Care Giver throws Bleach in Child's Face
By: Meagan Fitzgerald
Updated: June 9, 2009
Angela Petrus said, "He's autistic, but more then that he's profoundly mentally retarded."
Angela and Jason Petrus speaks about their 14 year old son Kyle. Kyle's condition is so severe he has to live in a treatment center in Alexandria for 24 hour care. And there, Angela says the unimaginable happened.
Petrus said, "Kyle was outside with his group and had a potty accident. His care giver brought him into the restroom to change his diapers and clean him up."
That's when Petrus says the care giver asked this women, Elenaor Lewis to get him some bleach.
Petrus said, "She got the bleach, returned to the restroom. Gregory then got the bleach and threw it in Kyles face."
Petrus says Kyle was taken to the hospital and was treated. The person charged with caring for Kyle who Angela says threw bleach in his face was only given 3 years probation. So that's when they took matters into their own hands. Jason and Angela began writing letter after letter, they contacted State Representatives and Congressmen and have done everything they can to make sure what happened to Kyle doesn't happen to anyone else.
Jason Petrus said, "If the sentences are stricter it will obviously deter the care givers from committing these types of acts."
The Petrus' mission is to change the law so jail time will be mandatory for those who intentionally harm people with disabilities. So far, Angela says Representative Chris Roy is in the process of doing just that.
Petrus said, "He immediately took an interest in this and has tried to get this done. It was too late to go into this legislative session, but he has assured us that it will go into the next one."
Of course, changing a law takes a lot of time and effort to say the least, but Angela and Jason say they'll never give up.
Angela said, "We're going to do this, we're going to change this law."
Angela and Jason Petrus speaks about their 14 year old son Kyle. Kyle's condition is so severe he has to live in a treatment center in Alexandria for 24 hour care. And there, Angela says the unimaginable happened.
Petrus said, "Kyle was outside with his group and had a potty accident. His care giver brought him into the restroom to change his diapers and clean him up."
That's when Petrus says the care giver asked this women, Elenaor Lewis to get him some bleach.
Petrus said, "She got the bleach, returned to the restroom. Gregory then got the bleach and threw it in Kyles face."
Petrus says Kyle was taken to the hospital and was treated. The person charged with caring for Kyle who Angela says threw bleach in his face was only given 3 years probation. So that's when they took matters into their own hands. Jason and Angela began writing letter after letter, they contacted State Representatives and Congressmen and have done everything they can to make sure what happened to Kyle doesn't happen to anyone else.
Jason Petrus said, "If the sentences are stricter it will obviously deter the care givers from committing these types of acts."
The Petrus' mission is to change the law so jail time will be mandatory for those who intentionally harm people with disabilities. So far, Angela says Representative Chris Roy is in the process of doing just that.
Petrus said, "He immediately took an interest in this and has tried to get this done. It was too late to go into this legislative session, but he has assured us that it will go into the next one."
Of course, changing a law takes a lot of time and effort to say the least, but Angela and Jason say they'll never give up.
Angela said, "We're going to do this, we're going to change this law."
