Connecticut school district on lockdown after shooting report at a Newtown elemen #8

[HastingsChi]

Since we know so little about whether Adam was diagnosed with Aspergers, if so when was he diagnosed, and what kind of regular review took place, I think there is a huge question mark on what was happening with him over the years, especially the last 3-4 years. We don't know if he had some co-morbid mental illness either or if he was on medication. We also don't know, as I've said before, if Adam expected his own performance in college to be much higher than it was. And, his success may or may not have been due to cognitive ability - ability only means you can do something if you have the right circumstances and apply yourself. Many emotional/physical problems can interfere with your thinking ... and, as we know stress or emotional problems can cause physical problems. Some people are also quite good at limited problem solving or completing tasks, but not good at more fuzzy logic, moral problem solving, or complex thought. I don't want to rely on pictures too much, but Adam's classmates didn't say anything about him really acting or looking bad. That was at 17? He does look bad in the Driver's license photo at 18 (of course, I don't want anyone to see my DL photos either).

Thank you for the reply; I am learning a lot more about Asperger's disorder from your posts, other WS members posts and Asperger's-specific organization's sites.

As much as I value and support HIPAA Privacy Rules and similar, these are one of those situations that I wish there were exceptions (but understand what a slippery slope such exceptions could allow for) as we all are yearning for answers.

BTW your driver's license comment was hilarious.

 

[Xavier]

Someone linked to this article above but with only one minor quote to serve their own purpose.

It's actually a very good interview and well written piece by Dan Woog, a fulltime freelance writer, and Westport, Connecticut resident.

Jennifer Huettner, And The Adam Lanza She Knew
Posted on December 21, 2012

"Like everyone else, Jennifer Huettner agonized last Friday. As the news from Newtown went from awful to unfathomable, she had special reason to worry.

Jennifer is Staples High School’s beloved, energetic Latin teacher. But for 11 years, starting in 1999, she taught at Newtown High School. She lives just minutes from the town, and remains closely connected to it.

After lunch on Friday — she ate alone in the language lab — someone said Ryan Lanza was the killer. Jennifer could not believe the news. She’d taught him for 4 years. “He’s a gentle soul,” she says. “He wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

New information soon named Ryan’s brother Adam as the murderer.

Jennifer spent 3 years as Adam’s teacher."

Much, much more...

Thanks NORA....here's an excerpt from that story

But, Jennifer says, “I never saw him lose it, or have a tantrum.”

Newtown students — like those she knows now at Staples High — are “very respectful of differences,” she says. “There was never any meanness or bullying. They’d ask Adam to sit with them.”

After 3 years Adam left Newtown, to take classes at Western Connecticut State University. Jennifer says he earned his GED there.

“I understand he dropped out of WesConn after 2 years,” Jennifer continues. “Then he sat in his basement for 2 years. Something happened.”

 

[Donjeta]

Since we know so little about whether Adam was diagnosed with Aspergers, if so when was he diagnosed, and what kind of regular review took place, I think there is a huge question mark on what was happening with him over the years, especially the last 3-4 years. We don't know if he had some co-morbid mental illness either or if he was on medication. We also don't know, as I've said before, if Adam expected his own performance in college to be much higher than it was. And, his success may or may not have been due to cognitive ability - ability only means you can do something if you have the right circumstances and apply yourself. Many emotional/physical problems can interfere with your thinking ... and, as we know stress or emotional problems can cause physical problems. Some people are also quite good at limited problem solving or completing tasks, but not good at more fuzzy logic, moral problem solving, or complex thought. I don't want to rely on pictures too much, but Adam's classmates didn't say anything about him really acting or looking bad. That was at 17? He does look bad in the Driver's license photo at 18 (of course, I don't want anyone to see my DL photos either).

JMO, I am personally convinced that he was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome.

The parents told the divorce mediator that, Richard Novia said the school had documents to that effect, the Latin teacher also said so.

“He had Asperger’s,” Jennifer says, confirming media reports. After being home schooled in 7th and 8th grades, Adam took freshman classes in a portable classroom at the high school. He was 13 years old.

http://06880danwoog.com/2012/12/21/jennifer-huettner-and-the-adam-lanza-she-knew/

A former director of security for Newtown Public Schools shed new light Monday night on the gunman.

Richard Novia said Adam Lanza had Asperger's syndrome, based on documents and conversations with Lanza's mother.

