GUILTY PA - Jarrod Tutko, 9, disabled, starved to death, Harrisburg, 29 July 2014

[PlainJaneDoe]

I am afraid to read more updates. It is so ugly and cruel.

 

[chaotic_idealism]

Recent articles have been saying the same thing we've been saying--the services were available; Jarrod could have gone to school; and being isolated was the worst possible environment for a Fragile X autistic child.

Authority on Fragile X: Child with this syndrome belonged in school

Cohen further said people affected Fragile X have the ability to learn, but they typically learn by observing others.

"If this young man was not in school and seemed to be isolated within his own family, he didn't have a chance of learning appropriate behavior, of learning how to interact with people in society. Individuals with Fragile X learn from being in society, and to segregate them in school or at home or in life is just not a good idea," Cohen said.

Cohen, who was familiar with news accounts pertaining to Tutko, said he was at a loss to understand why the child apparently didn't attend school.

He noted that a child such as Jarrod Tutko Jr. would likely have displayed signs noticeable to health and social service professionals, and would have qualified for early intervention services well before turning five.

Reacting to statements that Tutko may have been too disruptive for school, Cohen said "There is no give up provision in public education."

 

[newone]

What I read in this dreadful story is this: they knew about the fragile X yet they continued to have more children, quite a few more children knowing they would also suffer fragile X, and they did not look after them properly. The parents were not sensible, yet they had multi-handicapped children. I doubt the mentality of the parents. I doubt their ability to be responsible, they were not capable of the responsibility of raising children, and not of raising multi-handicapped SN children.
Think the parents have mental problems.

Makes me ask the question about the mom's access to prenatal care. With fragile X as a possibility one wonders if she could have been screened via amnio or chorionic villi sampling early on.

 

[chaotic_idealism]

Well, yeah, it's possible, but she'd already have had to be pregnant at the time. Aborting just because the fetus has Fragile X is too much like eugenics; and besides, legally, it's the woman's choice to make. As a person with a disability myself, you probably see why I don't like the idea that people like me should be prevented from being born. :\

Anyways, it's possible to check whether you're a Fragile X carrier before you get pregnant. It's not done routinely, though. The usual thing is that a woman has one child with Fragile X, or has a family history of it, and then gets tested to see how bad her premutation is, to determine whether they want to have more children or not. If there aren't that many CGG repeats, the odds of having another Fragile X child can be quite low. For high-risk moms there's the option of sperm selection to ensure the baby will be a girl--girls are either asymptomatic carriers, or mildly affected, because they have two X chromosomes. For some parents, the decision to try for another baby is made despite the risk because they want to have a child of their own so much.

IIRC, Jarrod Sr. came from a family with eight children. Maybe he expected to have a large family himself--and wanted to have those children more than he wanted to care for them.

There's nothing wrong with having a lot of children. Even having a child when there's a risk of disability, is still a personal choice. The really wrong thing here is that they had children, and then did not care for them, nor did they attempt to find someone who could. They seem to have been hoarding children like one of those cat hoarders collects cats, cramming them into a small house, claiming they are doing well when in fact they are living in filth and misery.

 

[newone]

Genetic screening does offer the opportunity for termination but it also allows for counselling for the prospective parents to prepare them for ''what is yet to come'' setting up in advance support systems for optimum outcomes.

Responsible medicine would encourage parents to get screened so that the chances of the children thriving could be enhanced.

 

[chaotic_idealism]

More complex than that, unfortunately. What do you screen for? There are many conditions you could screen for, some more common than others. How common does a condition have to be, before you screen everybody?

And then there are the false positives. Screening often produces them--and if the condition is relatively rare, they can actually outnumber correct detections. (Example: Fragile X is 1 in 2000. Screen 2000 people with a test that is 99% correct. Most likely you will get one correct diagnosis of Fragile X, and out of the 1999 pregnancies that are left, 20 will be incorrectly diagnosed as having Fragile X when they are actually healthy. Chances that you have a Fragile X child when the test is positive? Not 99%. Only about 4.7%.)

