George, Lexi, Scarlett
Alex, Lakesha, Tracy
Remember
Katie, Daniel, Marcus
Angelica, Zain, Tiffany
Remember
Not united by race
Did not share the same religion
Diverse in ethnicity
One thing they shared
They were disabled
Children gone too soon
Young adults, now forever young
Murdered
Mothers, fathers, siblings, caregivers
They were supposed to protect
Trusted ones, loved ones
They became the biggest threat
Children gone too soon
Young adults, now forever young
Murdered
Fear
They died in fear
Confusion
Hurt by hands that should offer comfort
The love of a parent lost in blood
The air no longer available
Eyes that saw terror
Remember
Jeremy, Maxwell, Casey
Pierre, James, Ryan
Never forget
Calista, Shylea, Tony
Betty, Walter, Leosha
There are so many
Ajit, Christopher, Kenneth
Faryaal, Emily, Karandeep
Jori, Noe, Chase
Courtney, Ulysses, Ethan
Gabriel, Johnny, Pamela
My heart aches
My soul is crying
Boys and girls, gone too soon
Young adults who will never grow old
It did not have to happen
It happened because they were disabled
Never forget
Remember them
They were one of us
Their lives valuable to us
Remember
Copyright 2013 by Amy Sequenzia
After I wrote this, another child was murdered. Randle Barrow, drowned by his mother. My heart hurts.
Beautifully sad…Amy. *love* Thank you and I know it hurts deeply…I share that sorrow.
*AUTIEHUGS* Amy. I am hurting and crying for these beautiful individuals lost too soon and in such tragic ways right along with you. This should never happen, and it happens all too frequently.
(( <3 ))
Tragic and wrong………………
“Remember” By Amy Sequenzia <3
Tragic. What do you think would be the most effective thing to stop this? More help for families? This should never get to the point where murder is the only way out
How Can We Prevent This?
1. Change the conversation
Center the victim. Condemn the murderer. Refuse to “understand,” excuse, justify, minimize, or normalize a parent killing their child. Refuse to accept this. Refuse to allow this to become our new normal.
2. Prosecute
Call for these crimes to be prosecuted to the fullest extend of the law, similarly to other filicides. Demand that people with disabilities have equal protection under the law. Consider lobbying your state legislature to include disability in your state’s hate crimes statute, or to adopt one if your state does not have one.
3. End ableism
Challenge ableism (anti-disability bias and prejudice) everywhere you see it. Challenge the idea that it is better to be dead than disabled, that disabled people are a drain on society, that disability means suffering, and that disabled lives are not worth living. Promote inclusion, community integration, and acceptance.
4. Self-report
If you think you are going to harm your child or adult relative, turn yourself in. Call 911 or child protective services and say “I am thinking about killing my child.”
5. Community reporting
If someone you know is talking about killing their child, turn them in. Often in the wake of a filicide people come forward to say that days or months before the murder, the perpetrator made a comment to them suggesting that they were contemplating homicide: “I’m despairing about my child’s condition – I think this is the end for him,” or “kids like mine should be put down,” or even “I am thinking about killing my child.” In addition, report any indications you might see of child abuse or child neglect. Abuse and neglect of children and adults with disabilities is very common and extremely under-reported, and many filicides are preventable escalations.
– http://autisticadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/ASAN-Anti-Filicide-Toolkit-Complete.pdf