Novia said that as part of his job, which he left in 2008, he would be informed of students who might pose problems to themselves or others

http://www.ktxs.com/Sandy-Hook-stud...9454/17812738/-/item/1/-/13tvwus/-/index.html

During their meetings, the couple mentioned that Adam Lanza had been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, an autism-like disorder, Levy said. But the Lanzas were in complete agreement on how to address Adam's needs and said little about the details of his condition, Levy said.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/17/nancy-lanza-peter-lanza-divorce_n_2316461.html

Not sure why we need to question it so much anymore.

 

[time]

Someone linked to this article above but with only one minor quote to serve their own purpose.

It's actually a very good interview and well written piece by Dan Woog, a fulltime freelance writer, and Westport, Connecticut resident.

Jennifer Huettner, And The Adam Lanza She Knew
Posted on December 21, 2012

"Like everyone else, Jennifer Huettner agonized last Friday. As the news from Newtown went from awful to unfathomable, she had special reason to worry.

Jennifer is Staples High School’s beloved, energetic Latin teacher. But for 11 years, starting in 1999, she taught at Newtown High School. She lives just minutes from the town, and remains closely connected to it.

After lunch on Friday — she ate alone in the language lab — someone said Ryan Lanza was the killer. Jennifer could not believe the news. She’d taught him for 4 years. “He’s a gentle soul,” she says. “He wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

New information soon named Ryan’s brother Adam as the murderer.

Jennifer spent 3 years as Adam’s teacher."

Much, much more...

Excellent article!

After being home schooled in 7th and 8th grades, Adam took freshman classes in a portable classroom at the high school. He was 13 years old.

...He was very OCD. He’d clean the desk with Purell,” Jennifer remembers.

...The next year, Adam moved into the high school building.


...After 3 years Adam left Newtown, to take classes at Western Connecticut State University. Jennifer says he earned his GED there.


...“I understand he dropped out of WesConn after 2 years,”

 

[jjenny]

JMO, I am personally convinced that he was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome.

The parents told the divorce mediator that, Richard Novia said the school had documents to that effect, the Latin teacher also said so.


http://06880danwoog.com/2012/12/21/jennifer-huettner-and-the-adam-lanza-she-knew/


http://www.ktxs.com/Sandy-Hook-stud...9454/17812738/-/item/1/-/13tvwus/-/index.html


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/17/nancy-lanza-peter-lanza-divorce_n_2316461.html

Not sure why we need to question it so much anymore.

I agree. His Asperger's diagnosis appears to be confirmed by multiple sources.

 

[HastingsChi]

JMO, I am personally convinced that he was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome.

The parents told the divorce mediator that, Richard Novia said the school had documents to that effect, the Latin teacher also said so.


http://06880danwoog.com/2012/12/21/jennifer-huettner-and-the-adam-lanza-she-knew/


http://www.ktxs.com/Sandy-Hook-stud...9454/17812738/-/item/1/-/13tvwus/-/index.html


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/17/nancy-lanza-peter-lanza-divorce_n_2316461.html

Not sure why we need to question it so much anymore.

Agreed. When it was documented by the divorce mediator and mentioned in the mediator's report, for me personally, it became a fact.

 

[i.b.nora]

I would just like to say that if I had that guy as my barber (or stylist), I don't think I would talk to him either. He sounds totally obnoxious to me.

 

[FrayedKnot]

Not blaming anyone, but it makes me crazy to hear that she was afraid to let him cook, but she took him shooting, and left guns in the home.

But......pots and pans are so dangerous.

 

[time]

JMO, I am personally convinced that he was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome.

The parents told the divorce mediator that, Richard Novia said the school had documents to that effect, the Latin teacher also said so.

Not sure why we need to question it so much anymore.

Very little of my post was meant to question whether he had Aspergers. I just tend to leave things open when it hasn't been validated by another source - I believe he did have Aspergers but mostly it seems that comes back to mom telling people as far as I can tell except for both parents in the divorce agreement.

It's kind of beside the point so don't jump on me. My bigger point is that there could or must have been more going on, ok?

 

[Xavier]

Xavier thanks for sharing that information.

In your examination of CT medical-related laws, did you happen to come across any information about CT medical privacy laws regarding deceased individuals? If the same privacy laws apply in life & death, would the shooter's father be able to sign a waiver to release such information?
I ask because it would be interesting to learn if the shooter was participating in any form of social skills training, cognitive behavioral therapy, seeing a psychologist or psychiatrist, or on any medication to treat his Asperger's or for any potential co-existing conditions he may have been diagnosed with.