Screening tests also cost money. Some are cheaper than others. Some are invasive. Some pose risks. Some things can be treated; for others, the care is supportive.

Only when the test is very inexpensive, simple, and non-invasive, or when it can be done as part of routine medical care (i.e., no extra cost), do you screen every single person. PKU screening on newborns, for example: A rare condition, but the test is very simple and treatment prevents severe brain damage. Things like cleft lip and palate, some heart defects, spina bifida, and other disorders can be diagnosed during routine ultrasounds because they're visible on them.

There's no single answer, but because the tests aren't perfect, cost money, and can be invasive, screening everyone for everything is just not feasible. Screening high-risk groups--for Fragile X, people with a family history of Fragile X--makes more sense.

 

[newone]

More complex than that, unfortunately. What do you screen for? There are many conditions you could screen for, some more common than others. How common does a condition have to be, before you screen everybody?

And then there are the false positives. Screening often produces them--and if the condition is relatively rare, they can actually outnumber correct detections. (Example: Fragile X is 1 in 2000. Screen 2000 people with a test that is 99% correct. Most likely you will get one correct diagnosis of Fragile X, and out of the 1999 pregnancies that are left, 20 will be incorrectly diagnosed as having Fragile X when they are actually healthy. Chances that you have a Fragile X child when the test is positive? Not 99%. Only about 4.7%.)

Screening tests also cost money. Some are cheaper than others. Some are invasive. Some pose risks. Some things can be treated; for others, the care is supportive.

Only when the test is very inexpensive, simple, and non-invasive, or when it can be done as part of routine medical care (i.e., no extra cost), do you screen every single person. PKU screening on newborns, for example: A rare condition, but the test is very simple and treatment prevents severe brain damage. Things like cleft lip and palate, some heart defects, spina bifida, and other disorders can be diagnosed during routine ultrasounds because they're visible on them.

There's no single answer, but because the tests aren't perfect, cost money, and can be invasive, screening everyone for everything is just not feasible. Screening high-risk groups--for Fragile X, people with a family history of Fragile X--makes more sense.

bbm agreed

 

[ontheclock]

I am afraid to read more updates. It is so ugly and cruel.

Yep. I hate these kind of stories. Special needs kids really are SPECIAL! And, they have special needs.

 

[Richrd]

PA - Jarrod Nicholas Tutko, Sr., Dauphin County, in South-Central, PA.

Day 10

Thu. Aug. 7th: http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/in...e_believe_jarrod_tutko_sr.html#incart_m-rpt-1:

Contain Multiple, GRAPHIC Photos

Contains Graphic Charging Documents: http://www.scribd.com/doc/236161839/Jarrod-Tutko-Sr-police-report-charges

Thu. Aug. 7th: http://local21news.com/news/feature...n-death-9-year-old-harrisburg-boy-10973.shtml:

Contains GRAPHIC Photo

Next Court Date Scheduled for Tuesday, August 12th:

See Also Post #51: http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...-several-days-DA-says&p=10820835#post10820835


Our Concern For All Involved.

 

[chaotic_idealism]

Police report and charges

It wasn't until I read this that I realized they did this in front of all their children. They were right there when Jarrod's body was brought down to the bathroom and the police came. Those poor kids.

I wish I could send those kids some word of support, but it would be weird coming from a total stranger and they already have enough to deal with now. I hope they have lots of support in the coming months and years. I hope they find adults they can really trust, and then learn to trust them. I wish them happiness, now that they're out of that house... But man, that has to be one of the worst ways to escape a bad home situation, having their brother die like that.

Until now I was focusing mostly on Jarrod, but his brother and sisters were suffering, too.

 

[tlcya]

So mom didn't really see the kid (saving for allegedly the back of his head at some point the week before) and dad admits that he, the alleged sole caretaker of his son, did not check on him up there for at least two days.

