Storytelling: Abandoning Our Mentally Ill: 64-NPOY-WentK-31

Carol O'Brien mourns the loss of her son Scott, who died while in the care of the mental hospital. O'Brien tried desperately to get help for her son Scott and find him a safe and stable living environment. But Scott needed supervision and local housing facilities for the mentally ill do not offer the type of care he needed. She was finally successful in having Scott temporarily hospitalized at the mental hospital where he committed suicide though he was on suicide watch. Years after this photo was made of Carol, she was still struggling to cope with the loss of her son Scott, and she too committed suicide.

Carol O'Brien mourns the loss of her son Scott, who died while in the care of the mental hospital. O'Brien tried desperately to get help for her son Scott and find him a safe and stable living environment. But Scott needed supervision and local housing facilities for the mentally ill do not offer the type of care he needed. She was finally successful in having Scott temporarily hospitalized at the mental hospital where he committed suicide though he was on suicide watch. Years after this photo was made of Carol, she was still struggling to cope with the loss of her son Scott, and she too committed suicide.