Insidious killer or unfortunate mother? The controversial case of Patricia Stallings (6 photos)

Patricia Stallings was happy. After all, what else does a woman need, when a beloved husband and little son are nearby, who united even more spouses.





In 1989, the family moved into their own house, and it seemed that nothing will interfere with the family idyll. But everything changed when little Ryan got sick. Stomach problems have been present since birth itself. But most of the parents face them. newborns. David and Patricia learned how to stop the pain attacks.



Spouses with a young son

But on July 9, everything went wrong: the child was barely breathing, his sick. Ryan was taken to the hospital, and the medical staff was horrified after emergency testing. In the blood of a three-month-old baby were found acetone and ethylene glycol.

If the child were older, one might assume that he accidentally got to chemistry and drank something. But in the case of the breast the conclusion was obvious: poisoning with intent to kill.



Patricia

An investigation has begun. Parents were interrogated, but no interrogation did not clarify the situation. The child was not returned to the Stallings after discharge, but allowed them to visit Ryan. In early autumn, he developed a similar clinical picture. It turned out that Patricia bottle-fed her son during the last visit. The child was again admitted to the hospital, and the young mother was taken into custody.

Poisoner or victim?



Ryan

The baby was on a ventilator for several days. But the condition worsened, no measures helped. The decision was made disconnect it from the device. The inconsolable mother was not even allowed to say goodbye to the firstborn, because the article in the case in connection with the death was upgraded to heavier.

While the investigation was going on, Patricia became pregnant again. Second The son was named after his father. But the woman, of course, failed enjoy motherhood: after giving birth, the child was taken away and transferred to foster family. Although the husband was not charged with anything.

But just a couple of months later, little David similar symptoms began to appear. But mother poisoner clearly was not involved, because she was behind bars.



Arrest of Patricia

Some of the doctors came up with the idea to conduct an additional study. Which gave an unexpected result: the boy turned out to be carrier of methylmalonic acidemia (aciduria).

In the case of this genetic disease, the metabolism is disturbed amino acids and vitamin B12 metabolism. The body starts produce methylmalonic acid, which is similar to ethylene glycol.

The case of Patricia in connection with newly discovered circumstances sent for review. But 100% evidence of her non-involvement in death there was no first child. The sentence is life imprisonment. desperate a woman wrote a letter to television, which fell into the hands of the editor broadcast "Unsolved Mysteries".

The medical community joined the cause, whose members expressed their readiness to speak in court in support of Patricia with all scientific statements. In the summer of 1991, the woman was released.



After release

The couple got their son back. David and his wife filed charges against doctors who failed to make a correct diagnosis. During investigation, it became known that the prescribed therapy worsened the condition child and hastened his death. The Stallings sued for compensation in in the amount of 6 million dollars.

The second son of the spouses died in 2013 at the age of 23 from complications of a genetic disease.