"I don’t want my kids to be like that. I want normal kids."

[Kilgore Trout]

Ah, she wanted normal kids. You know, normal - like willing to murder children.

 

[Magic Man]

Wow I can't believe some of the responses in this thread, almost makes me sick.

I'm on the spectrum myself and I don't see I'm anymore abnormal than someone who killed her children. Sorry but I don't feel for the mom. Might as well go with the eugnenics and get rid of anyone who cannot completely conform to the standards of their current society.

Just my two cents.

Agreed. I'm not on the spectrum, nor do I know anyone personally who is, but this woman killed her children. I don't care what problems her kids were having or how it made her feel. That is one of the most awful things I can imagine.

 

[.lava]

IMO if she did not kill her kids and asked for help then her mental state would be primary issue. but too late for that. kids are dead and what's primary is the crime itself

.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

IMO if she did not kill her kids and asked for help then her mental state would be primary issue. but too late for that. kids are dead and what's primary is the crime itself

.

But they have to determine her sanity before the trial - she may need to be hospitalized rather than put in prison for the time being.

The 911 recording is particularly chilling with respect to the cold monotone in describing the death of her children. There's no remorse, no parental care, no expression of loss -- it's like she is out of touch with reality, not fully aware of what she has done.

 

[Vasilisa Jade]

nor does it excuse the family members around her who KNEW long before this that she needed help.

Before she committed this crime, probably months before, she knew that she was struggling emotionally and feeling and thinking abnormal things. Not only that - her family members noticed her very odd behavior.

They are all guilty to some degree in this matter. I keep thinking about the NASA guy in Texas whose wife drowned all five of their kids. He had known for months that she needed help - and in my opinion he should have been charged with endangerment to a child AT THE LEAST because he knew it was dangerous to leave his children alone with her, and yet he did so anyway.

The blame lies somewhat on her, but not solely on her. What a tragedy.

Her first psychiatrist said she could guarantee that if the Yateses had any more kids, Andrea would have a psychotic breakdown, and they had another kid eleven months later.

I have to agree. Like I said earlier, given the correct triggers and high enough stress anyone can break. This is why it is so important to take responisibility in watching out for each other, and being there for each other. There should be procedures in place for reporting these behaviors that might require additional support. All it takes is a hotline to call and talk to, a church who will volunteer to give the mother a break, a social worker who will coach and call and check on the person, or someone who will find support groups for the person to attend. This way suspicions can be documented and addressed appropriately.

 

[ChristineES]

I can understand the emotional situation of this woman.
It is hard enough to have a child with a serious health problem even when it is curable.
But to have a child with an incurable affliction such as autism is a terrible thing to deal with.
And when you have two children with this problem...
I didn't know how to deal with this if I were in this situation.

I have two children with autism. One doesn't speak well and the other has Asperger's syndrome. I never thought about killing them.

 

[ChristineES]

But they have to determine her sanity before the trial - she may need to be hospitalized rather than put in prison for the time being.

The 911 recording is particularly chilling with respect to the cold monotone in describing the death of her children. There's no remorse, no parental care, no expression of loss -- it's like she is out of touch with reality, not fully aware of what she has done.

She probably isn't. I am aware of how much stress there is involved when having not just one but two special needs children. Although I can never condone murder, I can understand why she snapped.

 

[DarkSun]

I can understand the emotional situation of this woman.
It is hard enough to have a child with a serious health problem even when it is curable.
But to have a child with an incurable affliction such as autism is a terrible thing to deal with.
And when you have two chlidren with this problem...
I didn't know how to deal with this if I were in this situation.

As someone with HFA, may I suggest that you rethink your views?
Because to me, what you're saying sounds a lot like this:

"I can understand the emotional situation of this woman.
It is hard enough to have a child who's got black skin, it permanently damages your reputation as a proud, white mother.
To have a child with such an incurable affliction as black skin is a terrible thing to deal with.
But when you have two children with this problem...
I wouldn't know how I would cope if I were the mother of these children."

 

[Cypress]

As someone with HFA, may I suggest that you rethink your views?
Because to me, what you're saying sounds a lot like this:

"I can understand the emotional situation of this woman.
It is hard enough to have a child who's got black skin, it permanently damages your reputation as a proud, white mother.
To have a child with such an incurable affliction as black skin is a terrible thing to deal with.
But when you have two children with this problem...
I wouldn't know how I would cope if I were the mother of these children."

I do not know what "HFA" means.
I did not want to express any of the views mentioned above.
Also I see no connection between black children and children with autism.
All I wanted to say is that I can understand how much mental strain a mother of two autistic children experiences, and what struggle it must be to properly support them and fulfill their special needs.

 

[methylatedghosts]

"Normal?" "Normal?" "Normal?" What the **** is "normal" anyways?
When one considers the statistics, autism is "normal."


Disgusting how "normal" the world is, huh?

I am so mad I can spit. Do these idiots realize...what am I saying. Of course they don't realize. "******* mistakes" is all they see. "Why not rid the world of them?" "Oh!!! I know!!! Let's make the world a perfect place with daisies and pretty pink ponies" AHGGGGGGG

Normal; A cycle on a dishwasher or washing machine.

 

[.lava]

I do not know what "HFA" means.
I did not want to express any of the views mentioned above.
Also I see no connection between black children and children with autism.
All I wanted to say is that I can understand how much mental strain a mother of two autistic children experiences, and what struggle it must be to properly support them and fulfill their special needs.

yes, i agree.
no need to interpret this as if it was OK for her to kill her kids. noone is saying that. at least, that's not what i understand from your words. seems some friends got it differently therefor i thought i should mention it

.

 

[Cypress]

yes, i agree.
no need to interpret this as if it was OK for her to kill her kids. noone is saying that. at least, that's not what i understand from your words. seems some friends got it differently therefor i thought i should mention it

.

Thank you. :namaste

 

[DarkSun]

I do not know what "HFA" means.
I did not want to express any of the views mentioned above.
Also I see no connection between black children and children with autism.
All I wanted to say is that I can understand how much mental strain a mother of two autistic children experiences, and what struggle it must be to properly support them and fulfill their special needs.

My apologies.

HFA means High Functioning Autism.

 

[Kathryn]

Autism is a disorder. Being black is not a disorder. This is not an accurate comparison.

 

[DarkSun]

Autism is a disorder. Being black is not a disorder. This is not an accurate comparison.

Except I was comparing two separate forms of discrimination, not two disorders.
I do not believe that the mother was justified in killing her children for the reasons she had.
Saying that she wanted "normal" children, and that she killed them because they were too much to handle, is a cop out.
Perhaps she was unwell, but I personally don't sympathise with her.
However, it seems that there wasn't any need for me to point this out. So I've apologised.

EDIT:

Autism is a spectrum, and some people who have it aren't really affected too badly at all.
And to be honest, I think the main reason I'm taking this stance is because it could just as easily have been me killed if I were born to different parents. So in this particular case, I have more empathy for the victims than for the mother - who I personally feel was more "abnormal" than her children ever could have been.