Abuse and Death in Southern California

As many posts have shown, people on the spectrum can be vulnerable to abuse by those who should be caring for them. In San Diego, KNSD reports:

The mother of a severely autistic man gave an emotional testimony Thursday at a hearing in Vista for two caregivers accused of abusing her son.

Police say 50-year-old Michael Garritson and 27-year-old Matthew McDuffie were supposed to be caring for 23-year-old Jamie Oakley, a man with severe autism who can't verbally communicate, has to wear a diaper and tends to injure himself when he's distressed.

Kim Oakley said the caregivers were well aware of the fact that a camera was in her son's room and that she installed a motion operated camera before going on an overseas trip that spanned several weeks.
...
Oakley says the video shows both McDuffy and Garritson kneeing and hitting him, twisting his arms, and poking him in the eye to the point where it became infected.
...
A judge has yet to decide if enough evidence was presented for the defendants to stand trial. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to their charges.

Sometimes, family members murder ASD children.  In San Diego, KGTV reports:

A woman who drowned her 4-year-old autistic son in a bathtub, then drove his lifeless body to a police substation where she admitted the crime, pleaded guilty Thursday to second-degree murder.

Patricia Corby, 37, sobbed as she admitted killing her son, Daniel, last March 31.
She will be sentenced to 15 years to life in prison on Jan. 28.