I will never understand why these parents did not take advantage of services. I suspect it has to do with the Tutkos history with CPS prior to their moving to that area. They decided, consciously, to deny their child those services in order to keep as much of their family and household off of the radar of any and all mandated reporters as possible.

I want mom charged too. She allowed this to happen just as much as her husband.

 

[Linda7NJ]

Has the cause of death been released yet?

 

[tlcya]

The cause of death of a 9-year-old Harrisburg boy whose body laid for days in his feces-covered room has not yet been determined, pending further testing, according to Dauphin County officials.


The coroner has ordered further testing on the body of Jarrod Tutko Jr., and those results could take two weeks or more, according to county spokeswoman Amy Richards. An autopsy was performed this morning on Jarrod Tutko Jr.'s body beginning at about 5 a.m.

By Anna Orso | [email][email protected][/email]
Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on August 05, 2014 at 2:26 PM, updated August 05, 2014 at 10:29 PM
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2014/08/death_of_9-year-old_harrisburg.html

 

[tlcya]

Jarrod Tutko Jr. was diagnosed at 11 months with Fragile X Syndrome, a genetic defect along the autism spectrum that made the boy unable to communicate, eat solid food or use the toilet, his mother said.

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2014/08/death_of_9-year-old_harrisburg.html

That seals it for me. If as the mother states Jarrod was diagnosed at 11 months he should have been on the radar for lots and lots of services and resources from very early on. I wonder if the diagnosis was made before the family moved to the area. I also wonder if the CPS involvement caused their move and caused them to stay beneath the radar of agencies full of mandated reporters. This case is very upsetting. Jarrod's life could have and should have been very very different.

 

[al66pine]

I'm confused about what actually happened here w this fam & CYS. And what should have happened.
Ppl here say the fam should have all kinds of services for this child, and others in house. Seems likely.

Below,* mom said first there was an abuse complaint to CYS, then showed CYS letter to reporter. Pdf of CYS letter at link.
The letter said the agency was terminating services to the fam, unless the fam disagreed.

The mom said the agency did not offer services. Seems, imo, like CYS had offered them something & apparently fam did not follow up.

So, IIRC, the agency found no cause for further investigation re abuse allegation?
So would agency have offered other services? Likely?
Or is it likely agency should have made referrals, taken steps to get fam in touch w education resources for him & other kids?

When CYS sees that fam needs services from other agencies, who has the responsibility for the contact?
Does CYS advise fam - here call the #, here's a pamphlet about special ed schooling?
Or does CYS notify the reg. school or special school - here's a list of kids not enrolled?

Same questions re other med & health services?
Question is not actually specific to St of Penn, just generally how these things work.

IOW, who or what or how did something fall between the cracks, as it apparently did?
Thx in adv.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*. "Dauphin County Children and Youth Services investigated an abuse allegation in December against the parents of a boy found dead in his room last week.
Kimberly Tutko, the mother of the boy who died, provided PennLive a copy of the agency's letter saying they were ending all services after a "final visit" on Dec. 20.
"The agency plans to terminate services to your family," said the letter dated Dec. 20. "If you disagree with this decision, you have the right to appeal."
"Kimberly Tutko talked to PennLive Monday and said she believed her 12-year-old son, who has behavioral issues, may have called in the abuse complaint last year because he was angry at his parents.
The complaint alleged Jarrod Tutko Sr., threw a sippy cup at Jarrod Jr.'s leg, causing serious bruising.
Children and Youth Services workers showed up at the family's house in the 2100 block of Green Street, inspected each child and concluded there was no bruising to Jarrod Jr.'s legs, Kimberly Tutko said.
"They knew we had six children and they didn't offer services," Kimberly Tutko said. "They terminated us and left. They basically said, 'You got everything under control here.'"
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2014/08/dauphin_county_investigated_al.html

 

[tlcya]

many of the services available would be at no cost and do not come thru the families contact with CPS but through the public education system. When a child is diagnosed with a severe disability, even before school age, certain resources are offered through the state, many of them through early childhood education via the public school and preschool headstart type programs.

