We saw that a few days ago when a resident in his twenties got in trouble for not cleaning a bathroom in our program. He began screaming at the supervisors who brought it to his attention. And for that he got consequences.
The consequences were to clean all the toilets on the property. One manager predicted that he would leave rather than accept his consequences. He was right.
But what we saw on the news later was horrifying. The 23 year old went to his mother's home in a nearby city. When she arrived he attacked her with a 15 pound dumbbell, hitting her several times on the head. Then, according to police, he attempted to strangle her. He's now in jail facing multiple felonies, including attempted murder.
Who knows what motivated him? His mother may have sent him to us because of his drug habit. And, if so, she did the right thing. My theory is that he knew she wouldn't take him back in and took his rage out on her.
I know nothing of the background of this boy's relationship to his mother. But the potential for a bad outcome is why I always counsel parents to deal immediately with an addict child. Otherwise, he might end up killing himself - or someone else.
We can only pray that this mother recovers from her physical and emotional trauma.
