Woman Kills her child and eats his brains: Mental Health System on Trial
by Dr. Boyce Watkins
This week, a woman in Texas cut off the head of her three week old baby and ate part of his brain. What’s even more shocking about this terrible story is that she won’t get any jail time for it.
Otty Sanchez, a 34-year old, was found not guilty by reason of insanity in the death of her child, Scott Wesley Buchholz-Sanchez. Prosecutors accepted the plea deal after learning that the woman thought that the devil made her kill her child.
The baby was found in a bedroom with three of his toes chewed off, his head severed and his brain ripped out. Police are saying that the child’s mother ate the boy’s toes and a piece of the brain before stabbing herself in the chest and throat. In the 911 call made by her sister, Sanchez can be heard in the background screaming, “I didn’t wanna do it! He told me to!"
The AP has reported that after being examined by three different physicians, Sanchez has been declared to be legally insane. The county district attorney said that Sanchez repeatedly asked for help for her illness and didn’t receive it.
Obviously, this is one of the more shocking stories I’ve heard all year. The fact that this woman could do something so horrible to her child makes it easy to argue that she was probably insane. To have sent her to prison for murder would have reminded us just how simple-minded our justice system has become.
The fact that Sanchez asked for help repeatedly and didn’t receive it is also disturbing. For the protection of our children, perhaps it might make sense for us to make greater investments in our mental health system. Quite a few prison inmates are simply people with psychological problems who don’t deserve to be incarcerated.
My prayers go out to the Sanchez family and may Scott Wesley rest in peace.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and the initiator of the National Conversation on Race. He is also the author of the book, "Black American Money. For more information, please visit BoyceWatkins.com.
Hello,
Somehow I think God wanted to show me something when I read this article. I had trouble today just getting medication for my ADD. I had made numerous attempts with my primary care physican and they gave me the wrong medication. When helping people with mental health issues medication can not be changed from a regular brand to generic because you can cause that person more harm and they can become psychotic. The fact is the medication that is prescribe is working with the brain’s chemistry. In other words, laps in prescribing prescription, therapy, and assessing clients or patients is crucial. The mental health system is full of holes and people who don’t care about people. I have been without medication for almost a month and find myself becoming more forgetful. However, I have taken the neccessary steps I need to get help. Today when I tried to make a psych appointment I was told that they had no opennings for their clinic and I would have to wait for seven months in order to be seen. Thanks Tricare Prime!!!!
No doubt in my mind she have a mental problem. This woman do not deserve to go to prison. It’s obvious she is mental but the problem is this: Why didn’t someone see this before now? I’m sure there were signs of unstability before now. A friend,family,doctor someone all are responsible.
But she refused to take her postnatal medication, both her and her husband are diagnosed with mental illnesses. like Andrea Yates, if a parent has severe mental issues, constant family supervision should be enforced, for everyone’s safety. Yes she had an illness but she should have been more responsible about taking the right precautions. She should face punishment.
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