CANADA • Autistic male, 17 / father convicted ~ Edmonton AB

Father sentenced to seven years in prison for abusing autistic teenage son

A 51-year-old Edmonton man has been sentenced to seven years in prison for abuse and neglect of his teenage autistic son that left him looking like a "concentration camp victim."

A jury in June found him guilty of unlawful confinement, failure to provide the necessities of life, assault and assault with a weapon.

The man cannot be named because it would identify his son, who is now in foster care. Children in care cannot be identified.

In October 2008, the 17-year-old was found by police in a locked room of the family's apartment, lying on a filthy mattress with a stained sheet and a plastic bath mat beneath him. The room reeked of urine and feces, court heard. He was emaciated. He couldn't stand on his own or fully extend his limbs. He could no longer speak.

Police officers, paramedics, and an emergency room doctor who treated the teenager all told court during the trial that the boy looked "like a concentration camp victim."

The five-foot-seven teenager weighed 86 pounds when he arrived at Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital. In the five days after he was taken from the home, he gained 10 pounds.

The abuse was only discovered when the boy's two older sisters visited for Thanksgiving and called 911 upon finding their brother.

"Without intervention, (he) would've died in that room," said Court of Queen's Bench Justice Ken Nielsen as he delivered the sentence.

"This is an extremely tragic case. No child should have to endure the conditions in which he was found."

Nielsen said the abuse was particularly egregious at the hands of a parent. The man was his son's primary caregiver while the mother worked.

When given the chance to speak in court, the man did not apologize. Instead, in a rambling statement, he expressed confusion about what he had done wrong.

"I've tried to explain this many times," the man said in broken English. "The kid had a mental disorder. Why am I to blame? I was just helping the kid. I think the whole matter was a mistake."

The man claimed his daughters had exaggerated while testifying.

Neilsen said he found the lack of apology or any remorse disturbing. Particularly aggravating, the justice said, was the man's referral to his son as "the kid," instead of using his real name.

Neilsen noted the father made no attempts to seek help from groups specializing in autism and even stopped his wife from doing so.

Court heard the teen has thrived under the care of a foster family and recently graduated high school.

"He is obviously a parent who is ill-equipped to deal with an autistic child," said defence lawyer James McPike. "He was afraid to seek help. He was afraid of outside help. He indicated he was trying his best to help his family. He fell short of the mark, obviously."

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Father+sentenced+seven+years+prison+abusing+autistic+teenage/5570455/story.html