US Woman Charged for Murder after Throwing Autistic Son off Bridge
A U.S. woman allegedly threw her 6-year-old autistic son off a bridge last Monday night. It was 34-year-old Jillian Meredith McCabe who has been accused of throwing her son, London, off the Yaquina Bay Bridge in Newport. The woman apparently suffered an emotional breakdown while looking after her ailing husband and autistic son. It was McCabe who called police to inform about the incident herself. She reportedly told officers that the voices in her head had asked her to throw her baby off the bridge. The lifeless body of the autistic child was discovered by authorities in the waters of the Yaquina Bay several hours after McCabe had called 911, NBC News reported. McCabe was arrested for the murder of her autistic son. Newport Police Chief Mark Miranda earlier felt sorry for the family which lost its child. It was one of the things that should not happen to a community, he said.
McCabe appeared briefly in Lincoln County court last Tuesday. She wore restrictive clothing so that she could not hurt herself. Her court appearance was through a video conference. She was eventually charged for 1st and 2nd degree manslaughter, murder and aggravated murder. While McCabe did not enter a plea, the preliminary hearing in her case was scheduled for November 12. The bail amount for the Oregon woman was set for $1 million.
A video on YouTube that was published in October 2013 showed McCabe with her husband. She acknowledged the cooperation from those who had helped her take care of her autistic child and her sick husband. She said that it would not be possible for her to take it on alone. "I can't take this on alone ... from pulling a Thelma and Louise. I said it." She said in the video, "My son has a mom here, my son has a dad here and that means a lot."
NBC News earlier quoted London's uncle Andrew saying that the family was devastated. He said that the child was a "good kid" who loved hats and his father. London's mother apparently took him for a walk and "did what she did," Andrew said.
Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@ibtimes.com.au