She thought Katie and autism were two different things.

Harvard doctor Joseph Glenmullen testified he believed McCarron suffered from a major depressive disorder that became psychotic at the time of her daughter Katie's death. Based on his knowledge of the case and an interview with McCarron.... he says McCarron thought Katie and autism were two different things.

[Which means that the entire membership of Autism Speaks, CAN, DAN and the people who put out the autism ransom notes are psychotic also. - Astraea.]

The defense showed photos to indicate the physical change McCarron went through in the year leading up to Katie's death. The psychiatrist testified McCarron lost a third of her body weight, and had insomnia and felt hollow.....All signs of psychotic depression.

Under the state's cross examination, the psychiatrist admitted he was the only doctor to diagnose psychosis in McCarron. Today's testimony is crucial to determining McCarron's mental state at the time of Katie's death.

Before the end of the day, the defense rested its case, and the state called two rebuttal witnesses.

Psychiatrist: McCarron suffered from psychotic episode

PEKIN, Ill. (AP) - A psychiatrist testified today in Tazewell County Court that a woman accused of suffocating her 3-year-old autistic daughter was suffering from a psychotic episode brought on by a major depression disorder.

Doctor Joseph Glenmullen testified that 39-year-old Karen McCarron of Morton met more than half of the definitions of someone with major depression. The doctor also testified that McCarron had thoughts of suicide.

McCarron has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to two counts of first-degree murder, a count of obstructing justice and one count of concealment of a homicidal death in the 2006 death of her daughter, Katie.

McCarron has been free on bond since 2006. She has been found mentally fit to stand trial.

PEKIN: Psychiatrist testifies McCarron was severely depressed

PEKIN - Karen McCarron was suffering from psychotic depression when she killed her 3-year-old autistic daughter in 2006, a psychiatrist testified today.

Joseph Glenmullen, a Harvard Medical School graduate and faculty member with his own practice, testified today during McCarron's murder trial that she was severely depressed at the time she suffocated Katherine "Katie" McCarron with a plastic garbage bag.

Glenmullen was called to testify by McCarron's attorneys as a medical expert in his field.

He said McCarron's statements to police during a videotaped confession showed she was out of touch with reality.

Prosecutors will cross examine Glenmullen this afternoon.

Read more about this story in Tuesday's Journal Star.

Psychiatrist: Mother on trial for suffocating daughter is insane

Joseph Glenmullen testified during the sixth day of McCarron's murder trial in Tazewell County Circuit Court, saying she was severely depressed at the time she suffocated Katherine "Katie" McCarron with a plastic garbage bag.

Glenmullen, a Harvard Medical School graduate and faculty member with his own practice, was hired by McCarron's attorneys as a medical expert in his field.

He said McCarron's statements to police during a videotaped confession showed she was out of touch with reality.

"Karen was severely obsessed with the idea, and she believed it, that she caused her daughter's autism," Glenmullen said. "Karen was convinced of that."

McCarron believed childhood vaccinations that contained mercury caused the autism, Glenmullen said. McCarron said God was telling her not to give the child the vaccinations, but she listened to doctors instead, Glenmullen testified.

"She felt she ignored God's suggestions," he said.

McCarron, a former pathologist and graduate of the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of obstructing justice and one count of concealment of a homicidal death after telling police, family and friends about suffocating the girl on May 13, 2006, with a plastic bag and then putting her body in bed as if she were asleep.

McCarron told jurors Friday she also attempted to suffocate the girl with a pillow three days before the killing because she hated the girl's autism.

Her attorneys have entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.

Glenmullen said the videotaped confession shows McCarron is suffering from psychotic depression and attributed her confession to mental illness.

"Her answers are out of touch with reality," he said. "She's crossed the line into psychosis."

Prosecutors say McCarron was completely aware of her actions and never showed any signs of mental illness and never has been diagnosed with mental illness except by Glenmullen.

McCarron had no delusions or hallucinations and never had been diagnosed with psychosis by any doctors who have treated her before or after the murder, assistant Tazewell County state's attorney Kirk Schoenbein said.

That includes the year she spent in a mental health facility she checked herself into in Springfield, he said.

Schoenbein said McCarron was interviewed by a psychiatrist before she confessed to police on the video and was coherent, had an intact memory and had no thought or perception disorders.

"You're the only mental health professional in Karen McCarron's life that's ever said she's psychotic," Schoenbein told Glenmullen.

Schoenbein also questioned Glenmullen's role as a doctor who testifies professionally.

