 years has been given a "merciful" suspended jail sentence. ..."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/beds/...399832.stm

Okay, so it's not about Aspies, but I just think it's an interesting comparison.

I think the media is much more prone to stereotyping people like Aspies, autistics, people with schizophrenia or any other conditions on the DSM.

I think incidents like the Aspie in America are probably much more likely to create and perpetuate stereotypes, because we're something of the 'other', people don't really know what we're like, so if one Aspie does something, the general (ignorant) public extrapolates it and thinks it applies to all of us.

Whereas in a case like this, where it's a depressed mother, there's a lot of sympathy, because she's borne a huge 'burden' by caring for someone.  It's perceived, I think, to be exceptional, so people aren't likely to think:  "Oh, all mothers caring for children and adults in need of round the clock care are likely to be homicidal".  I don't think it works like that.

It's very curious, I think, that just because of a single incident of a mother killing her child, she'll be treated with sympathy and compassion, but someone with a diagnosis would likely be treated as a permanent risk/danger, and this would be likely to be extrapolated to apply to others with a similar diagnosis.

The article states that her son did have autistic traits, which a lot of people with Down's have, or autism itself.

I wonder if she  had any help from social services, or if she had been refused help. Wouldn't it be better for her to say that she cannot cope, and wanted social services to take over care? Rather than go to the most extreme option of murder?

I think it sends a deadly message when the person is given light treatment by courts, it is not a case of a person who has a terminal illness and has requested euthanasia, even in cases such as that a relative has been treated more harshly.

"The judge said Markcrow had made a number of attempts to gain assistance with Patrick's care but, for whatever reason, care had not been forthcoming."

"Speaking outside court, Trevor Boyd defended the record of Markcrow's local authority, Buckinghamshire County Council.

He said: 'Mrs Markcrow was a very independent and loving mother and I believe we offered everything we could to help her..... It is regrettable that Markcrow did not accept all the care that was there."


Two contradictory statements from witnesses.  I wonder who was lying?  

It is really sad what happened to this woman and her son.  -Only her son is dead.   She may have been in custody for two years before the trial?   Some people will get 10 yrs for manslaughter but usually they will be out on parole after about 5 years.  -So she was not punished severely.  

Why it had to happen at all?  Expect to see more cases like this.

I wonder what kind of help she was offered if this was true?  Some people might get help a few hours per week but when someone needs 24 hr supervision, that is not enough.

Only an opinion, of course, because I don't know those involved and have no connection with the case, but given my previous personal experiences and general knowledge about social services, I'd hazard a guess they're being a little bit 'economical with the actualite'.

Again, it's similar in some ways to that elderly couple who snapped under the pressure and tried to drown themselves while on holiday.

Social services departments and health care authorities across the country fail in their duty.

There seems to be two extremes, a family is either 'coping' and they receive no help whatsover, or they're not coping, and the authorities step in and intervene and remove the person 'at risk' and institutionalise them.

There seems to be not much of a middle ground, a lack of care and support -- and, more importantly, funding for those -- to help families cope.

No one should be left to struggle and cope with their children 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, especially if they have special needs.

It's disgraceful that it happens in this day and age.

Very well said! I keep coming across posts by parents who say "Well the local [specialist, educational authority etc.] said he/she qualifies for a diagnosis, but because we're coping we're not getting the diagnosis". On the other hand, there are countless parents who are in trouble with social services (or even accused of Munchhausen by Proxy) because they are not coping. How about a bit of balance? *sigh*