Any watching the Jessica case from Co?

[DammitJanet]

The little 10 year old from right outside Aurora CO who was kidnapped, killed and dismembered about 2/3 weeks ago? It has turned out the suspect is a 17 year old who lives in the same neighborhood! I only say suspect loosely because he has admitted it.

I feel so bad for both sets of these parents. The mother of this perp (Austin Suggs) figured out he was the one who did it somehow, probably some stuff showing on TV and I think he son was acting strange and he stored part of the body in the crawl space of their house. She called the cops and then forced her son to turn himself in. Talk about one strong mom.

But literally the facts coming out about this boy are amazing. The whole thing about him being the quiet boy next door who kept to himself. Smart. Dropped out in 11th grade to take his GED because school bored him and he wanted to get into college sooner. He had an intense interest in knives, death and mortuary things. He was very into CSI and forensics. He was taking classes in mortuary science and forensic science.

He is also a suspect in the attack and attempted kidnapping of a woman last spring. They have no clue if he is tied to any other crimes in the area.

But lord how young he is to be this advanced. I cannot even imagine a 17 year old hacking a body in pieces. Yeah a sex pervert who accidently killed the little girl I can see but to take it to the extreme this kid did is really extreme. And of course, they are now looking way back in his life to try to find out why. His father has some criminal background but they divorced when the kid was 9 and DWI's, drug charges and mortgage investment scams are a LONG way from a sociopathic killer. Not even in the same realm.

 

[DDD]

I am/was so saddened by this case. Naively I always try to figure out how society can provide interventions for the kids and teens who are "off" the charts. Sometimes it seems like government is already too intrusive in family life but then we know on the Board how difficult it is to find help when parents know there are problems. How does one recognize the PIA teen behaviors from the signs of severe problems? Especially when the teen is attractive, bright and has a caring parent? I noted that he "ate lunch with the Goths" and "wore black". There are thousands of teens who display those tendencies. Perhaps we will subsequently find that the boy has had counseling etc. and he just couldn't overcome his abnormal interests. At least this time the world is not on a witchhunt for the parent. DDD

 

[JJJ]

So very sad.

 

[TerryJ2]

Yes, I saw it in the news, and there have been two moms recently who turned in their kids for murder. Heartwrenching.

In regard to how to stop such things, you know, the more I see and hear about it, the less I think we can stop it. This kid was determined. He seemed to be studious and intelligent. Add that to a mom who, like the rest of us, does not live in the same reality he does, and who wouldn't recognize the signs (I mean, I have a cousin who is a mortician and makes a very good living, so that sort of interest wouldn't even catch my attention) and we're just lucky that the mom finally put the clue together and called the police. I cannot imagine how much her hands where shaking when she made that call. How tragic, all the way around. That poor family of that precious little girl ...

 

[TiredSoul]

It has been reported he got counseling for a pornography addiction when he was 15 (2 yrs ago).

 

[DDD]

If so...it sounds like it is another example of a loving diligent caring parent who just can't stop the inevitable. Sad DDDi

 

[DammitJanet]

I hadnt heard that. So sad. He sounded so incredibly smart and until the news got to his group of friends they were describing him well but then they started on the "oh he was weird" routine however several of the kids admitted they used to tease him all the time. Yeah, there is that bullying aspect again.