>> A DEATH THREAT FROM SON TO% MOTHER.
>> IT’S AN ADOPTION STORY WITH A FRIGHTENING TWIST.
FRIGHTENING TWIST. NOW THE ADOPTED CHILD IS IN A
PSYCHIATRIC TREATMENT HOSPITAL.
THE PARENTS NOT ONLY FEAR FOR
THEIR LIVES, THEY CLAIM IN A
LAWSUIT THE STATE IS THREATENING
THEM WITH PARENTAL NEGLECT.
>> Kim: GREG AND TONYA BURNETT
SAY WHEN THEY GOT MARRIED, THEY
KNEW THEY WANTED BIOLOGICAL
CHILDREN BUT ALSO WANTED TO
ADOPT A CHILD, IF THEIR WORDS,
TO MAKE A CHILD’S LIFE BETTER.
THEY KNEW IT WOULDN’T BE EASY,
BUT THEY HAD NO IDEA THEY WOULD
FEAR FOR THEIR LIVES.
>> WE SAW HIM, AND WE JUST -- WE
FELL IF LOVE WITH HIS
MANNERISMS, THE WAY HE IS
TALKING ABOUT PLAYING BASEBALL.
HE JUST WAS ADORABLE.
>> The Reporter: GREG AND TONYA
BURNETT WITH MATCHED WITH A
CHILD WE’LL CALL ALEX AND THE
ADOPTIONS WHAT LATER APPROVED.
>> WE DIDN’T EXPECT ANY TRIAL,
GOING ON 10 YEARS OLD, TO COME
INTO OUR HOME WITHOUT ISSUES.
ADOPTION ITSELF IS TRAUMA AND
THE FIRST YEAR IS WHAT THEY CALL
A HONEYMOON PERIOD.
IT WAS PERFECT.
IT WASN’T UNTIL HE STARTED TO
FEEL SECURE THAT HE STARTED TO
TEST US.
TEST US. IF I PUSH YOU DOWN THE STAIRS,
ARE YOU GOING TO GET RID OF ME
OR ARE YOU STILL GOING TO LOVE
ME.
ME. IF I HAVE ATTACK THE FAMILY MET,
ARE YOU GOING TO GET RID OF ME
OR ARE YOU GOING TO STILL LOVE
ME.
ME. >> The Reporter: ACCORDING TO
THE BURNETT’S LAWSUIT, BEFORE
ALEX WAS ADOPTED, HE SUFFERED
HORRIBLE ABUSE AND ABANDONMENT
THAT MANIFESTED ITSELF IN
MULTIPLE PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDER,
INCLUDING REACTIVE ATTACHMENT
DISORDER.
DISORDER. THE LAWSUIT SAYS DESPITE
REPEATED TREATMENT, THERE ARE NO
SIGNS OF THE DISORDER SUBSIDING.
>> HE ALSO ATTACKED ME WHILE I
WAS DRIVING MY CAR.
>> HE HAS ATTACKED TEACHERS,
HE’S SMASHED HIS HEAD AGAINST A
FLOOR UNTIL THERE WAS BLOOD ALL
OVER THE PLACE.
HE’S ATTACKED POLICE OFFICERS
WHEN THEY CAME TO THE SCHOOL
SCENE TO TRY TO RESTRAIN HIM.
HE’S TRIED TO GRAB THEIR GUNS,
HE’S DAMAGED THEIR EQUIPMENT IN
THEIR VEHICLES.
THEIR VEHICLES. >> The Reporter: THE LAWSUIT
STATES ALEX HAS BEEN ADMITTED TO
NUMEROUS HOSPITALS FOR VIOLENCE,
INCLUDING ATTACKS ON HOSPITAL
STAFF, AND ATTACKS ON PATIENTS.
THE LAWSUIT STATES THE CHILD HAS
BEEN HOSPITALIZED OVER 20 TIMES,
WITH THE SAME OUT.
COULD.
COULD. ALEX IS NOW 16, CURRENTLY BEING
TREATED HERE AT THE HAWTHORNE
CENTER IN NORTHVILLE, OPERATED
BY THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
THE BURNETT SAY THEY’RE DEATHLY
AFRAID OF THEIR OWN SON.
>> WE HAVE DETAILED LETTERS THAT
WE HAVE FOUND ABOUT HOW HE WILL
KILL US IN OUR SLEEP.
>>> THE LETTER READING IN PART,
I WILL WAIT TO KILL YOU.
IT WILL HAPPEN IN YOUR SLEEP.
>> I THINK IT’S UNDERSTANDABLE
THAT THEY WOULD BE AFRAID.
I DON’T KNOW THAT HE’S EVER
GOTTEN BETTER OR WORSE.
HE’S JUST GOTTEN BIGGER AND
STRONGER.
STRONGER. >>> THE LATEST CONCERN,
ACCORDING TO THE LAWSUIT,
HAWTHORNE CENTER STATES IT WILL
RELEASE THE CHILD DESPITE
PLAINTIFF’S REPEATED FEARS OF
IMMINENT HARM AND THE LAWSUIT
GOES ON TO STATE HAWTHORNE HAS
INDICATED IF THE PARENTS DO NOT
TAKE THE CHILD BACK IN TO THEIR
HOME, THE CENTER WILL REPORT THE
PLAINTIFFS FOR PARENTAL NEGLECT
AND THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF
CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES WOULD
PURSUE THE CHARGES TO THE
FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW.
>> I CAN’T HAVE MY BIOLOGICAL
CHILDREN UPSTAIRS ON THE SAME
LEVEL WITH HIM THREATENING TO
KILL US IN OUR SLEEP.
>> THE SCARY THING ABOUT THIS
CASE IS SO MANY PARENTS, SO MANY
PEOPLE SAY WHY DIDN’T SOMEONE
WARN US, WHEN THIS CHILD WAS
HAVING PROBLEMS BEFORE SOMETHING
BIG HAPPENS.
BIG HAPPENS. >> I WANT HIM TO GET THE DAILY
HELP AND THERAPY HE NEEDS,
BECAUSE EVENTUALLY HE’S GOING TO
TURN 18 AND HE’S GOING TO BE
RELEASED TO THE STREE I
FEAR FOR HIS FUTURE.
I FEAR FOR OTHERS AROUND HIM.
I FEAR FOR HIM.
>> The Reporter: THE BURNETTS
TELL ME THEY WANT TO KEEP THEIR
PARENTAL RIGHTS, THEY SAY.
THEY KNOW NONE OF THIS IS ALEX’
FAULT, THEY’RE JUST FIGHTING TO
GET THE CARE THAT HE NEEDS.
I DID CONTACT THE MICHIGAN
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES NAMED IN THE LAWSUIT.
THEY WOULD NOT COMMENT ON THE
PENDING LITIGATION.
PENDING LITIGATION. >> Devin: SO ARE THEY GOING TO
BE FORCED TO TAKE HIM BACK IN
THEIR HOME?
THEIR HOME? >> WELL, IT’S INTERESTING, ONCE
THAT LAWSUIT WAS FILED, THE TONE
OF THE THREAT OF BEING CHARGED
HAS -- WE CAN’T TELL YOU, THEY
HAVEN’T ANSWERED, SO WE DON’T
KNOW IF THEY ARE GOING TO
RELEASE THE CHILD.
WE DON’T KNOW IF THE PARENTS ARE
GOING TO BE CHARGED, BUT WE FELT
LIKE THEY HAD TO BRING THIS TO
OUR ATTENTION BECAUSE THEY WANT
THE CHILD GETTING THE HELP HE
NEEDS.