Protection for the Disabled Population

Linda Ann Weston, accused of being the ringleader.

The recent news about Linda Ann Weston, a woman who kidnapped a few people with disabilities (among others), in order to get possession of their Social Security checks, has sickened me, and honestly, I needed some time to process it before I could write a blog post about it. You can view the news report here.

Chron.com's version of the story is a little odd, too, another reason I am very saddened by this story. The writer tells us that this story only further proves that we should be more aware of possible human trafficking cases and report it if we suspect anything. When she talks about how it is still unclear if the police followed-up on a missing person's case involving Weston's old address and the neighbor's report to authorities about the adults screaming at the disabled people and children getting left to the wayside, though, we barely get any details. In addition, there's no indication that Social Security ever verified that the checks were being sent to the proper people. I understand that the government cannot keep track of everyone, but that's why we have individual agencies within each state. And not only that, they are generally housed in the major cities, like Philadelphia, which was the scene of this crime.

But the thing that probably bothers me most is that this woman--Linda Ann Weston--was charged with murder back in the 1980s for starving her sister's boyfriend by leaving him in a closet for WEEKS! I don't understand why this woman was ever allowed out of jail after committing such a crime. I can only hope that she is forced to pay for the hurt she caused all of these innocent people.

In my opinion, this story should help us realize that not every person with a disability is cared for, and for this reason, we should be more aware of how they are treated by their loved ones when we see them out at the grocery store, walking in the mall, or out to dinner. Many witnesses in this story said they saw Weston ordering the people with disabilities around at a yard sale. Some also reported seeing bruises on their bodies. All of which should have been dealt with by the authorities immediately after witnesses reported the incidents. So I'm calling for action....authorities, please, we need you to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. Do your best to help us!

Everyday new reports are allegedly made, making this story an absolute horror. Keep an eye out for your neighbors, folks.

What do you think of this story? Leave me your comments below.