Shawn Garland's Mother Speaks Out

Shawn Garland's Mother Speaks Out

Her son is serving a 32-year sentence for stabbing a Portland man 97 times. But Shawn Garland's mother says her son has a history of severe mental illness, and the outcome to his story may have been different if he got the help he needed as an adult. Sharyn Garland says Shawn came to her as a foster child when he was a year old. The family adopted him when he turned four. But Sharyn says Shawn's childhood wasn't easy, saying he suffered from angry outbursts and often talked about hearing voices and seeing things that didn't exist. Sharyn says the family got Shawn counseling and medication. By the time he was 9-years-old, he was receiving intensive treatment at a residential facility, and was only able to visit home twice a week. He stayed in the program until he turned 18, when he was legally able to end treatment. Sharyn says she made dozens of calls to try to get her adult son back into treatment, but legally her hands were tied. She says Shawn was in and out of jail, and was ordered by the courts to take anger managements courses. Those orders were never enforced. Sharyn believes if her son had been made to take the classes and seek treatment, his future may have been different.