Rockville, Md., couple charged with abusing twin 22-year-old autistic sons

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Last edited Tue Jul 22, 2014, 01:15 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: Washington Post

By Dan Morse July 21 at 10:52 PM 

A Rockville couple was charged with abusing their twin 22-year-old autistic sons by keeping them locked at night in a basement room with no furniture, no working lights and a single comforter on a bare tile floor, according to Montgomery County arrest records.

The room smelled of urine and had only one window, which was too small for an adult to escape through in an emergency, Montgomery police alleged in court documents. The two doors to the room were allegedly locked from the outside, one with a deadbolt and the other a padlock.
....

It appeared that police discovered the room by accident. ... Early Thursday, they arrived at the home — in the 1600 block of Crawford Drive — to serve a search warrant in an unrelated case, records indicate. Once inside, they found a room in the basement with an external dead bolt. They opened it, went inside and found the two young men, according to court records.
....

John Land said he and his wife were primary caretakers, according to court records. He said one of the sons had damaged part of the house so he had taken to keeping them locked in the basement room, police alleged in court papers, and Janice Land told detectives that the two sons had been using the room as a bedroom for the past six years.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/rockville-md-couple-charged-with-abusing-twin-22-year-old-autistic-sons/2014/07/21/2f23b6c8-113c-11e4-9285-4243a40ddc97_story.html

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The discovery happened a few days ago, but the news of the arrest seems to be getting out only recently.

ETA: Please take a look at the comments. This is a complex story.

[peace13]

1. Care-giving is draining physically and mentally.

If this couple didn't have the resources for outside help then life has been a struggle for many years. Not judging these folks. It is sad for everyone involved. This is a very sad story.

[eggplant]

2. Not judging these folks?

Is there some circumstance where locking someone in an unlit bare room all night for six years could be judged in some positive way?

[peace13]

3. I have a friend who has been living with her mother in law who has severe dementia.

They try to keep her safe but there are times when she roams for 24 hours a day. This has been going on for over two years. It's tough. There are days when my friend wonders how she will get through the day. I might tie a door shut after a period of time, I just don't know. When I was a caregiver to my sister I was fortunate enough to have a team of people who helped. Even with this there were days when I wondered how long I could hang on.

These parents have been dealing with these kids for the better part of 20 years. Who knows what skill set they had before the babies were born. Who knows how it came to be. I can not imagine the heartache and pain that all have suffered. The system is broken and care givers are only human. I am not excusing this situation. But....if we fail to lend a hand to people we know that are dealing with this kind of situation....then we are just as guilty.

[eggplant]

5. Sorry, but nope.

There is a lot of opportunity to treat human beings better while keeping them safe than the conditions these people were forced to live in. This case isn't even close.

[kickysnana]

7. Ah, to be so young and so sure of how you think the world works. n/t

[eggplant]

11. And you base this drive-by comment on what, exactly?

Pray tell, what do you know about me?

[VA_Jill]

4. No excuses

Sorry, guys. I have an autistic son who is now 42 and does not live at home any more. Yes, caregiving is exhausting, but there are resources. Yes, you have to look for them, but they ARE out there. We found them, and we were in Tennessee, which probably has fewer resources than Maryland does, being a seriously less advanced state. So I am not disposed to cut these people any slack. They should have been exploring and using the state resources available to them since the children were small. These resources are fairly easy to find when the kids are little, through local schools, hospitals, your pediatrician, and your area Council on Retardation, for starters. Those resources put you on the right path, but then YOU have to be your child's advocate. That's your job as a parent anyway, whether your child is autistic, a genius, a sports prodigy, or just an ordinary kid!

[markpkessinger]

8. Well said! n/t

[Throckmorton]

10. Sending my 17 year old Asbergers son, whom is prone to psychotic breaks to a group home,

was the second hardest thing I ever did.

I was the right choice, and now at age 19 he has all the support he needs. He has developed schizophrenia, which we had seen coming since around his 16th birthday.

In the group home his is their star consumer, he even started community college this summer.

But, he needs the detached, professional help that he now has available 24/7. As a parent, I was just to strongly emotionally invested in him to be able to do it. Plus, these good people all go home after 8 hours, when the next shift comes on duty, something a parent cannot do.

[kimbutgar]

12. My son was 20 when he went to live in a group home he been in a home for almost 2 yrs

He is thriving and showing maturity. It had become hell at home for my husband and I. What happened in Maryland to those boys is despicable.

I hope now the boys get the care they need away from these cretins.

[KamaAina]

6. Keep them locked up in a room with iron bars.

For a LONG time.

[Kingofalldems]

9. The house has been locked down by the authorities.

The reason the house was entered was because a son was wanted for an assault and attempted mugging.
Didn't know about the 2 other sons though.