http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16709239/

Odgren’s attorney, Jonathan Shapiro, said Odgren has Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism, and has been taking medications for many years.

“The defendant has a history of fairly serious psychological diagnoses and has also suffered from hyperactivity dysfunction for many years,” Shapiro said. “What is clear is John has a serious disability.”

The two boys got into a fight in a bathroom, and it spilled out into a hallway at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High, authorities said. Odgren stabbed Alenson twice with a long knife — once in the abdomen and once in the heart, prosecutor Daniel Bennett said.



i wonder if medications make people go crazy
eat 3 apples a day -you might feel better

This story was on my local news; it happened about an hour from here, and it struck terror in me. It's so scary that our kids so often don't imitate until they're much older, and if they're exposed to violence, they have no idea what they're doing in some cases until it's too late. It just underscores that we must closely monitor what our kids see and make sure to explain as much as we can the differences between fantasy and reality. Even then, they might not get it, but we have to give it our best effort.


LIZARD

It's shockingly tragic thing to happen.
There's probably so much more to the whole story that we'll never know. I do also wonder what combination of medications the boy was taking and what they were actually treating, but I also wonder why he was carrying a knife in school, and a zillion other questions. Some of the news links I read online earlier about it were troubling. Someone, might have been the principal of the school or the lawyer or someone said it was "worst nightmare". Indeed.

edited to add: I've had a longstanding concern for many years with my son that someone would one day actually hurt _him_ (not the other way around) because they don't understand him. [never mentioned this anywhere before] He's pretty blunt with words, and says it how he see it... meaning he's not as likely to hold back with a comment as most other people would be. e.g. If something smells bad, he'll say it. He's also pretty naive as to people's intentions sometimes. Got himself in a situation a couple of times where a guy his age took advantage of his generosity with money and my son lost out. He did learn a big lesson from that and is more careful thank goodness. It's one of those things that isn't easy to teach someone else without going overboard... that people aren't always kind and caring and that there are conartists out there or worse. :/

My prayers and thoughts go to the family of both boys.

I think they need it. And I hope the boy that did the stabbing
can get some real help. I have a feeling he is going to need it.

I don't think he knew what was going on exactly at the time.

Donna

so sad to hear of this

Lizard, you are so right re needing to help kids understand the difference between fantasy and reality with all the violence they are exposed to via TV, movies and video/computer games!

I too wonder whether medications may have played a role in all this, having experienced a brief period of medication induced psychosis with my son 7 years ago. He didnt hurt anyone else but he did hurt himself and it was awful for him because he literally couldnt stop.....thank God a savvy doctor recognised what was happening and helped us withdraw from the medication cocktail that was inducing the psychosis!

Lara, sounds like we have very similar son's!
One thing that comforts me is that my son seems to have learned (sadly by experience) as to just how mean some can be, especially when they perceive any "difference" as with his TS. He seemed to find a way to diffuse bullies with a sharp sense of humor which has thankfully protected him thus far.
He is very outspoken and doesnt hestitate to stand up for what he believes is right, or to come to the defense of the "underdog".
I feel a bit less concerned about it now that he is a six footer at 17!

Still, I think for all of us mom's with kids who have any form of illness or neruo issues etc....we are always feeling that extra sense of concern

This just makes me so heart-sick

The news reporters here are talking with other kids from the school -- "he (the one with the knife) was the 'weird' kid who always got teased"; "he (the one with the knife) had a knife 'collection' at home"; "he (the one with the knife) walked around in the woods with a machete". Where were the parents in all this??

No security at the school (not even metal detectors).

G-D. Again. How many warning signs do we need that someone that is fragile shouldn't be picked on and harassed and teased??

You're right -- we'll never know the whole story. But, how many times do we have to watch kids who are ticking time bombs being teased and harassed and embarrassed before we teach our kids that you don't treat another human being like that.

The "popular kid" says one, small insignificant thing to the kid who has trouble understanding subtle differences in phraseology ... If the school had paid attention to the warnings/messages from Columbine, there would not have been a knife in that school.

Even now, the District Attorney is saying that he won't recommend metal detectors in the school.

When are we going to learn So many lives destroyed because AGAIN no one paid any attention to messages from other tragedies and AGAIN no one paid any attention to warnings signs

Barb