Autism Vox is doing a great job covering the trial. Here’s some of Day 3…
Gail McCarron recalled that her daughter-in-law said “‘I really wish Katie were dead,’” at least three to five times and also that “”if Katie had cancer, I could deal with it. But I’ll never accept autism’.” Gale McCarron also said that “toward the end,” Karen McCarron did not call Katie by her name, referring to the three-year-old as as “‘the kid.’”
And a bit more….
[Witnesses] said the topic of every conversation with her revolved around curing Katie’s autism. Negativity and hatefulness were ceaseless when she discussed the child, who they say she never hugged, kissed or praised after she was diagnosed with autism.
“It was never good enough,” Jennifer McCarron said. “She looked at Katie as a problem, and she got rid of her problem. There’s nothing more to it than that.”
As I write this, Bede is happily playing on his computer behind me (currently he’s at http://fontso.com where he loves typing words and phrases in different fonts) and getting up every few minutes to run over to the front door and back to his chair as he warbles, grinning hugely. Lest you think life with Bede is always idyllic and charming, I will also note that last night at around 10:30PM he pooped (runny, bleck!), tried to clean it up himself (I appreciate the thought, not the actuality. Also, he was nakey.) and took a shower while I cleaned his chair and the glass of the computer monitor where he had gotten some. He did it in the space of about 2 minutes while I was getting a cup of water for Gilbert.
No it’s not always easy. But it’s always more than worth it. Always.
Yeah. This is really getting to me.
I could reel from it, if I’d let i t sink in in more than the nominal way I am.
I think it’s clearly not her daughter’s autism that cause that woman to be crazy. she was already crazy. everybody has a different reaction to a childhood diagnosis of autism, cancer, needing eyeglasses… whatever. but only people who are mentally disturbed already are going to kill their child over it.
it does seem so odd to me that it started after she was diagnosed. b/c when Eva was diagnoses with spd my life got ten times easier… at least I knew what was bothering her and how to help her feel more comfortable and happy with herself and life. I imagine it’s the same with autism in that way… either way it’s never been easy for me – I’m no good at the guessing game. you far surpass me with gentleness and patience! but I always strive for it, even when I’m discouraged.