A Time for Change

Amanda Jo Stott-Smith

KATU of Portland, Oregon reports that 31 year old Amanda Jo Stott-Smith was arrested for the “aggravated” murder of her 4 yer old son and attempted “aggravated” murder of her 7 year old daughter. It appears that police suspect that the children were actually pushed off the bridge.  (See the video at the link).

The two children were found in the water just after 2 a.m.  Nearly an hour before then, police responded to a call where someone had reported hearing what sounded like screaming.  When officers arrived, they heard the screaming as well.  A resident in the area who joined the search in his boat found the children in the darkness. 

“What we came up on were two children in the water,” said Dave Haag.  “One was face down, the other on her back – flailing, gasping for air.  We pulled them out.”

Rescuers tried to resuscitate the boy at shore but he was unable to be revived.

“All I thought was the mother part – why isn’t someone crying over this baby?” said Pam Gorder, who lives in the moorage where it all took place.

An autopsy was performed on the child and the medical examiner determined he died of drowning.

Police said the children went into the Willamette River from the Sellwood Bridge but did not say how.

“We know the bridge is the source where those children came from,” said Det. Sgt. Rich Austria with the Portland Police Bureau.  “As far as details to the manner of which those children came off the bridge, we’re not going to provide that information at this time.”

Police were able to identify the children through a missing person’s report filed by their father in Tualatin Friday night.  Police said Stott-Smith had joint custody of the children with their father.  Court records show she filed for divorce in March.  Detectives said she has other children who are in protective custody and that she has a prior police record.

I am quite certain that there is a lot to this story that has not been revealed and that these children fell through the social services cracks.  ”According to police, 31-year-old Amanda Jo Stott-Smith was taken into custody at a downtown Portland parking garage.  Police said when they approached her, she tried to jump off the top floor of the parking garage but they were able to talk her down.”  This is a woman with severe emotional issues.  

I have to wonder if mental health care were universally available, would people be able to get the help that they need so that these sort of tragedies would be dramatically reduced?

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