Sunday, May 2, 2010

Death of Maine man with autism at hands of rule his father ruled murder-suicide

From Fox-TV in Maine:

The state medical examiner's office has ruled the deaths of a Gray father and his autistic son as a case of murder-suicide, sparking anxiety and concern among other Maine parents of kids with autism and Asperger syndrome.

Officials say that 44-year-old Daniel McLatchie shot and killed his 22-year-old son, Benjamin, before turning the gun on himself. They speculate that the father may have been worried about what kind of care his son would get once he and his wife died.

In reaction to the tragedy, some parents of autistic kids say the support system for their special needs kids is strong when they're young. But they worry about long-term care for their children once they become adults.