Glenmullen said he has been paid $35,000 of a $50,000 retainer to testify on McCarron's behalf and said he charges $500 an hour to consult in court cases.

Schoenbein asked Glenmullen if he truly believes McCarron is insane.

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't," he said.

The defense rested its case Monday, and the prosecution began calling rebuttal witnesses regarding McCarron's mental health before and after the killing.

McCarron's former co-workers, family and friends have all said she displayed no characteristics of mental illness before killing her daughter and acted normally afterward.

Expert Says Mother Was Out Of Touch With Reality

They brought in Harvard University Physiatrist Doctor Joseph Glenmullen who testified all day today in the murder trial in Tazewell County Court.

Glennmullen told jurors McCarron was severally depressed and struggled with intense intrusional thoughts for one year leading up to the day she suffocated her three-year-old daughter Katie.

During defense questioning, Glennmullen constantly referred to comments McCarron allegedly made to Morton Police in a video taped confession days after the May 13, murder.

He says McCarron's comment quote "I thought I could fix autism", shows she was psychotic and out of touch with reality.

During cross examination, Prosecutor Kirk Schoebein pointed out that none of the doctors or counselors who examined McCarron in the period after the murder referred to her as being psychotic or delusional.

McCarron is charged with two counts of first degree murder, obstruction of justice, and concealment of a homicide. Find this article at:
http://www.week.com/news/local/13769027.html
©2007 WEEK-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Witness: Mom's Psychosis Led to Killing

Karen McCarron was haunted by thoughts that she was responsible for Katherine "Katie" McCarron's autism, defense witness Dr. Joseph Glenmullen said, the Journal Star of Peoria and the Pekin Daily Times reported.

"Karen was severely obsessed with the idea, and she believed it, that she caused her daughter's autism," Glenmullen said. "Karen was convinced of that."

McCarron said she ignored God's warnings by listening to doctors and having Katie vaccinated, then believed the vaccinations caused the autism, said Glenmullen, who works at Harvard University and came to her conclusion by reading another psychiatrist's interviews, reviewing medical records and hearing other testimony.

"She felt she ignored God's suggestions," he said.

McCarron, 39, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to murder, obstructing justice and concealment of a homicidal death. She was found mentally fit to stand trial, but her defense attorneys have said she was insane at the time of the killing.

Prosecutor Kirk Schoenbein said McCarron was never found to be psychotic by any other doctor before or after the killing.

"You're the only mental health professional in Karen McCarron's life that's ever said she's psychotic," Schoenbein said to McCarron.

McCarron had lost weight, been depressed for more than two weeks and felt helpless when she killed Katie, Glenmullen said.

"She meets more than half of the definitions of someone with major depression," Glenmullen said.

McCarron saw a psychiatrist in Chicago for depression but stopped taking medication before the child's death because she thought it worsened the condition, Glenmullen said.

Psychiatrist: McCarron suffered from psychotic episode

PEKIN, Ill. (AP) - A psychiatrist testified today in Tazewell County Court that a woman accused of suffocating her 3-year-old autistic daughter was suffering from a psychotic episode brought on by a major depression disorder.

Doctor Joseph Glenmullen testified that 39-year-old Karen McCarron of Morton met more than half of the definitions of someone with major depression. The doctor also testified that McCarron had thoughts of suicide.

McCarron has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to two counts of first-degree murder, a count of obstructing justice and one count of concealment of a homicidal death in the 2006 death of her daughter, Katie.

McCarron has been free on bond since 2006. She has been found mentally fit to stand trial.

Photographs of Katie have been made available for public use by her grandfather. Download yours here: Katie McCarron Photos

Initial news reports on Katie's murder
Daughter's murder puts focus on 'toll of autism' With a cautionary note by us on that "toll of autism" thing.
'This was not about autism', grandfather says
Katie's father files for divorce, citing 'extreme mental cruelty'
Karen McCarron admitted to planning the murder
'She told me she killed Katie'
Karen was described as 'lucid' and 'very calm'
Karen's taped confession played in pretrial hearing: 'I wanted to take the autism out of her'
Pretrial and opening statements
Katie's grandpa testifies: Karen thought her life would be 'perfect'. Also, Katie's dad says Karen wanted to institutionalize Katie; Katie's teachers said she was doing fine.
Relatives testify: Karen told Katie's grandma many times she wished Katie was dead
Karen on tape: 'In heaven, she would be complete'
Karen testifies: 'Who did you think you were killing?' 'Autism.'

More analysis of the Journal-Star articles.
Murder of Autistics (Archive)

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