SC: I am NOT Kelli Stapleton

I am NOT Kelli Stapleton.

I am not a victim of Autism. My children are not victims. Yet, society and social media portray us this way. We are communally victimized, segregated and discounted by the general population.

Many divisions exist within the microcosm of the Autistic Community. It's heartbreaking that this is one of those divides. Abuse and murder of a child are wrong, regardless of neurology or disability. No excuses.

I am NOT Kelli Stapleton.

I do not publicly expose my children's challenging moments, even in text.

I do not speak to, or about my children in a demeaning way.

I do not blame or punish my children for their neurology or their very existence.

I do not write a blog that attracts parents who resent their children and reinforce each other's ideas of victim hood.

I am NOT Kelli Stapleton.

I do LOVE my children.

I do RESPECT their humanity and their neurology.

I do LISTEN to Autistics who are kind and brave enough to speak about their LIVED experiences.

I do know how and where to get HELP if I need it.

Do not suggest that I could ever be like her. I had never heard of her blog until she was all over the news for trying to murder her child. Not that it mattered, I never would have followed her anyway based on every blog I've read since then, and her awful tweets. Where were her friends on that day? Didn't they see the signs? How she devalued Issy at every opportunity? Yet her supporters have the audacity to post blogs asking where WE were when Kelli needed help.

She had plenty of help. She could have posted a plea on her blog. Messaged a friend. Called the police. Anything.

She didn't want help. She wanted Issy dead. She tricked her child, drugged her and attempted to asphyxiate her with smoke in a closed vehicle on a back road. Kelli was conscious when authorities arrived, so I have serious doubts about whether Kelli really wanted to kill herself.

Her supporters and some of the media are trying to make Kelli the spokesmodel for parents of Autistic children. They're trying to say an attempted MURDERER is 'the face of Autism parenting.'

NO!
This is unacceptable, a vicious lie that only furthers our struggles for Acceptance of our loved ones, devalues them and possibly endangers their lives.

I am NOT Kelli Stapleton.


Written by SC