Mother of Drowned Centralian Says She Struggled for Services

When asked where she felt she could turn for help, and what resources she had to take care of her 26-year-old severely autistic son, Jessy, Jackie Hamilton had a short answer.

“None,” she said. 

Resources do exist for families and caregivers of children and adults with autism, but even the state Autism Task Force’s 2010 Autism Guidebook for Washington State notes seeking help can be an arduous task for a layperson.

“The ATF recognizes that finding and maneuvering through the various systems in Washington State can sometimes be tedious and frustrating,” the guidebook says.

Jessy Lee Hamilton, 26, of Centralia, was found drowned in the Chehalis River on May 30 at Fort Borst Park after being reported missing a half-hour earlier, at 7 a.m., according to the Centralia Police Department. 

Family members and friends described him as having the mind and behavior of a 5-year-old child. 

In the week before he died, Jessy was adjusting to new medications and had a case of kidney stones, his mother told The Chronicle. The pain of the kidney stones was resulting in violent outbursts, leading his mother to take him to the hospital several times. 

“He didn’t understand it,” Hamilton said. 

Hamilton said Jessy had violent outbursts for years. 

“I was pretty much used to it,” she said. 

On May 23, she called 911, and Jessy was arrested on suspicion of fourth-degree assault. He spent three nights in jail and made his first court appearance in Centralia Municipal Court May 26, where he was issued a no-contact order barring him from seeing his mother, also his legal, court-appointed guardian.

 He was released to downtown Chehalis unaccompanied and was found wandering. He died a few days later after slipping away from a camping group, including his mother, at Fort Borst Park. The Centralia Police Department is investigating the death, and cannot confirm who was at the park with Jessy.

Hamilton said she didn’t know who to turn to for help dealing with Jessy’s outbursts and other issues, and had little luck when trying to reach out to government agencies and other organizations. She said she didn’t know how to ask for help when the no-contact order left Jessy without a full-time guardian. 

“They talk to us like we’re stupid when we’re asking for help,” she said. 

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that one in 88 children have an autism-spectrum disorder. Autism is about five times more common in boys than girls.

The Autism Guidebook compiled information on autism and a list of guidelines for supporting autistic people and their families.

“Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) require individually designed interventions that meet the distinct need of the person. It is important that parents, health care, social services and school professionals, working together as a team, select teaching strategies and methods on peer reviewed, empirically based, valid evidence,” the guidebook states. “Several decades ago, if a child was diagnosed with autism, there was little hope for leading anything close to a ‘normal’ life.”

Jessy was born in 1989. After her son was diagnosed, Hamilton said she doesn’t remember receiving any formal training on how to raise a child with autism, and relied on her own intuition and experience. 

“We learned from each other,” she said. 

Jessy needed 24/7 supervision. In 2009, Hamilton,  in Lewis County Superior Court, was named her son’s sole court-appointed guardian. The guardianship was renewed in 2013 and was due to be reviewed by the court again next year.

No standby, or alternate, guardian was listed in court documents. Documents suggested that Hamilton designate a standby guardian, but if that was ever done, it isn’t reflected in court records. 

Long-time family friend Lisa Leigh described the relationship between Jessy and his mother, and how he relied on help for daily tasks.

“Jessy wouldn’t even know how to use a crosswalk without her there to remind him,” Leigh said.

Hamilton resisted any attempts to separate her and Jessy.

“We were a team,” she said. 

Looking back, Hamilton said her son would have benefited from time in some kind of residential treatment facility.

“That would have helped some. He needed to be evaluated,” she said. “He needed into a living system where professionals could deal with his anger.” 

She suggested a situation where she could have lived close or visited her son often.

However, Hamilton, who according to court documents was excused from an online guardian course because she struggles to read, found the process of navigating state assistance programs for autism not “tedious and frustrating,” as the Autism Guidebook suggests, but impossible.

Both public and private resources exist to help autistic children, adults and their caregivers. 

The state Developmental Disabilities Administration, a part of the Department of Social and Health Services, provides some support for autistic adults and their families based on their eligibility, assessed need and other factors. The services are tailored to each individual client. 

A representative from the DDA did not return a request for comment and more information on specific services provided by the agency by press time. 

The Autism Society of Washington did not return requests for comment.

The DSHS communications department referred questions on services for autistic adults and their families to the Washington State Health Care Authority. A representative from the authority did not return a request for information by press time.

Easter Seals Disability Services provides services for autistic adults. However, the group’s closest location is in Seattle. 

Several local agencies are dedicated to helping people with autism.

The Lewis County Autism Coalition, affiliated with Lewis County Public Health and Social Services, provides some help to parents of autistic children. April Kelley, co-chair of the coalition, said the group helps refer patients to other services.

“It really depends on the parent,” she said. “you can have as much or as little (help) as you want.”

Reliable Enterprises, a local community service organization, also provides services to disabled individuals. 

The group’s Family Support Network also provides information and helps refer families to other organizations. 

People First of Lewis County meets on the third Saturday of the month in Centralia. For more information, go to peoplefirstofwashington.org.

Specialized Activities & Recreation in the Community is organized by People First of Lewis County. The group creates social opportunities for people age 16 and up with special needs. For more information on the Family Support Network, and SPARC, go to http//reliableenterprises.org/familysupport-network/.

The University of Washington’s Autism Center has a list of autism advocacy groups, clinics, and other services at http://goo.gl/Ggk3Ve.