Letter targeting boy not hate crime: police
Writer told family to ‘euthanize’ their son
An anonymous letter telling an Ontario family to “euthanize” their 13-year-old autistic child because of the noise he makes while playing outside does not constitute a hate crime, police said Tuesday.
The letter was delivered last week to the boy’s grandmother, Brenda Millson, who reported it to the Durham Regional Police Service. The letter writer claimed to be a neighbourhood mother.
“You have a kid that is mentally handicapped and you consciously decided that it would be a good idea to live in proximity neighbourhood like this????” says the letter railing against Millson’s grandson, Maxwell Begley.
The letter left Millson “shaking in disbelief” and outraged people across the globe after it made international news. However, police said Tuesday that prosecutors had advised the letter would not meet the high threshold for a hate crime charge. However, police say other criminal offences are being considered.
Maxwell’s mother, Karla Begley, is in a wheelchair with multiple sclerosis and says her son will continue to stay in Newcastle with his grandmother, despite the threat.
“It was a threat, it’s disgusting, they wanted her to leave and move, like we are not allowed to be around ‘normal society’,” she told CP24, referring to the letter. “Sometimes when you have a special needs kid, life turns out differently than you planned, but it’s great.”
The hashtag #loveformaxwell began trending Tuesday morning as many expressed their support for him and fury towards the letter writer.