Neighbor Allegedly Threatens Autistic Boy
July 24, 2008 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
A South Seattle man allegedly threatened to burn down the bedroom of a 13-year-old autistic boy; the man is now in jail on $25,000 bail. From today’s KOMO News:
[The boy's family, the Engens say Mark] Levison, 48, apparently couldn’t stand seeing their 13-year-old severely autistic son in the front yard.
“Didn’t want Anthony out there,” said the boy’s father, Craig Engen. “He didn’t want to see him spinning around.”
Seattle police say one evening earlier this month Levison came across the street.
Engen says, “That’s when he became threatening, and that’s when he threatened to burn down his bedroom … my son’s bedroom, if he didn’t go inside.”
The boy’s mother called police. When officers arrested Levison for the threat they say he smelled of booze.
The police report says he kept ranting about the boy.
“I pay $1,000 a month rent and shouldn’t have to see that idiot spinning around and staring at my house,” Levison said, according to the police report.
The boy’s parents have no idea why the sight of their son made Levison so angry.
We’re not world’s best (quietest) neighbors, but it’s never come to that.
Sometimes the world is such a harsh place. Will we ever truly evolve? Sigh…
Most of the people here give me some hope…ironic, since we are all dealing with “deficits”.
I’d like to see survival of the kindest, for a change.
I don’t like them posting the photo of the house, that is not very safe for the family and son.
Another thing to consider when contemplating a move. As it is now I cannot consider no fence, need a driveway, must have A/C, laundry, dishwasher, no fireplace, no balcony, no pool.
There are some terribly nasty, selfish and unfeeling people in this world.
The boy was spinning around in his own front yard.
So what?
He wasn’t playing loud music and annoying the neighbours.
He wasn’t throwing rocks, or trying to hurt anyone.
He wasn’t being rude and shouting at anyone.
No, Anthony was just spinning around in his own frontyard, minding his own business.
That fool Levison, could have chosen not to look at Anthony in his front yard.
He was however too much of an intolerant bigot, and chose to intimidate the family and make threats.
Usually, I am not in favour of corporal punishment.
But, a good thrashing with a” cat of nine tails “wouldn’t go astray.
Sorry, I am just SO angry after reading that!
Another disturbing thing about the article – they seem to be presuming that Anthony didn’t know anyone was actually yelling at him. Where the heck do they get that idea?
I read about this in the paper, and my take is that Mr. Levison is the type of neighbor one would not want to live near. No matter what situation your family was in.
In the paper;
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008069648_hatecrime24m.html
It says
“Engen said when she left to go to work one morning, Levison was lying in the middle of the street. One time she and her husband saw Levison walking barefoot down the street, appearing intoxicated, yelling into his cellphone, she said. Engen said Levison would get drunk and throw his work boots in the street.”
“Levison has a prior conviction for breach of peace, court records show. He was previously charged in Washington state with assault and criminal trespass, and has been charged with several misdemeanors and felonies in Oregon, records show.”
and what does the mom of the autistic child say? … “More so than him going to jail, I’d rather see this gentleman get help.”
Note to Bonnie: It is very rare to find a house with AC up here. We only really get about a dozen days of real hot weather. Today it peaked at about 76 degrees (okay, that felt warm to us! It is a matter of what one is used to). This weekend will bring rain and the temp between 55 to 75 degrees. One of the perks of living in a maritime climate. The most important thing here is how well the school district deals with the child. While my kids’ high school has a specific autism program, a friend near the capitol (which is more like a small town) is homeschooling her very bright high functioning Asperger son who is going into the 9th grade — but her district is providing the materials through a “Virtual Academy”.
It amazes me that some people seem to thing that the rent they pay for a place somehow negates the rights of the other people paying to live in a place. The boy had every right to be in his own front yard. Clearly Levinson isn’t right in the head, and it was very generous for the mom to want him to get help.
I wonder if the economy being the way it is – rents being so high for so little, people being at such a high level of stress – is having any effect on this apparent increase in grumpiness and intolerance. Just a thought – not excusing it.
I hope the Engens put a restraining order on this guy that is far enough that it slices through Levison’s home and forces him to move.
Makes you appreciate your neighbors even more!!
@Anne C,
can assure that Charlie would know if that were happening to him.
What can one say—-sounds like Levinson’s “behavior” could use some changing…….
This man needs help.
Thank the lord I have neighbors that understand my son’s Autism ,and dont complain or even take a second look when he throws his fits.In fact ,they say “Hey Shane, you Ok?” or “be careful of the cars” Everybody watches out for him. There is no excuse for comments Levison made. That’s why my ex is my EX(not his biological father) and my husband of 11 yrs, loves my son Shane(21) with all his heart.
Mr. Levison sounds like, at the minimum, he had substance-abuse problems, and maybe something more, such as mental illness, going on probably before the Engens moved into the neighborhood. It is unfortunate that he fixated on Anthony.
Not exactly the welcome wagon you want.
We have been lucky that this is a well-established neighborhood and that folks have been supportive and understanding about Eleanor. I hope it can continue to stay that way.
Reading this makes me so glad we have the wonderful neighbors we have. They are kind and inclusive, understand our needs and help at a moments notice. They celebrate my son’s accomplishments, include him in their birthday parties, look out for him at day camp, and always are looking for opportunities that might benefit him, like telling the second grade teachers how lucky they will be to get A in their class !
But we had the neighbors from hell before them. One of the sons threatened to kill me and A when he was an infant, after my dh told him and his friends to stop playing paintball guns around our cars on our property. I was terrified of those kids for years until they moved.
I hope Mr. Levison is required to get psychiatric help and help for his substance abuse. I would take the threats very seriously.
Our 15-year old son has autism and has similar behaviors. I sure hope the world treats him with more respect and compassion than this man had.
Oh dear.
A South Seattle man who was charged three months ago with a hate crime after he threatened to burn down an autistic child’s home was charged criminally again Friday [10/3/08].
Mark Levison, 48, was booked into King County Jail on Friday morning and charged with a second count of malicious harassment — the state’s hate-crime law — after he allegedly screamed profanities at the autistic child’s father Thursday night. Levison’s trial on the previous charge is pending…Levison is in jail on $500,000 bail. Arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 16.
Man accused of harassing autistic boy faces hate-crime charge
Seattle Times October 4, 2008
Oh dear and big sigh.
On a brighter note regarding neighbors, our downstairs neighbor has been talking to us again (well, an occasional “hi”).
That is a brighter note–thanks for sharing. I hope that it continues to improve.
We certainly won’t be here forever—2nd floor apartment is not ideal. Charlie really seems to like it and he’s been much more easy-going about not stomping and jumping when I ask him to.