London, England — A son who killed his terminally-ill parents to “end their suffering” has walked free from court.
Daniel Gardner devoted his life to caring for his father Stanley, 79, and his 83-year-old mother Eileen at their home in Plumstead, southeast London. Mrs. Gardner had advanced Alzheimer's disease and her husband was terminally ill with blood poisoning and a heart condition.
But the pressure of looking after them overwhelmed the 51-year-old man, a diabetes sufferer who walks on crutches, and he became depressed.
In March 2002 he placed plastic bags over their heads as they slept, placing their arms around each other so they would be together in death. He then tried to kill himself by cutting his own throat but was found by local authorities.
Sentencing him to a two-year community rehabilitation order, the judge told him: “At the time you were suffering from a serious depressive illness which put you under huge emotional strain. You felt you were acting in the only way you could. You are not a danger to the public.”
Nancy Valko, a leading pro-life nurse in the U.S. who monitors end-of-life issues, stated, “Having cared for more than one elderly relative while raising my own children by myself, I can well understand the pressures of being a caregiver. But that is never an excuse for murdering a sick relative.”
Valko continued, “The son may truly be suffering from a mental illness but, if so, he should be getting treatment and it is appalling that, in effect, the blame for the murder is falling on the dead parents for being old and sick.”
Gardner, 51, had pleaded not guilty to murdering the couple but guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
In a statement read by his attorney, he said: “I am very grateful to the understanding that has been shown to me by the authorities and the court. I am happy that my parents are now at peace and I will always remember them with the greatest love.”
Local health authority Greenwich Primary Care Trust said nurses would regularly visit the family and had been in contact the day before the deaths.
Spokesman Jeremy Barden told BBC London: “There was nothing recorded that gave any indication anything like this was going to happen.”
The executive director of the pro-life group UK Right To Life said in this case the judge's sentence was “apt” but taking a person's life was not the answer.
Phyllis Bowman said: “I think it is a tragedy, the man was obviously under pressure. But one needs to ask why his parents were not admitted to proper hospice or hospital care.”
(This article originally released by the BBC. Reprinted here courtesy of Steven Ertelt and the Pro-Life Infonet email newsletter. For more information or to subscribe go to www.prolifeinfo.org or email infonet@prolifeinfo.org.)
