Scarlet Chen’s mother to stand trial for drowning
November 12, 2006 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
Four-year-old Scarlet Chen drowned in the bathtub of her Scarborough, Ontario, home on July 12, 2004. Her death was initially ruled an “‘unfortunate accident,’” but, on February 28, 2005, Scarlet’s mother, Xuan Peng, was arrested and charged with murder. The case will go to trial on November 5, 2007, as reported in today’s London Free Press. Peng has been free on $110,000 bail since May of 2005.
Today’s London Free Press article notes that “further evidence” led police to change their minds about Scarlet’s drowning being accidental—-after which the London Free Press quotes Scarlet’s father, David Chen, as recently saying that, while is daughter showed “‘minor symptoms of autism,’” she was never diagnosed with autism: “‘We brought her to see the doctor. She couldn’t speak at age four and that was not normal.’” In September 18th post, I quoted Chen also as saying “‘‘She was a very active girl, very lovely and we love her so much. Our family didn’t think she had autism.’”
Is Scarlet Chen’s possibily being autistic the “further evidence” that caused the police to change their minds?
OMG! “Is Scarlet Chen’s possibily being autistic the “further evidence” that caused the police to change their minds?” I certainly hope not!
No label / diagnoses = not autistic. Surely!
Are we confident that the other 166 haven’t visited their pediatrician / doctor?
That’s scary. Are they suspicious she would kill her child just because there was a possibility that she had autism without any evidence other than the fact they think she might have autism. Either they should be suspicious or not — not suspicious just because she has autism. I used to worry my son would get hit by a car one day because no matter how hard we tried and what we did, he managed to escape sometimes. If he did get hit, would I be charged just because he had autism, but not charged if he was a NT kid who ran into the street?
Cynthia
Cynthia, I know what you mean—-as if we are not already trying to do everything can to help our kids!