Karen McCarron Sentenced to 36 Years
April 1, 2008 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
Former pathologist Karen McCarron has been sentenced to 36 years in prison for the May 13th suffocation of her then 3-year-old daughter, Katherine “Katie” McCarron, today’s Peoria Journal-Star reports. On January 17th, McCarron was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder, one count of obstructing justice and one count of concealment of a homicidal death. A request for a new trial was denied and she will have to serve all of her sentence. She was also ordered to pay a $25,000 fine; she had faced 20 years and 110 years in prison. Katie McCarron was autistic; in a taped confession made on May 15, 2006, McCarron said that she “‘wanted a life without autism.’”
There is more about Katie McCarron here.
Well, she got a life without autism…
behind bars.
Painful to read the second paragraph of this story.
Yes, but Tian had the clarity of soul to see that the poison was not the right answer. I am very glad to read about her work in the rest of the story.
Yes—-one hopes that parents won’t have to talk about such extreme measures someday. Quote from Tian Huiping:
“‘I thought, I have no right to end his life, and I cannot kill myself and leave him.’”
And further on,
“…Fifteen years later, Tian and her Stars and Rain Education Institute for Autism help more than 3,000 children a day through her school and its outreach program. Eighty children of all ages enroll in her school for an 11-week course with their parents — many of whom travel hundreds of miles from small villages to get help for their children. The parents then return to their villages to try to educate the local population…”.
Beth said it. Unfortunately Katie’s the one who had to pay the price. Bless her little soul.
I’ve written so—too—much about this case and I’m still speechless every time I think about it.
Well said, Beth.
Thank you. I feel so sorry for Kattie’s family. They suffer with her loss.
Kristina and all,
I thought you might want to know that some of the other articles I found contained some moving (for me, anyway) glimpses into other things said at the sentencing hearings:
http://notdeadyetnewscommentary.blogspot.com/2008/04/more-on-karen-mccarrons-sentence.html
This is the legacy of autism in the US today…And yet we have Time Magazine with an irresponsible, fear-mongering cover story about parents who are “selfish” for not wanting to fully vaccinate their kids. As an MD no doubt McCarron tragically believed vaccines would help her daughter (Google ” Bernadine Healy IOM autism” if you still think vaccines doesn’t trigger autism. Funny how this story never hit the major wires). What is selfish, and wholly criminal, is for gov’t health officials to expect parents to continue wantonly vaccinating, thus randomly placing their families at risk for tragic situations like this.
Not Saying,
SHOVE IT. A beautiful child was MURDERED and you’re using it to push your agenda. That’s revolting. Your utter lack of respect for Katie is the only toxic disorder here.