MOTHER WHO KILLED SON WITH DOWN'S SYNDROME GETS SUSPENDED SENTENCE
For years, Wendolyn Markcrow begged the authorities for help with her 36-year-old son Patrick, who had Down's syndrome.Despite her pleas, little support was provided.
Struggling to manage a 16-stone adult who frequently hit himself, screamed nightly, and sometimes lashed out at her, Mrs Markcrow reached her breaking point.
On Easter Monday, after Patrick spent the day yelling and playing Elton John songs repeatedly, she gave him 14 sleeping pills and suffocated him with a plastic bag.
Following this, she attempted to take her own life by swallowing pills and cutting herself with a kitchen knife, claiming she 'just snapped' and 'went crazy.' At Oxford crown court, the judge recognized the exceptional circumstances and the 'unbearable pressure' she had endured for over 30 years.
Markcrow, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter, was sentenced to a suspended two-year jail term, deemed the 'merciful course.' The court acknowledged her desperate situation, reading out her letters to her doctor and social services seeking help.
Her son Martin described her devotion as 'saintly,' and friends and neighbors expressed understanding and mercy towards her.
Patrick, once thriving in early life, developed autism and severe behavioral issues, including violent self-injury and chronic sleep disturbance.
Despite efforts, social support services were repeatedly unavailable or insufficient to meet his needs.
Mrs Markcrow's desperation grew over the years, and she was overwhelmed by the lack of adequate assistance.
After witnessing Patrick's violent outbursts at her doctor’s office, she could no longer cope, leading her to take her son's life and subsequently her own.
Her husband's death shortly after added to her distress.
Experts and social workers acknowledged her profound devotion and the failure of available support systems to prevent this tragedy.