HASTINGS---I'm searching for more intel on exactly what the Lanza's could or could not do within their legal rights..Gimme some time to find out...LOL

 

[HastingsChi]

Excellent article!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but starting high school at the age of 13 would either make the shooter: (a) a class year advanced compared to his peers IR (b) a person whose birth date falls within days/weeks before the cut off date beginning school?

 

[HastingsChi]

HASTINGS---I'm searching for more intel on exactly what the Lanza's could or could not do within their legal rights..Gimme some time...LOL

THANKS!!! Definitely appreciate it!!!
I look forward to learning the answer as will allow us to know if the media will or will not be able to petition a judge ASAP to release such information to the public, or if the laws are so stringent that we will have to wait until the final report to learn such information.

 

[bourne]

But......pots and pans are so dangerous.

Thanks for the laugh.

Seriously, maybe she was afraid he'd set the house on fire, seeing as he sometimes gets into a zone (catatonic withdrawal?) according to his past teacher.

I have to say, sometimes if I don't set my kitchen timer on when I'm cooking/baking, I too forget the stove/oven is even on and living in a big house can be even more dangerous in that regard.

 

[not_my_kids]

Okay, somebody help me out here, he attended classes in a "portable classroom"? What the heck is a "portable classroom"? One of those little trailer unit things like they sometimes have for kindergartners and pre-k or more like a trailer that went around to different school sites for the kids that needed a specialized environment?

I googled, but apparently it means a lot of different hings, depending on who you ask.

 

[bourne]

Thank you!

Everyone keeps questioning some aspects because they say Adam was 'high functioning", e.g., citing the DL and college as two reasons. I guess there is the computer reassembling - not sure when that was or what exactly it would have entailed. It is very possible something with him went downhill over the past 3 years and he was not that high functioning anymore, especially considering what else we think we know:

@ possibly ramped up involvement in online gaming (more realistic and gruesome), I think he started out with a different game than Call of Duty

@ no one seems to have much contact in that time and it's said that Adam cut off communication with Dad and Brother

@ Mom buys a whole arsenal of guns including assault weapons

@ no one seems to visit/gain entry to the home except repairmen

@ Nancy start traveling a lot (?) and quits seeing others as much

@ Adam quits his regular hair stylist and no others have come forward


Other Q's:

When did Adam's brother leave home?
When was Adam's last involvement with the school technology club?

Excellent Q's. It looked like many things were converging and to Adam, all these things may have been too overwhelming and scary for him. These different factors may have created the perfect storm for Adam's explosion.

 

[callyn]

But......pots and pans are so dangerous.

IIRC, she was concerned about the fire aspect of cooking.

 

[flipflop]

Okay, somebody help me out here, he attended classes in a "portable classroom"? What the heck is a "portable classroom"? One of those little trailer unit things like they sometimes have for kindergartners and pre-k or more like a trailer that went around to different school sites for the kids that needed a specialized environment?

I googled, but apparently it means a lot of different hings, depending on who you ask.

A classroom out in a portable...many schools have them. I can see how this would help AL, he would be isolated from the rest of the school population for his classes.

Portable classroom - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Xavier]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but starting high school at the age of 13 would either make the shooter: (a) a class year advanced compared to his peers IR (b) a person whose birth date falls within days/weeks before the cut off date beginning school?

Yes, Lanza was advanced and was very bright, successful in the classroom and his studies was not the CONCERN....Socializing with faculty and classmates and the general public WAS the BIG CONCERN about him

 

[Xavier]

Here's the most current news on what LE has on their hands extracting data storage content from Lanza's computer, external hard drive devices:


Investigators trying to recover information from Adam Lanza's hard drive have come up short, reports say, as he destroyed it before heading it for Sandy Hook Elementary School.

As we reported, Lanza took his mother’s keys and guns and wound up killing 26 people and himself, in Newtown Connecticut.

Police have attempted to extract the data from Lanza's computer, in an effort to find out why the killer resorted to his desperate, gruesome gesture.

It “appeared to have been badly damaged with a hammer or screwdriver,” sources in law enforcement describe, according to The Atlantic Wire.

Investigators believe he knew what he was doing very well, and wanted to erase all browser histories, as well as records of private conversations.
“He was eliminating [investigators'] ability to figure out what websites he had gone to or who he might have been communicating with,” a source says.

 

[passionflower]

How much time would it take to ruin a hard drive?
smash a computer and get ready for murder?
Wonder if he slept at all that night.......
NL would never hear him in the basement?
Where was her bedroom? 2nd floor?