This is a first:
As reported in the Houston Chronicle, a man in Texas may be the first husband held criminally responsible in a case where a mother with postpartum psychosis killed her child.
"A Texas man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for leaving his baby alone with his psychotic wife, who [killed her 1-year-old — I'm censoring the details] …
[Michael] Maxon, 56, was convicted earlier this year of intentionally abandoning his 1-year-old son when he left the couple's Mansfield home in 2006 to run errands. According to trial testimony, doctors and relatives had warned him not to leave his son Alex alone with his wife, who had been having delusions that her son was the anti-Christ who would be tortured before causing the Apocalypse.
In 2008, a judge found Valeria Maxon innocent by reason of insanity in the baby's death. She was sent to a state mental hospital, as required by Texas law with such verdicts."
I wonder why Valeria wasn't in a hospital or somewhere where she could have been better protected, and not in a place where she could harm her child.
Hmmmm. Can't decide about how I feel about this one. But part of me (I think the mean, vengeful part of me:) is happy about this.
Perhaps it'll serve as a powerful message to those *DUMB* partners and families out there who have been warned by docs, but STILL find it necessary to leave their partners who have been officially diagnosed with postpartum psychosis alone with their child.
It makes me wonder if the doctor should also be held accountable for this as it is very clear that this poor woman was in desperate need of medical care.
Also, the family members who warned the husband not to leave the baby alone with the mother are to blame. If they felt that she posed such a great risk to that infant, then someone should have stepped up to protect that infant. Shame on all of them.
Such a tragedy.
I wish Andrea Yates' husband had been held more accountable. Another incredibly senseless situation.
It's hard when you don't know all the
details. I am curious as to how helpful
everyone else was and how willing they
were to step in and care for this mother
so that she wouldn't be alone.
This is a sad situation. Failures on many fronts. Why wasn't she hospitalized? Why wasn't anyone else there so the he could take care of business for his family so everyone could be safe. Maybe he should have brought the baby with him. But should this man be held to his home 24/7? While I guess it's human nature this "someone has to pay for this" really bothers me. Nobody understands living with someone that is mentally ill until they have been there. I don't think this warrants criminal charges. Yes, his wife was very ill and should not have been left alone. I think he just got caught in a bad situation and most likely was doing the best he could to get everyone through. I even cut Rusty slack, you just don't know.
I have to agree with Peggy. I mean, I just would have been so naive about mental illness. When things are crazy in your house like that, it's just a situation most would have trouble dealing with successfully I would say. I think this guy probably has suffered enough.
In reading further articles on this topic, it appears that the decision to send him to jail is based on a lot of stuff (some of it downright bizzare – you can look these facts up for yourself if you're interested):
Like how he kept getting her discharged from psychiatric facilities on several occasions from many different States!
Like how he promised the docs that she would be supervised 24/7 and not be left alone, let alone with their child.
And how he knew she was a threat to herself and their child considering she had made a previous attempt to kill herself.
Considering all this, it seems pretty obvious why they found him guilty.
For the Yates', apparently Rusty was trying to get Dr. Saede to put Andrea ON an antipsychotic med that worked in the past for her.
In this case, I do wonder why Valeria wasn't in the hospital. I don't think family members are prepared to act as mental health providers in their own homes.
I think you're right that a lot
of this depends on the specific facts of
the case. If he was left to deal with
this all on his own, then that's not
fair. She should have been in a hospital
were she could have been cared for around
the clock. If he was the reason she
wasn't in a hospital, and if he neglected
to do anything to help her while knowing
that she could harm herself or others, then
perhaps he should be held liable in some
way.