Pray for this family - Child with autism dies at hands of his father (again)

[Guest guest]

This is so very sad, and OT from biomed, but i wish this family had

more help before this tragedy happened. It has happened so many times.

below is the awful story and the website created for this little boy

is still online here: http://kyledutter.com/index.html

http://www.madison.com/wsj/topstories/314867

Dutter deaths shock those close to the family

DOUG ERICKSON, PATRICIA SIMMS and MATTHEW DeFOUR

wsjcity@...

Once a week last summer on a pasture in southeastern Wisconsin,

Dutter could be seen walking alongside a horse with his 12-year-old

son , who sat atop the horse holding the reins.

The father and son were regulars for more than two years at the

Darien horse farm, where a nonprofit organization called SMILES

offers therapeutic riding lessons for people with physical, cognitive

and emotional disabilities.

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Firn, the director of instruction, remembers Dutter as a patient

and supportive dad. " We saw no conflict, " said Firn, adding that news

of the family's tragedy has come as a great shock.

On Tuesday, an anonymous 911 caller directed Madison police to a

sport-utility vehicle parked in front of Haen Family Park on the

city's Far West Side. Inside, police say they found Dutter and his

son with gunshot wounds.

, who had a developmental disability, died that day. His father

died Wednesday. Authorities say Dutter, 36, recently of Middleton,

shot his son, then himself.

Police have released no information about a possible motive —

officers involved in the case are scheduled to meet this morning,

said police spokesman DeSpain. Officers were not able to

interview Dutter before he died, he said.

The death of the father means there is no longer a potential criminal

case, raising questions as to how much more information police will

release to the public.

Members of Dutter's family have not responded to requests for

comment. For now, only threads of a life that seemed to be becoming

increasingly difficult are known.

Dutter filed for bankruptcy last fall, citing liabilities of $109,002

and obligations that included a monthly child support payment and

$18,700 in student loans. At the time of his bankruptcy filing, his

recent income had included about $6,700 in state unemployment

compensation. He had been taken to small claims court several times

in the last three years by various plaintiffs, according to online

court records.

Despite the financial stress, Dutter devoted much time to . In

August, he created a public Web site in which he updated family and

friends on his son. The site says it is the place to go for " all

, all the time. "

" This is 's very own Web site for those who want to see grow

in life, " the site says.

Much of the site reflects 's love of Halloween — he had recently

visited a pumpkin patch, and pictures abound of his trip to Fright

Fest, an annual event at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Ill.

The Web site is candid about 's numerous medical issues, listing

10 medical professionals he was seeing at the time of his death,

including a neurologist, an orthopedist and a pediatrician

specializing in autism.

was in the sixth grade at Glacier Creek Middle School in Cross

Plains, where school administrators offered counseling Wednesday for

students and staff. Middleton-Cross Plains Schools Superintendent Don

said this was 's first year in the school district. He

attended school in the Beloit area last year.

Dutter was divorced from the boy's mother and shared parenting

responsibilities. Dutter and his son had moved to Middleton only in

the last few months.

Dutter's parents reside in Beloit in a brick, ranch-style house where

they raised five boys. Henry Dutter is a semi-retired Beloit

firefighter. Rosemary Dutter is a retired schoolteacher who sells

real estate.

For neighbors, news of the tragedy has been baffling.

" ( Dutter) didn't give us any sign that he was an unfit parent, "

said Tom Brandenburg, who lives across the street from the Dutters.

would play basketball with Brandenburg's son, , in their

driveway. One Christmas, Dutter dressed up as Santa Claus and

brought a present as a token of thanks for playing with ,

said Brandenburg's wife, .

Rosemary Dutter is known around the neighborhood for circulating

petitions to stop a condo development and for accompanying on

walks. Dr. Kanchana Biswanathan, who has lived next door to the

Dutters for 15 years, said she had seen and his father this past

summer and nothing seemed out of place.

She said she had noticed that Rosemary Dutter had taken care of

quite often. She considers the Dutters wonderful neighbors and

dedicated grandparents.

Map View Map

" After taking care of their own children and then taking care of a

grandchild with special needs — that was a lot, " Biswanathan said.

Growing up, Dutter attended Beloit High School before

leaving after his junior year in 1989 to join the U.S. Navy,

according to Registrar Roseann Hoffmann. He earned his high

school degree in the Navy and served overseas, she said.

At various times he had worked for a mortgage firm and as a branch

manager for a bank in Milwaukee. Last year, he was a substitute

teacher's assistant in the Beloit School District, according to

spokeswoman Badger. It is unclear whether he was employed at

the time of his death.

In addition to , Dutter has an 18-year-old daughter who attends

Utah State University in Logan.

Last spring, in a newsletter for McLenegan Elementary School in

Beloit, school officials thanked Dutter and his mother for

helping to provide transportation for students to SMILES (Special

Methods in Learning Equine Skills), the horse farm for people with

disabilities, Firn, the farm's director of instruction, said was

a determined student who loved horses.

" He was just a good kid trying real hard, and they were just a good

family trying real hard to give him every opportunity they could, "

she said.