I read about this on one of my Autism lists. I was getting caught up on my reading, and saw some posts about a missing boy with Autism, so read a little, but by then the search had been called off.
This is why
I can only imagine what a horrible, short life this beautiful boy had. Poor Marcus' horrible mother told the social workers who took him, "He's your problem now." This was before he was placed with the worst excuse for foster "parents" available. This for a boy with Autism, who would have needed more help for daily life, not less.
Some back story: Marcus' foster parents went to a family reunion in Kentucky in early August, leaving Marcus behind in a closet for the two days they were gone. When they returned, Marcus was dead, so the foster father took the body somewhere and burned it. Most people would not leave a dog behind unsupervised while they left on a trip. (Of course, this could just be their latest lie. Marcus could have been dead already when they left, and they just didn't deal with the body until later.) After a couple of weeks, and having missed one social worker visit (they claimed Marcus was sick), these vile people had to come up with a story. So the foster mother claimed she had taken Marcus and three other children to the park, and she had passed out from the heat and a heart condition, and while she was passed out, Marcus disappeared. A huge search mission occurred afterward, and the foster mother appeared on tv, tearily pleading for the return of her foster child, whom we now know was already dead at the time. Shortly after making up the story about Marcus disappearing from the park, the foster family moved, and before Marcus' disappearance, but probably after his death, they had a garage sale. Probably lots of evidence was sold off, and I'm sure there was lots of guilt associated with that house.
This just makes me sick. Yes, kids with Autism are challenging. Hey, just today we had to leave Hutton's speech therapy session early because he was screaming so much his therapist couldn't work with him. But they can also be incredibly sweet, like Hutton now, sitting in my lap as I type this. Hutton gives the best hugs of nearly anyone I know. Even on Hutton's worst days, I still love him unconditionally. Reading this story just reminds me how much I love him, and makes me sad that Marcus did not have someone to love him. Rest in peace, Marcus.
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Another article with lots of interesting facts about the "foster parents," including that they had a live-in girlfriend and the father was bipolar.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
This is Just...So...Disturbing
Posted by Laura at 11:14 AM
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7 comments:
Sad indeed, Laura...Happened not too far south of where I am, and I have been following the story the whole time.
Apparently it was the girlfriend who was pinched and finally broke down with the information.
RIP, Marcus...
That is one of the saddest, sickest things I've read in a long time. :(
Oh, God. That is horrible.
John and I started talking about the possibility of becoming foster parents about two years ago. We haven't done it because we feel like we wouldn't be able to provide the right kind of care...but reading this makes me think foster kids need better fucking choices. How the hell did the Carrolls ever become foster parents anyway? I feel sick.
Hey Laura,
To update you the Foster Parents were just arraigned a few minutes ago, and are being held on 10.1 million dollar bond apiece.
Thanks for the update, Matt!
Kristen - I, too, have thought about being a foster parent further down the line when the boys are in school. This just makes you realize how bad the situation can be for these kids. Yes, indeed, foster kids do need better choices - mothers who let you fall out of windows and play in traffic, or foster parents who leave you to die? Not much of a choice, there!
My partner Tom was a foster child who was adopted by his parents (the adopted three boys) and the whole family was blessed by the experience. My heart aches for Marcus; I know there is a family that would have loved him and respected his differences. I hope the next Autistic child that enters into custody of the court gets a better chance because of what happened.
Oh Laura, I so wish that you hadn't shared this. My heart is absolutely broken for this little boy. I cannot get the image out of my head of how this poor little boy must have died.
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