A Murder Close to Home

Someone I know stands accused of murdering a parent.

I am shocked.  I am stunned.  I am speechless.  Although I didn't know the alleged perpetrator well, we'd had regular business contact.  The person struck me as nothing but nice, and gave us absolutely excellent customer service.

I am deeply troubled by these events, because it makes me think of my own child.  I think of the child who has hit, bit, kicked, punched and threatened my wife and me.  I think of the teen who has  threatened to kill us and our pets.  My kid is often not nice.

If someone who I thought of as a decent, kind, caring human being could be capable of such a terrible and violent crime, I worry about the implications for my child.  Given that she has repeatedly made threats, and has acted on her violent impulses, am I at risk of dying at her hands?

Although Danielle's behavior is substantially better on medication, it hasn't solved everything.  She is still a deeply troubled and dysfunctional person.  Although the drugs do seem to be helping now, there's no guarantee that the honeymoon won't eventually wear off.

We have been so concerned about her behavior that we put a lock on our bedroom door while she was away at respite.

I am deeply, deeply troubled by this murder.  Although I didn't know the alleged perpetrator very well, and didn't know the victim at all, this case weighs heavily on my mind.  It kept me awake last night, because it hit just a little to close to home.