Comments about ‘Disabled boy allegedly was chained to couch’

Every day it seems we read of a child being abused in some way. Either they are neglected, such as this boy, or they are beaten or sexually abused. It makes me wonder what in the world is going on! Have we as a society lost the caring and compassion it takes to care for children or handicapped people? Such care requires unselfishness on the part of the caregiver, a willingness to give of himself or herself in the interest of someone else. How about the grandmother who was urinated on recently by her grandsons?! Unbelievable! I don't know if parents are failing to teach their children love, compassion and responsibility (especially by example), or if something in society (media, video games, etc.) has hardened us to the needs of those who most require our love and kindness. I don't know the answer, but it is a very sad situation. I hope these kids will be OK.

Where is the Division of Services for People with disabilities? Why is DSPD not saying nothing about this issues. It seems that every week in the news there is something something happening to the Utah disable. It is time that Mr DSPD director should start taking respectability about all the changes that he is making and affecting the lives of the Utah disable.

Where is CPS? What are they doing after the fact?? Sad enough, like previous commentator , children need US more than ever!!

well its a darn shame that the system does not work when its really needed! EDUCATION!! geez!

While the neglect is terrible, I wonder about the situation of the uncle. I'm guessing he's taken stewardship of other people's children and is working to keep them safe while also earning a living. It is very difficult to find daycare or babysitting for children who are severely disabled without a lot of money. If he's not wealthy I'd say it's possible he was desperately trying to find a solution the best way he could -- with little resources or support. I feel bad for him as well and think this raises an often unaddressed issue in our society.

Mother unable to care for the children, father runs away, grandmother unable to care for the boy, so an uncle steps up. I, for one, will give him the benefit of the doubt until FACTS and DETAILS come out. The only thing we know for sure is that he was chained up to a couch and the he is SEVERELY mentally disabled. I remember my brother who has down syndrome when he was in his teens, he had to be constantly watched every minute of the day. And when he wasn't, he created havoc. They are funny stories to look back on, but they weren't always that funny at the time. Don't get me wrong, we never chained him up, but a lot of that is because he was the middle child of 6 children and had a stay at home mom and we were well off financially so that we did, from time to time, pay professional care givers to watch him. All I am trying to say is that maybe this man was not trying to abuse but was doing the best he could with what he has to work with.

Based on this article, I think the system worked just fine. A problem was spotted, reported and the child removed. What more could you ask for? Maybe we should install government cameras in every home and be monitored 24/7 how we interact with our family members.

What if this kid is so challenged that he doesn't really care if he's sitting on a couch in the living room, a bench in a garden, or a chair in an empty room? What if he's so far out there that none of this matters to him? What if he's in a mental state where he's rendered incapable of using the bathroom - or communicating the need to - on his own? I mean, adult diapers exist for a reason - they weren't developed out of a desire for cruelty. Some people can neither use the restroom on their own nor convey the message they need help. It may be like caring for a full grown baby?

There is no reason that grandmother should not be arrested also. She knew what was going on, she saw it daily. That is abuse on so many levels. If she was not able to care for him, she should have said so and not allowed the boy to come to her house every day to be treated in such a manner. And... doing the best he could??? That is abuse. I would like to see you chained up for your whole life and see how you end up. There are trainned professionals to help children like this.

When discussing a person with a disability, you are supposed to put the person first, not the disability of that individual. So, you don't say, "disabled boy", you ought to say, "a boy with a disablity". We need to put the individual first!!! Aside from that, what a terrible story.

What does a single parent or guardian do in cases like this? Who takes care of the child when the parent has to go to work?

How could this person have handled this situation better?

The word "disabled" is a perfectly fine adjective, and there's nothing wrong with saying "disabled boy".

Questioner asked: "I wonder about the situation of the uncle."

Me, too. If this is an official set-up, he should be assistance from the state and SSDI. If the grandmother is so old/disabled she can't help, se's probably on SSDI or Social Security, too.

There *should be* income here, for the purpose of paying the expenses of the disabled boy.

The boy that was chained in a living room probably was given food and had possibly the tv for entertainment. It may have been used so the boy would not hurt himself or others, I don't think he was personally being hurt or abandoned. If he was severely disabled, most likely he could not use a restroom and does need a diaper. I watched a severely disabled child before and after two hours of baby sitting I was exhausted. The child had to wear diapers, she could not speak just mumbled sounds and drooled. She could not feed herself had to be helped up and down, she was extremely heavy because they don't hold themselves well and its like dead weight. Professionals to help with people in these situations are costly.

I commend those who have shown such compassion for the caretaker. It appears he was probably doing the very best he could under the circumstances. This is where we the people need to step up and offer help and not condemnation.

Having taken care of a disabled grandson..

I agree with Geraldine @ 4:44

Wait for all the facts on this story to come in before making judgement...

From the caretaker's name, I'm guessing he may be an immigrant with poor English skills and little knowledge of the resources available. So he might have very well not known there was help and not known how to ask for it if there was. It sounds like he was also caring for a disabled mother.

Add to that the fact that it was a repair man who reported matters. That implies they didn't try to hide. That seems to suggest a lack of understanding that this would be viewed as criminal treatment of a child.

While I'm glad the matter is being taken seriously and that the children were removed until things can be checked out, I'm hoping it will be found that the uncle was trying to do his best in an incredibly difficult situation -- and that he will be given the help and resources to do better.

Resources available? You are joking, right?

What most people don't seem to think of is that in other countries there is a family bond that caring for each other is their only resource.

Although I don't think roping and chaining any person is right, he had no resources. The real abuse was done by the parents of the boy for abandoning him and discarding him like a bad dream.

It is very easy for an outsider to pass judgment but this is a life of constant struggle for any care taker of the disabled. That is why we see our elderly sent to homes to die and struggle rather than have family care for them. Our society has not only abandoned the disabled, we have abandoned our own parents.

Even in care facilities that are supposed to be staffed with professional care takers abuse the individuals in them. Lock them in rooms, tie them down, and put them in diapers for toiletry access. Even under the observation and recommendations of doctors and nurses. To add insult to injury, they are drugged in to passive submission.

Now tell me how this mans actions are any different than what the rest of us hide from.

1. It is FAR more appropriate to say "child with a disability". So, all those disagreeing with that, are wrong. I've worked with people with disabilities for 15 years.

2. I agree that it may be highly likely that this family may be immigrants. The issue there is that they may not have KNOWN what educational and other services are out there for families like their own. Whatever school district they are in has a LEGAL responsibility to "child find"--to find children just like this young man and offer education.

3. The Division of Services for People with Disabilities is an incredibly financially strapped entity in UT....as is most any state run service. They DO NOT deal with abuse/neglect situations. That is for the Division of Children and Families. Now that this has been found, it is hoped that a case worker is assigned who has training with families dealing with immigration and disability. Likelihood of that happening, not high, as many case workers in UT have huge case loads, and VERY little if any training in people with disabilities.

4. None of this, though, excuses the fact that chaining ANYONE up, is wrong!!!!

Eishhhhhhhh the uncle is very cruel.