Views on Adoption and Psychopathy (*long rant)

Rachel Sonnier

So, in our area there is a local girl that has been missing since May. This week they found what is believed to be her body. If you have ever gotten stuck watching Nancy Grace, I am sure that you have heard of her (Mickey Shunick). It is an incredibly sad and horrific story. Everyone here has been praying for her and her family.

Last month a man was arrested and charged with her murder, and the murder of another girl from 1999. He has plead not guilty, but he is believed to be a serial murderer, and it appears that he was the one who led police to the body.

His mother had posted on the family's Facebook page that he was adopted as an infant, and now all over FB, and the local media webpages there are public comments to the effect, of "He is an adoptee, and therefore has lots of serious emotional problems." And "Oh, well...he was adopted, he isn't really related to any of his family members," pretty much absolving the family of any responsibility, or connection to the man. Or my personal favorite, "I wonder if his birth parents are criminals as well?" implying that psychopathy is a strictly genetic phenomenon. 

I don't know, I am just sick of reading these. I think that if this man did commit these crimes, that he is a pretty awful individual to say the least, but I don't think it has much to do with the fact that he was adopted.

What are your thoughts as APs, BMs and PAPs? Maybe I shouldn't find all of these "adoption excuses" offensive, but I do. I feel like its perpetuating poor adoption stereotypes, and giving people one more thing to be fearful of in relation to adoption/adoptees.

Dr.Loretta

I agree with you.

silliestbunny

I am fuming as I read this....

I can be very tolerant of the news and media calling mom and adoptive mom during the Olympics, etc.  But to now excuse a serial killer... and to make it seem like that was the cause!!  ugh!!!!  I don't even know what to say... makes me so mad and disappointed.

Foster1Mom

That is just total BS. People just cannot accept that evil people do exist. They always want an "excuse" why they did something. %*(%&*$*$*$

lafayettegirl

Having grown up in that area, I've been following Mickey's case. For anyone to link with this guy did to the fact he is adopted is beyond pathetic. For his family to try to absolve themselves by using the fact he is adopted is pathetic.

I think we all wonder, on some level, about nature v. nurture when it comes to adoption, but to use it this way is offensive and wrong. The psychological profiles of serial killers clearly show that there is a psychological problem, though it cannot be attributed to heredity or genes. It does highlight, however, clear "symptoms" and "signs" that are obvious if people are looking for them. I wonder where his adoptive parents were when he was killing the neighbor's cat and showing signs of aggressive behaviour? I'm not saying all people who kill the neighbor's cat and who are aggressive become serial killers. Nor am I saying his adoptive parents could have prevented the crime(s) he committed. What I am saying is that when you agree to adopt a child, you agree to provide him the help he needs when he needs it - like when he is the consistent bully in the school yard, burying dead animals in your backyard, or showing signs of behavior that is unusual, disturbing or scary.  

Again, I am not saying his adoptive parents, biological parents, or anyone else is to blame for his heinous behavior!

What I am saying is that no one should use his adoption as an excuse. It is sick, twisted and plays into all the stereotypes we have to fight against everyday in order to prove that adoption is a positve, viable option for everyone involved - Birth Parents, Adoptive Parents, and the adopted child.

House of Lovelock

People want an reason for him to be so "evil" that won't affect them personally, something that makes him different than them. Since adoption is more rare, they are using it to show how "he isn't like them" and yet harming so many innocent people with that train of thought! 

I've known lots of criminals (working at non-profits) and never had any of them tell me they were adopted. 

(And on a personal note, as an AP, this makes my blood boil the same it did when a friend tried to "intervene and say we shouldn't adopt because she once knew of an adopted child who burned his parents house down. Needless to say, we adopted anyway, and I am no longer friends with her!)