Updated Thursday, June 30, 2016 Earlier this year I wrote about three-year-old Cameron Thomas. Cameron was autistic. He wandered from his family home and was dead several hours later. Now another child is dead because of wandering. Damion Alexander Davidson, an eight-year-old with autism, wandered from his home in Duncan, Oklahoma. His parents think he left in the middle of the night. On 25 June, after a 14-day search, police found his body. “After 14 days, police say they found who’s believed to be Damion Davidson behind these trees in Claridy Creek, just about half a mile north of where the pyjama pants were found. They weren’t able to get […]
‘Making a Murderer,’ disability and the criminal justice system – part two
Updated Friday, August 5, 2016 Brendan Dassey is serving a life sentence at Columbia Correctional Institute in Wisconsin following his conviction for the murder of Teresa Halbach. In April 2007, a jury found Dassey guilty of first-degree intentional homicide, second-degree sexual assault and mutilation of a corpse. Dassey’s confession to investigators formed the basis of the prosecution’s case. In part one of this-two-part series, we looked at Brendan’s disability and how it affected statements he made to investigators. We examined how police questioned Brendan. In this last part, we look at what protections should be in place to help juveniles with learning disabilities like Brendan. Whether you believe Brendan Dassey is […]
‘Making a Murderer,’ disability and the criminal justice system – part one
Updated Friday, August 5, 2016 The internet is buzzing about the Netflix series “Making a Murderer.” This gripping 10-part documentary is about Stephen Avery, who spent 18 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. DNA evidence freed Avery in 2003. However, two years later, police arrest and charge him with the murder of a young woman, Teresa Halbach. Then, the police arrest Brendan Dassey, his 16-year-old nephew, for helping Avery with the crime. Both men were convicted of Halbach’s murder in separate trials. Much of the internet chatter focuses on flaws in the justice system including the actions of the prosecutor and the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Department. But […]
Book helps children with cancer deal with their emotions
Updated Sunday, January 24, 2016A cancer diagnosis is scary for anyone, but for children with cancer it can be overwhelming. A new book, My Cancer Days, helps children with cancer recognise and express their emotions. Through pictures and words, the book tells the story of a young girl diagnosed with cancer. The girl experiences a range of emotions including anger, sadness, happiness, fear and envy. She associates each emotion with a colour. The story teaches children with cancer it is okay to have these emotions and encourages children to express what they are feeling. “I wrote My Cancer Days for the smallest warriors,” said author Courtney Filigenzi. “Children can have […]
Dangerous batteries and magnets leave One child dead, another seriously injured
Updated Sunday, January 24, 2016Small button batteries and magnets continue to injure and kill young children despite safety campaigns and product recalls. Two-year-old Brianna Florer died on 26 December after swallowing a small round button battery. Her grandfather told The Oklahoman Brianna felt unwell and when she threw up blood her parents called an ambulance. The family did not know the cause of her illness until an xray revealed she swallowed a button battery. Despite surgery, the young toddler lost her life. Many household and personal devices use button batteries including remote controls, hearing aids and digital thermometers. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns these batteries cause […]
Brain connections weaker among poor children, increases depression risk
Updated Sunday, January 24, 2016Key brain connections are weaker in poor children report researchers, from Washington University St. Louis. When compared to children from wealthier backgrounds, children in poor families showed weaker connections in parts of the brain that deal with learning, memory, stress and emotion, according to the study published Jan 15. “Our past research has shown that the brain’s anatomy can look different in poor children, with the size of the hippocampus and amygdala frequently altered in kids raised in poverty,” said first author Deanna M. Barch, PhD. “In this study, we found that the way those structures connect with the rest of the brain changes in ways we […]
