Police: Mom Who Killed Daughter Dies

Police Say Mom Killed Girl, Tried Committing Suicide

POSTED: Saturday, July 17, 2010
UPDATED: 11:17 am EDT July 22, 2010

SOUTH LYON, Mich. -- A South Lyon woman who police said gave her disabled daughter a fatal overdose of pills and then tried committing suicide has died.

Donna Carlson, 52, was taken off life support late Wednesday evening and died.

Carlson is believed to have administered a lethal dose of prescription drugs through a feeding tube to her adopted 13-year-old daughter, Grace Carlson, on July 17.

South Lyon police were called to the home on the 900 block of Devon Court after a health care worker showed up to the home for her regular afternoon shift.

The health care worker told police she also found the girl's mother, Donna Carlson, unconscious next to the girl on a bed.

The 911 call was released on Monday.

"People that I work for, I can't wake them up. I think Gracie is dead?" the caller said.

Operator: "Ma'am... How many people are there?" asked the dispatch operator.

"There are two, a woman and her handicapped daughter," the worker said. "I came to work ... I can't wake up one of them and neither one of them are breathing. No Gracie is not breathing and Donna is warm, but Gracie is not breathing."

Gracie Carlson was pronounced dead at the scene and her mother was in crucial condition until she died Wednesday.

After an autopsy on the teenager was completed Monday, the Oakland County Medical Examiner's Office determined that Grace Carlson died of an overdose on medicine.

"We've learned at this point there were some physical issues in controlling the 13-year-old, where the child had become physical with the mother in the past," said Lt. Steven Sharpe. "It's our understanding the mother was feeling extremely overwhelmed in dealing with this situation."

Sharpe said it appears caring for the teen was too much to bear for Donna Carlson.

"We have information the child has physically struck the mother. She may have broken her nose on two occasions," he said. "The child has been with the family the child's natural life, adopted when just a few months old.

We're still gathering info regarding the relationship and background situation."

Sharpe said a suicide note was also found.

Bob Bruner also cares for a special needs child and said he had met Gracie once.

"I'm thinking it got to be overwhelming for the mom,” said Bruner.

He said the shock of Carlson’s alleged actions hits close to home.

"Raising a handicapped child is challenging and rewarding both," said Bruner. "It's a difficult lifestyle," said Bruner.

If Donna Carlson would have survived her suicide attempt, police said she most likely have been charged with first-degree murder.

Neighbors said the family, who lives on Devon Court, includes three other grown children, and that Donna Carlson was often seen taking walks with the teen.

"She liked to walk through the neighborhood. She liked to take pictures of cars," neighbor Heather Bowman said. "That was sort of her little obsession. She would always stop and take pictures of our cars. She was a good little kid."

Bowman said the family was friendly and she never would have expected the mother to show any kind of violence toward her daughter.

"I never would have expected this from this family. It's just very sad," she said.

"It's a shame what happened, but I can't put myself in her shoes, what they went through behind closed doors over there. I cannot. It's horrifying what happened," said South Lyon resident Phil Monroe.

"They were always taking care of her and looking after her," added neighbor Jacob Pollack. "She was definitely a handful that they had to watch 24/7, but they were always keeping an eye on her."

Neighbors said the girl's father was often out of town when the incident happened, but has since returned.

From: http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/24298185/detail.html