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Mother sues Dr. Margaret Wong and Ashburn Psychological Services for son's death

Discussion in 'Broadlands Community Issues' started by joy, Feb 20, 2013.

  1. joy

    joy New Member

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    I've been following the horrible story of Hera McLeod and her failed effort to protect her son from his father, who now stands accused of murdering his son and hoping to collect insurance money for it. There is now an Ashburn connection. The mother is suing Dr. Margaret Wong and Ashburn Psychologixal Services for $20 million for recommending unsupervised visits with the father. The child died on the fourth visit. Here is the mother's blog post regarding the lawsuit:

    http://cappuccinoqueen.com/?p=487

    And here is the Post article:

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...2-82e8-61a46c2cde3d_story.html?wpmk=MK0000205
     
  2. KTdid

    KTdid Well-Known Member

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    Saw this last night and did not make the connection....this is a horrific story and one that's very hard to contemplate.

    Apparently the baby boy's father's Mother recently committed suicide and an investigation was opened regarding the death of his former girlfriend. That, and serious run-ins with the law. Doesn't take too much to determine if someone is relativily stable.
     
  3. Sasquatch519

    Sasquatch519 Member

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    Tough to read that story. If the father did indeed intentionally drown the child for the insurance money, then there's a special place in hell waiting for him. I feel sick even thinking that someone could do such a thing.
     
  4. mikebnllnb

    mikebnllnb Active Member

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    Why is a child psychologist charged with making a evaluation of a adult in a child custody case? Wouldn't it be the mother's attorney job to see to it that the father was denied visitation? And didn't a judge make the final call?
     
  5. KTdid

    KTdid Well-Known Member

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    Maybe it was court ordered?
     
  6. joy

    joy New Member

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    Based on the linked blog and WaPo article, the child psychologist was the father's selection. The court ordered him to get a psychological evaluation during the custody process, but left the choice of psychologist to him. The mother's attorney attempted to get him denied any visitation, let alone unsupervised, but was unsuccessful, in part because of the psychological evaluation he was provided by Dr. Wong. The judge did make the final call. He made the wrong one it seems!

    The mother discusses the whole custody fight in depth on her blog, before her son was killed and after. She was terrified that something would happen to her son (or herself) and tried to work within the legal system to make sure the father couldn't hurt them. Unfortunately, despite what seemed to be the best efforts of a highly educated, capable person with a supportive family, she was awarded full custody, but the father was allowed supervised visits, followed by unsupervised visits. It's a failure on many levels to protect this child from its father - the judge, the lawyers, the social services workers, the police, and, at least to the mother and her current attorney, Dr. Wong and Ashburn Psychological Services.

    Of course, the ultimate responsibility lies on the father. He isn't convicted yet either, and given his track record so far, maybe he won't be. It's definitely a chilling story and it happening locally makes it more so.

    You can see some of the press conference of the mother and her lawyer announcing the lawsuit on CBS WUSA 9's website:
    http://princewilliamcounty.wusa9.co...ddler-sues-virginia-psychologist-and-practice
     
  7. LvBlands3

    LvBlands3 New Member

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    All the father had to do was "behave" and "give all of the right answers" during the psycological evaluation and in front of the judge. It isn't that hard for people to put on a front. It happens all the time. Think about it.
     
  8. joy

    joy New Member

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    Per the mother's blog, they had to provide financial information, residence information. She had the police officer investigating a prior murder the father is a suspect for testify at the custody hearing. But, perhaps, all he had to do was go to a child psychologist and get a clean bill of mental health. I would hope that isn't all that someone would have to do.
     
  9. lauralynne

    lauralynne Member

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  10. typicalfamilyoffour

    typicalfamilyoffour New Member

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    flynnibus likes this.
  11. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    latka likes this.
  12. typicalfamilyoffour

    typicalfamilyoffour New Member

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    I get what you're saying flynnibus but I have no sympathy for Ashburn Psych or Dr. Wong. Dr. Wong apparently claimed to be a psychologist when she is a school psychologist. It is unlikely she is unaware of the distinction. It is unlikely Ashburn Psych is unaware of the distinction. I also know this practice fired a psychiatrist who worked there and there were issues with ethics in that case. Too many shenanigans for my liking.
     
  13. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    At the end of the day... Wong was a WITNESS - not the decision maker. Wong's opinion would have been cross-examined, and didn't have to be the ONLY opinion presented. The conclusion was that of the court's as influenced by the lawyer's actions or inactions. The court is who decided Wong's opinion was credible and it was the court who made the decision.

    If there is such an important distinction in Wong's credential as you say - then it was the fault of the lawyers for not making that a deal-breaker in the court case.
     
    jblnd and latka like this.
  14. typicalfamilyoffour

    typicalfamilyoffour New Member

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