I've been lurking on Quinton’s story and am so heartbroken by this update. And like many, also sadly not surprised.
As the mother of a 20-month old, Quinton’s reality has sat like a heavy brick on my chest all week.
<modsnip> Social media is already eating LS alive and that will only intensify now. But LS exists in a broader context of her family history and our society and it is a truth I think that will be overlooked because it’s easier to locate all of the evil and culpability in LS. She likely did murder Quinton and she may be punished for it, certainly in the court of public opinion. And she should be held accountable if she did. But I also can’t help but feel that LS has her own trauma from a family, system, and society that likely has not done right by her either (regarding the family I’m not talking necessarily about a lack of love, <modsnip>
Her history of having three children in 4.5 years, by age 22, with three different partners paints such a picture of instability and overwhelm (perhaps contributing to why BJH got custody). And at age 22 our brains are not fully developed. And with a new infant, she was probably not getting enough sleep. I am also thinking of her formative years <modsnip> All of this, and probably more, are also going to predispose her to postpartum mental health disorders. Screening for such postpartum mental health issues is also a sad state in this country.
I believe she never should have been left with those children alone as the custodial issues highly suggest there was reason to be concerned. Nighttime, in particular, is such a hard time with infants and young children and also an isolating time, especially if partners are not helping.
Regarding Quinton and what happened that night:
I think there is a slim possibility this was premeditated and LS was fully aware of what she was doing and in this case any defense of insanity or postpartum psychosis would be an attempt to cover this up.
However, I think it is much much more likely that this was not at all premeditated and that LS was either:
- overcome and became dysregulated to the point of doing something that killed Quinton unintentionally and then deliberately covered it up out of fear of being caught and impulsivity
or
- the above (overcome and became dysregulated to the point of doing something that killed Quinton unintentionally) but in a traumatic dissociative state which could alter her actions and/or memory of the event. If this is the case, she may remember things just before or starting with finding him gone and calling 911.
In either of the two unpremeditated scenarios, I think a defense of insanity/postpartum psychosis or dissociative disorder/fugue state would be the right defense, but probably would not be believed as legitimate in the court of public opinion because dissociation is generally poorly understood and for the reason I shared above that it may be easier to blame LS wholly. To consider a severe psychiatric issue, contextualized in a history of trauma, would be to look at this as a broader problem – i.e. a sickness in the individual created or at least perpetuated or neglected by our society. A mirror of sorts, reflecting something back to us. Sadly, blaming her wholly and punishing her solely, will not fix these problems and innocent children will continue to pay the price. I won't be holding my breath for a more nuanced framing of this tragedy.
My thoughts above are my opinion only. They may be an unpopular one. For whatever it’s worth, they are informed by my professional work as a psychologist specializing in treating trauma, dissociation and perinatal and postpartum disorders. And as a mother – always first this. I can’t imagine ever harming the souls I love most in this world. But I also can imagine someone carrying too much pain, without enough resources, with too much on their plate being overcome and a tragic outcome ensuing. And sadly, for Quinton, everyone who loved him, and even LS as I imagine she did love him too – I think this is what happened.
Rest in peace Quinton, your light was short, but it shone brightly with your beautiful joyous smile.
