Originally published on 09 November, 2015
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A family is blaming the Department of Child Services after a 27-year-old mother killed her 5-year-old son and then herself in an Arizona hospital.
Helious Griffith, a special needs child with dystonic cerebral palsy, had been in Cardon Children’s Medical Center in Mesa, Arizona, for a week due to fever when his mother, Lola Griffith, met with a social worker on Thursday. She was allegedly forced to sign over legal custody of her son to child services, reports ABC 15. Griffith’s grandmother, Norma Jean, said her granddaughter was devastated by the decision and blames the social worker assigned to her case.
On Saturday, hospital staff checked on mother and son around midnight and found both were sleeping. However, just two hours later, the pair was found dead in the room during the a bed check. Police believe the 27-year-old single mother killed her son before shooting herself with a gun, according to CNN.
Authorities have not disclosed how the child died, but are in the process of investigating a motive for the apparent murder-suicide.
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