Wheatland Wyoming father kills his three autistic children

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From my old employer

http://www.kgwn.tv/story/15047207/man-i ... r-shooting

and...

http://www.k2tv.com/news.php?id=638

Wheatland is roughly 70 miles north of Cheyenne on I-25. Having lived in Wyoming for three years I can tell you the mental health system in the state is a generation behind what other states have to offer.

Support groups in Wyoming are few and far between. The first autism support group that formed in southeastern Wyoming only came together 15 months ago. Most people in that part of the state head south to places like Fort Collins and Denver for mental health services.

Given what happen, it sounds like this guy just snapped.

That's tragic. I suspect that the dad had undiagnosed/untreated mental health issues because it's very unusual that he just suddenly snapped like that.

Another sick example of how screwed up the world is. What decade are we really living in? The 1940s?

thats very sad... it would be interesting what his defense will be for going off like that. I wouldn't call this a "mercy" killing, just a guy with a gun just nutted up killing. I think it may have been premeditated unless he always brought his gun to the dinner table. That is just horrible, why didnt he just file for divorce it was that bad?

The culture of the central northern part of the country is based on a personally independent mindset that emphasizes self-sufficiency. They tend to not put much emphasis on social services, but they also tend to live a lifestyle that's not likely to make a small man rich. It's a region that is desperately in need of psych ward beds, but the voters have not put enough emphasis on it to see it through.

This Wyoming man was probably driven by a mental illness.

We had a story recently where a young Australian couple made inquiries about euthanasia for their 2yr old autistic child. Later the child mysteriously "drowned" and the mother is a swim instructor!

The couple in question, were in the process of discussing foster care for their child and made it abundantly clear that the toddler was cramping their style. The father has been quoted as saying, “Why do they keep children with these disabilities alive?”

The couple has also been quoted as describing their life before their baby came into it as, “happy and beautiful” and describing their babies condition as “dragging us down”.
http://www.imperfectparent.com/topics/2 ... onvenient/

wow, now that case should be a slam dunk unlike the casey anthony trial here in the US. I hope this is not seen as a case of poor parent with no services. It is clear this child was cramping their style. Does australia have disability rights laws? Just curious, we have them here, but they are kinda given to who they want to and denied to who they want to also, mostly depends on how well connected the person with disabilities is.

That is just sick, killing your children and your brother! I mean really.

The truly sad thing is that Wyoming could put together a mental health care system that could be the envy of every other state. Given the amount of money the state pulls in from energy and mineral royalties, they could certainly afford it. But indeed, the people would never go for it. You might get support in places like cheyenne, casper and laramie - but the rural areas, they have no time or place out there for people who can't hack it on their own.

They don't call people from Colorado "Greenies" for nothing.

There are laws but the case of the young couple I understand the police have no evidence to charge the parents. Unfortunately anecdotal evidence isn't enough to prosecute.

It used to be. Why does it have to be DNA to prove guilt in a case so obvious

Probably an over-reliance on DNA to get a prosecution. Yes you'd think the circumstances make the case sufficiently water tight but at the end of the day the parent's know there were no witnesses.

I do have to agree with this one. I moved to Wyoming after growing up in Memphis, and while I do agree Wyomingians are a pretty tolerant bunch, they have this mentality that comes from a century of being railroad workers, ranchers, farmers, prospectors and oil workers, etc. and other occupations that require oneself to scratch a living out of the land, where people are more respected if they are capable of making a living without assistance. Unfortunately, that is difficult to downright impossible for the majority of the autistic community. I don't think there's any straight-up animosity towards the disabled here, though... just a kind of disdain for people who can't fend for themselves. I think a case like this goes to the extreme though. Most Wyoming people I know would consider this an evil act just like everyone else. The state has a bad rep for being populated with intolerant hicks ever since the media railed on us back in the 90's over Matthew Shepard's murder, but the reality is, even though Wyomingians aren't usually intolerant to begin with, we've been making strides to try and lower the bar even further, especially in the bigger, more liberal cities such as Laramie, Cheyenne, and Casper (though in my honest opinion calling Laramie a 'city' compared to a monstrosity like Denver three hours south is kind of pushing it. But that's off topic). I remember when Temple Grandin came to speak at UW, and she was very well received. Though to be honest, Grandin is one of those few people who managed to hack it on their own... so maybe not exactly the best example. However, her message about ways to help autistic children and teens find their full potential was I think well received... hopefully that's a signpost of change to come.