CW: Murder
A recent murder case out of Volusia County, Florida, is simply heartbreaking. According to reporting by WESH, 69-year-old Deborah Collier was found with her 13-year-old great-granddaughter in what they described as an “attempted murder-suicide.” Both of them survived.
The 13-year-old girl has cerebral palsy and autism. She depends on 24/7 care. She was found unresponsive in the passenger seat of a car. She had pill residue all over her body.
Collier allegedly gave the child a cocktail of drugs, after which the child was found to be unresponsive. The child is in intensive care. Authorities have arrested Collier on charges of attempted first-degree murder. She is currently in custody with no bond.
This is an alarming case, but it is not unique. Within developed countries, America has the highest rate of child murders. A parent commits most child homicides. In America, parent offenders who have committed filicides comprise about 2.5% of homicide arrests annually. Nationwide, there are approximately 500 arrests for filicide each year.
These statistics are alarming enough but even more so when including disabled children. Filicide cases occur in alarmingly disproportionate numbers among disabled children. In a study overseen by the University of California, Irvine, there were documented cases of 26 disabled children who were killed in filicides in 22 news articles spanning from 1982 to 2010. Out of these children, 81 percent were boys. Most of these children, 54 percent, were autistic.
The Autistic Self-Advocacy Network has monitored such incidents for more than a decade. In that time, over 1,900 disabled people have been killed by their relatives. These numbers reflect not isolated tragedies but a systemic pattern, one that is often minimized or reframed through narratives that sympathize with the perpetrator rather than the victim.
The Florida case represents circumstances that occur everywhere. Caregiver burnout is a reality faced by many families with disabled children. However, for Collier, it was becoming physically hard to provide care. Yet, stress is never a reason for violence. Rather, it highlights failures to deliver services to families.
Isolation itself is another theme that has been common throughout these tragedies. Collier did not want to put the child in a group home. She didn’t think anyone else would care for her properly. Unfortunately, she became so overwhelmed that she saw murder as the only solution.
This attitude has been common among caregivers, and some note that it can lead to families becoming trapped in circumstances that become unmanageable. When there is no respite care, long waitlists for services, and social stigma, the situation can quickly turn into a crisis. Behind this is a cultural narrative that undervalues disabled lives.
When disabled children are harmed or killed, media reports often focus on the caregiver’s emotional struggle instead of recognizing the victim’s humanity. This perspective reinforces the notion that disabled lives are tragic, lesser, or disposable. It implies that the violence is understandable, even if it cannot be justified.
The real problem is not disability itself. It is the lack of support. Families caring for disabled children need accessible respite care, affordable in-home care, mental health services, community programs, and emergency crisis help. These are not extras; they are necessary services that help prevent families from ending up in a crisis.
When society doesn’t provide these supports, tragedies become more likely. Preventing tragedies like the one in Florida requires a shift in perspective. The child is the victim of violence, and they are deserving of care and protection.
It’s important to understand the pressures caregivers face. This cannot overshadow the fact that disabled children have inherent worth and the right to safety. Holding perpetrators accountable is essential, not out of cruelty, but because justice matters. Excusing violence only ensures it will happen again.
Sources:
Coorg, Rohini, and Anne Tournay. “Filicide-suicide involving children with disabilities.” Journal of child neurology vol. 28,6 (2013): 745-51. doi:10.1177/0883073812451777
Good, Jules. “Forced Reporting Endangers Students with Disabilities .” New Hampshire Bulletin, States Newsroom , 5 Mar. 2024, newhampshirebulletin.com/2024/03/05/forced-reporting-endangers-students-with-disabilities/.
Landergan, Katherine, and Jeremy Redmon. “AJC Exclusive: Disability Community Worries Lack of Services Drove Desperate Acts.” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Cox Enterprises, 10 Mar. 2023, https://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta-news/disability-community-worries-lack-of-services-drove-desperate-acts/IS7WYZFGVFALLECE644PS26BVA/.
Petro, Allison. “Central Florida Woman Accused of Drugging Disabled Great-Granddaughter in Attempted Murder-Suicide.” WESH, Hearst Television, 30 Dec. 2025, https://www.wesh.com/article/florida-woman-drugs-disabled-great-granddaughter-murder-suicide/69886564
Resnick, Phillip J. “Filicide in the United States.” Indian journal of psychiatry vol. 58,Suppl 2 (2016): S203-S209. doi:10.4103/0019-5545.196845