WARNING: This story contains very graphic content.
This evening as my family and I were finishing up dinner. I heard a news story on t.v. that caught my attention. My husband made the comment he had heard about this and felt that I shouldn’t listen to the story. Being the hard headed stubborn woman that I am, I ignored him and now wished that I had not.
The story is about a woman who had killed her 4 week old son by decapitating him and eating his internal organs. Disturbing as this may be, the saddest part of this story is this little angel’s death could have been prevented. You see his mother had just been diagnosed with postpartum psychosis as well as being diagnosed as a schizophrenic last year. It gets better, on July 20th, just six days before she committed this act, she checked herself into a hospital for “hearing voices”, but soon after was released by emergency room personnel.
Mental illness in any form is a serious medical condition. Schizophrenia is one of the most critical mental illnesses. Postpartum psychosis is far more severe than post postpartum depression.
I am no expert, but there needs to be more awareness when mental health is an issue. One person named “Lazlo” actually stated these words in a comment, and I quote: “Unless we as a country take steps to sterilize all Bipolars, schizos and the dangerously depressed from EVER breeding we will always have these tragedies. Blame the infected family lineage that keeps breeding these disease minded individuals”.
It is comments like these that prevent people from seeking treatment for mental illnesses. People with mental illnesses are reluctant to get treatment because of these stereotypes. Our society ignores the mentally ill until something tragic happens and then the blame game is played. It was not a secret that this woman had some serious issues. Upon delivery, why wasn’t she assigned a social worker to monitor her behavior? The woman was schizophrenic. Why would heath care professionals allow this woman to walk out of the hospital with a child without some sort of follow up treatment? Baby Scotty’s father and grandparents needed to be trained on how to deal with a family member that has schizophrenia and look for signs of instability.
I know it is hard for people to understand how a woman could do this horrible act to her only child, but one must really understand and educate themselves on mental illnesses before they make opinions about the mentally ill.
It is my opinion that the mentally ill are discriminated against. Most times these very sick individuals are just thrown away. There needs to be awareness in our country to help prevent such tragedies as this.
Rest in peace little Scott Wesley Buchholz Sanchez. June 30, 2009 – July 26, 2009
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Everytime I hear a story like that it breaks my heart a 1000 times. I want so desperately to rewind time and take that child from them and keep them safe.
I too agree about people “stereotyping” needs to stop. Mentally ill or not they are human beings and should not be treated like dirt. My heart goes out to the babys family. This tragedy shouldn’t have happened. It goes to show you how well the medical community ranks mental illness. Any person with an illness can live a normal life with the proper medical attention and medications. I have personally exprienced this and there for I can relate and give my personal insights. People who make such harsh comments need a reality check! I could go on and on about this.
Kali,
Thanks for your comments. I am such an advocate for the mentally ill. Many time they are over look and pushed in a corner and many times they can’t stand up for themselves. It is a very sad story. Thanks for visiting.
-Sandy