The services that CPS was indicating were being terminated IMO were those like parenting classes, followup visits and monitoring the family for possible needs.

In other words the resources were not in any way tied to whether CPS had an open or shut case file on this family.

Jarrod never attended school. CPS became involved with this family very early on before they lived in the area they currently reside. They moved. Once settled in their current city they did nothing to pursue the readily available resources that could have helped them with Jarrod. Physical, speech, occupational therapy, etc. Those were not via CPS. Those were available via the state Medicaid system, the public school system, etc.

All of the above is simply MOO.

Roberta Tutko said her cousin and his wife Kimberly Tutko, the boy's mother, lived near her Shenandoah home until about 10 years ago.

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2014/08/tutko_boy_dead_in_house_harris.html

She recalls that, at one point, social services took custody of his then-girlfriend’s kids, but believes that the family had been reunited when they moved.

http://wnep.com/2014/08/03/man-accused-of-hiding-sons-corpse-has-roots-in-schuylkill-county/

 

[chaotic_idealism]

Yup--CPS gets involved with neglect, abuse, and situations at risk for them. Disabled children get services through the school system, or through Medicaid, or through private insurance. Often all three. This isn't really a matter of "falling through the cracks"--it's a matter of parents that deliberately found a crack to crawl into, pulled their children in, and sealed it behind them.

I note they were receiving about $2100 per month in disability payments. That's not a very high income for such a large family, but it means that after they moved they did re-connect with children and family services at their new location. They also had access to tube-feeding supplies and food for Arianna--things you can only get by prescription, through medical supply companies. They knew how to get things they needed. These people are probably more proficient than average at figuring out the system. They'd have to be, to successfully care for a child in a PVS at home.

And all they would have had to do was show up at school and say, "I'm enrolling my child." That is it. Literally. The school would've picked up the children and brought them back home. If the parents wanted to be really lazy about it, the school would've had IEP meetings even if the parents didn't bother to come. Yes, a child with an uninvolved parent doesn't get the best education possible, because the system's not perfect (squeaky wheels and all that). But they didn't even give Jarrod (and presumably, some of his siblings) that simple chance. It would have taken five minutes to call the school district. Five minutes to essentially save their son's life. And they didn't do it.

 

[jmcgladr]

Wow! Those are some damning new developments. Why would any parent with a completely dependent child not even check on that child for 2 days? Or give him food, water, the basics for survival at the very least? Was this some sort of punishment? Did he WANT Jarrod Jr. to die? I am starting to lose a lot of faith in humankind. I want to have a career working with children with disabilities and I am going to school for that. I only hope I can do enough good in my life to make up at least a little for all the evil done by some parents. My own kids never go a day without lots of hugs, kisses, "I love yous" and acts of kindness, service and sacrifice. I asked to have these kids, after all, and I owe them that! Thanks to those who posted links - this case has really gotten under my skin, disturbing as it is! I echo the sentiments of others who wish a much better life for all of those children.

 

[Charlie09]

I'm a lot more sympathic after reading that article.

I can not even imagine their lives.

me too

 

[jmcgladr]

me too

Really? I am sympathetic to the kids, and really only the kids. To me, the parents brought the situation upon themselves. They had multiple children they couldn't take care of on a financial or practical level, even after they had several children who were special needs already. They neglected their children in some cases so badly that they became disabled from pretty common illnesses, and they didn't seek out the help they needed to care for the children after they became sick (with the exception of perhaps Arianna). The Dad didn't check on his severely autistic son for days at a time, and left him in a deplorable, feces covered room where he died alone, with no food or water for several days! The Mom hadn't seen or spent time with her son in YEARS! I would have sympathy for these parents if they really seemed to try to provide a good life for their kids, but there's no indication that they did. IMO, they were in it for the disability money and that's it.