Come with Daddy: Child Murder-Suicide After Family Breakdown

Come with Daddy examines the tragic crime of familicide-the murder-suicide of children and a parent in the context of a dispute over custody or access. The trauma of this offense reverberates through families, communities and across generations, causing mental and physical illness and social dysfunction. Carolyn Harris Johnson has studied family court files, police records and newspaper reports, but the most haunting insights come from the survivors. They have courageously relived this darkest period in their lives in the hope that their stories might provide clues to prevent such crimes from happening again. A clear pattern emerges of obsession, depression, violence, control and retaliation. These events were not inexplicable or aberrant. In every case, there were obvious warning signs that the perpetrator was deeply disturbed-a history of violence, stalking behavior, threats to kill, even rehearsal of the offense. Come with Daddy explodes the myths and sets out the stark lessons. If the danger signs can be recognized, perhaps these crimes can be prevented. Every person who has contact with troubled families-counselors, social workers, court officials, lawyers, police, doctors, teachers and the general community-needs to read this book.