Dr. Earl Bradley slated to go on trial tomorrow

The Delaware pediatrician who heinously abused his young patients and violated the trust of hundreds of families is being prosecuted starting tomorrow, Tuesday June 7th. I could have chosen this man as my son's primary doctor, but because instead, I picked a doctor that practiced family medicine. After a while, I switched his doctor the pediatrician located closer to our home that we could walk to. Dr. Bradley was the second closet pediatrician and still practicing at the time I decided to switch.  It's too bad that so many parents and children trusted him.

My neighbor told me her friends recommended Dr. Bradley to her when she was pregnant with her first child. Then one of those friends recanted the rec saying Dr. Bradley refused to send their sick child to a specialist. I believe that child suffered from a chronic disease, for which said parent advocated for treatment by getting a second opinion. Turns out, in hindsight, Dr. Bradley didn't like to send patients to specialists or second opinions for the fear of being caught.

That same neighbor's husband is on the prosecution team. He's home for some of today. Spending time with his wife and kids whom he won't get to focus on because of the trial. I know he has worked incredibly hard on this case and his family making a huge sacrifice because of the monster that is Earl Bradley. He will most likely miss his daughter's first day of kindergarten, summer trips to the beach, dates with his wife, family outings and downtime...

During this process, which has been underway for years now, I have encouraged my neighbors to put aside their hectic lives to spend time as a family and couple. 

She's worried that her girls will miss too much of their father, that she will miss too much of her husband. He's all consumed with this trial, understandably on many levels. I told her to remind him he needs to make the time, that his girls will learn how a mate should treat them by how he treats them. He's teaching balance. They are teaching love. While his job is important for the greater good, he's dad first and foremost, then he's husband. I told her how me and my hubby make the time to spend together, even if it isn't traditional. You can play with the kids before school and work or take them for before bed stargazing. You can have a three in the morning date. Work will always be there, family and special moments will not.

So, while we march onto into the trial of the most heinous serial pedophile of our time, let us remember to thank those who give of themselves to make sure he's put away for good. Let us thank the parents of the victims who came forward, cooperated with authorities, who speak out against a crime of violation and shame. Let us remember the victims who couldn't speak for themselves-- babies, toddlers and small children-- and the ones whose voices weren't understood, whose cues that they were being abused were missed. Our community will carry these scars for years to come.

The horror of this man's crimes is unfathomable. I've been privy to just a little surface material, but things not suitable for the news. I can't bear much more than that (and no, I'm not sharing). I imagine how terrible it must be as state attorney or paralegal to have to document line by line videos of sex abuse against children. It makes me wonder how one can sleep at night after that? 

My heart goes out to the prosecution and their support team, along with their families who are giving up their precious time, working well beyond a forty-hour work week at the expense of themselves, their personal lives and their loved ones. Justice doesn't happen in a bubble. It's real people giving of themselves... just like our citizens in military service, the public sector of men and women serve us to. They don't get paid enough for all that they do and normally aren't in it for the money. Have you thanked them yet?

EDITING THIS TO ADD:

Earl Bradley found guilty and convicted on all 24 child sex abuse counts (I'll spare the technical terms and you should read the article linked). We are still awaiting the sentencing, as far as I know. Again, I'd like to thank the police and prosecutors for their tireless efforts in this case. I know first-hand that they've worked their rear-ends off to put Bradley away.

Let's hope that Bradley's attorneys' appeal strategy fails miserably. If not, prosecutors still have a way to get this horrible man. Unfortunately, it means victims and parents testifying, which would be terrible for those hurt by the monster that is Bradley.

When an autistic person ages out

This Article makes me sad and sickened. Here is a young adult with autism who happens to be a black male. He is 19 years old, but it does not sound like he is still in school. So what does he do? Hang out near a school in the middle of the day. Am I surprised? No.

Some areas have no services for young adults with autism. Some don't have stellar supports or any at all. In this case, it sounds like the mom just couldn't deal with or handle this kid at home. Maybe it would be different if mom had respite care and her son had adequate transitioning out of school. Being that this boy was only nineteen, his emotional and social ages are probably much younger.

Which makes me ask "Are you effing serious?". Sorry everyone, but you are going to face an explosion of cases just like this one as the autistic population, which is growing, starts to leave high school. Especially if these kids are minorities... especially if a child is from poverty... we are in trouble because we don't have enough help in place to handle this population when they become adults.

I read that article thinking that this could be my boy. Not freaking out because he's wantonly causing trouble and thinks "eff the police", but because he's freaked out by this stranger approaching him-- spraying pepper spray to subdue him (which is a dumb idea). Pepper spray versus a gun? Really? This is on top of already being agitated because he has nothing to do or misses school or his fish died...it only takes is a small, even irrational trigger to put an autistic person over the edge if they are already under stress.

In my experience, the average person just doesn't understand Asperger's Syndrome or anyone with high functioning autism. Kids are labeled as "bad". There aren't a lot of trained specialists to work with this population. Parents often feel isolated and overwhelmed. Three words: Lack of support. Another three words: Lack of understanding.

As a society, we have blinders on when it comes to this population. This article is demonstration that we, as a society, refuse to take those blinders off. This boy reacted in a way that is typical of this population (albeit: we hope by age nineteen we've given them the skills to cope). He just happens to be an adult, black and a big, scary looking boy when he is reacting.

And a gun? C'mon. He was black... don't all black men carry guns? Really? The person who made the original 911 call was obviously biased, if not racist.

When this kid got that upset, he was not able to control himself. Pepper spray did not help. Trust me. Everyone who is an expert or parent of a child affected by autism will tell you. A child without the right supports, under the right conditions is as controllable under stress as a run-a-way freight train. You just have to ride it out until they hit a brick wall.

Let me be the first (or next) to say that this poor kid won't survive in jail. Not. at. all.

How can our justice system work appropriately if it does not understand autism? How can our society function appropriately if it doesn't understand autism. Get ready, America, because 1 in 100 children are autistic. That number is rising. If the trend continues (whatever that trend is), its going to be 1 in 50...then 1 in 25, then 1 in 10. Betcha when its one in 10, concessions will be made.

Or maybe when the first of the 1 in 100 population become adults and age out of public education based services, we are really in trouble. Without supports in place, cases like these will be an everyday event. High functioning autistic people are hard to pick out on first glance. Even on second glance, they can pass. Yet, make no mistake: Autism is real and this behavior is at its core.

But its okay, the budgets that fund services for people with disabilities have only been slashed considerably. We don't need services for this population anyway. All we need are prisons. Teach these incredibly bright population that have little social skills how to become criminals. We'll learn the hard way.