Restrained Autistic Student dies on bus

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In my opinion the statement and repeated conclusions simply don't have anything to do with the situation.

The point is, a grand mal seizure is something no one has control over. It's not an act as in an act of violence. It's something triggered by a neurological malfunction.

Not in a situation like this. I feel pretty certain that the death was due to some other factor. I have seen autistic students restrained in similar similar situations and a choke hold is not something that would be applied. If it was some brand new worker who had little or no training, maybe that might happen. But that's not the case here.

I guess you could say the first quote is a general comment, but I think I can figure it was directed at me.

Anyway these two quotes are in contradiction of one another.


I don't know how you can keep saying that. The investigators have said that it appears to have been an accident.

I bet you know perfectly well.

Main Line autism school beats the odds, greets mid-century milestone

The Timothy school in the Philadelphia area has been a school for autistic children since the "refrigerator mother" days of 1966. It serves moderately to severely autistic children. I am positive they have seen thier share of violent meltdowns in the last 50 years. As far as I know no one has died while bieng restrained in thier care

It's such common practice in such schools which I've attended my whole life. We're special needs and anything done to us is always under close scrutiny. Terms like violent meltdown or outburst, should not be viewed the same as someone losing their temper. But rather the result of someone being under extreme distress.

As far as death goes, I know of three students at the two schools I've attended, who died suddenly at school. Cardiac arrest, cerebral hemorrhage and severe asthma attack. I've come close to dying myself more than once. A lot of us moderate to severe autistics seem to have sketchy health issues.

Last edited by EzraS on 26 Dec 2016, 9:08 am, edited 2 times in total.

Okay, let's say you guys are right and the evil care workers murdered the kid deliberately. What is their motive?

Like I said I do not know but if I would hazard a guess I would guess one of four general possibilities, deliberate cold blooded murder is not one of them.

1. Poor Training

2. They lost their temper and lost control

3. They were trying to hurt but not kill him

4. Preexisting medical condition

5. Some combination of 1 through 4

If two or three happened the workers need to be prosecuted, if 4 happened and the school knew about, it some administrators need to be prosecuted If 1 happened the school needs to be sued.

If the deceased had a preexisting condition but it was not known, should they have? This is complicated as people die from previously unknown conditions all the time. If the school hired quack doctors the probably should get sued, but even that is complicated if it is a public school as taxpayers might have not funded them properly.

If you think I am being harsh all I am doing is asking for accountability for professionals whose job description is partially about protecting students from themselves just as you want from the disabled students.

This reason is particularly ironic.

I think you're being very realistic. The only theory I take exception to is the idea that the victim provoked action against his person which resulted in his death.

Hopefully there will be some followup news including the cause of death.

I had not thought about it, but now that you pointed it out it the irony is obvious.

Or another speculation, when the teachers butted in to break up the fight, the autistic student started to attack the staff so they fought back in self defense and he died that way. If anyone started attacking me, it would either be I would try and get away or I fight back in self defense to get them away from me and then I run. It would be a fight or flight response. A disorder wouldn't matter. Only thing it would matter is I had someone attacking me and they were much bigger than me so I fought back. I am unlikely to kill them of course because I wouldn't be strong enough but my husband probably would of he saw anyone hurting our children or me. He would also be in fight or flight response as well while defending and then he would plead insanity if the attacker was mentally ill or severely autistic or intellectually impaired. But I would be sure the killing would be unintentional on my husband's part. It would just be a tragic thing and not a crime IMO. It would be a time to feel sad for both parties and see it as an accident and sad.

Fight or Flight is a normal reaction but the school staff are bieng paid not to give in to that reaction and use best practices to diffuse this type of situation which is not uncommon in a special needs school.

I don't think it was a fight. What I read was, "When another student tried to step in to help, he ended up getting hurt." I think that means the student in distress was probably flailing his arms around and the student trying to help probably accidentally got hit in the face or got poked in the eye or something.




No it's not at all uncommon. I have watched it happen many times.

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