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I don’t think it was an option in the 60s. I know it wasn’t an option here in California until September of 2000. And even then you can only abandon a baby that is less than 72 hours old and hasn’t been abused.So tragic. I'm glad we now have more resources for parents who are struggling with caring for a special needs child. Mother should have left him at a fire station (I assume that was an option back then)
Not sorry to say, I don't understand this mindset.
Choose to leave him in a hospital waiting room, a church, a school, etc. and walk away.
That's so difficult, or what?
There was no law about giving children up to public places like that in the 60s. There has since the beginning of time however been an unspoken policy of church asylum, a child left at a church had to be taken care of by the church. Which in the 60s may have ended up in some institution, he would have been alive but still doomed.
I am not defending the moms deed at all, just pointing out that times were different back then. Care of special needs kids was not common, some tagged along with their families. I remember my grandparents stories of the "village idiots"... disabled people who were with their families but led horrible, tortured and taunted lives. In cities, sn children were usually institutionalized. Living dead.
And we just lack more info about the mom. She may have been severely depressed with no access to help (therapy was not widely accessible,mainly instititionalized and heavily drug/lobotomy based). That dramatically changed for the better in the 70s and 80s.
She may have had a new boyfriend who told her "to get rid" of the child (that sadly even happens today). She may have had to work to survive with nobody around willing to take care of her son. It looks like the father was not in the picture.
Again I am not defending a killer. But her motivation may have been sheer desperation.
Please keep an eye out for the official press release through the Jackson County Sheriff's Office regarding little Stevie Crawford. It will have accurate information and should give a timeline regarding the investigative efforts that were put forth on this 57+ years-old case. We were honored to be a part of the team that resolved this with Parabon Nanolabs.
Dr. Nici, Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office
Professionally, I have several years working people going through de institution process who had lived in residential facilities from when they were babies and toddlers ( most were born in the 1960s ). Most babies with Down Syndrome went straight to residential care after being born due to then the treatable heart conditions and significant swallowing issues - let alone because of the stigma. I wonder why she took him home? Mostly state residential facilities were free at this time.Not sorry to say, I don't understand this mindset.
Choose to leave him in a hospital waiting room, a church, a school, etc. and walk away.
That's so difficult, or what?
I completely agree. The sheets and weights remind me of something closeby as in residential not stuff you'd think people would be traveling with unless moving. Maybe they purchased them from thrift second hand stores? Were they common in this time? I also agree that maybe his mother did leave him with someone.I do agree where was Stevies' father? Also, I think it would taken 2 people to assemble the frame etc around Stevie and let's not forget the weights, he was not meant to float and been found and Stevie deserved better than that.