Unable to get mental health treatment, Oregon man killed his mom | The Story | April 22, 2024

April 22 on The Story: Portland couple Hunter and Teresa Graham first started noticing mental changes in their son, Austin, when he went off to college. He dropped out of school and moved back home. After a bad fall, his mental state began to decline rapidly. He started secluding himself in his room, neglecting personal hygiene and leaving food to rot, refusing to let anyone in. Eventually, he began to suspect that people were trying to poison him. Austin's parents did everything they could to get their son help. But there was only so much they could do - because Austin was an adult, he could refuse to take medication or be uncooperative with voluntary forms of treatment. Meanwhile, medical professionals determined that Austin didn't meet Oregon's standards for involuntary treatment. It wasn't until Austin murdered his mother that he was placed into secure psychiatric custody.
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[@DrPatriceBerry]

Such a sad situation! I hope that the laws change to better help those living with severe mental illness.

[@cp7118]

That poor man. He lost his wife and his son since he couldn't get the help he needed. It is very hard to get treatment here and in many other states.