‘The system failed us,’ says family of mentally ill son who shot, killed his father

PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – On a Saturday morning, a father went into his son’s bed room to mention hi. His son would shoot and kill him. Now the 21-year-old is being held in prison with out bond. His family says the system failed him, and them, as a result of he isn’t guilty— he has been suffering with psychological sickness for years.

Horace Antonio Atkins Jr. was once a graduate of Mcarthur High School and was once the quarterback of the soccer workforce. It was once when he began school that his mom mentioned he first skilled a psychological well being disaster.

“The first time he was Baker acted they said he was bipolar schizophrenic,” mentioned his mom, Lashonda Bailey.

Atkins Jr. is charged with first-degree homicide within the capturing of his father Horace Antonio Atkins Sr., 41, which came about Saturday, Aug. 26, of their Pembroke Pines house.

Pembroke Pines police mentioned the Atkins Jr., was once positioned in Miami Gardens quickly after the capturing and was once taken into custody.

“I have forgiven my grandson. I hold nothing against my grandson. This is what my son would want me to do,” mentioned Mary Adderly, the sufferer’s mom. “I know my son loved him dearly and there’s no question he fought to the bitter end,” she mentioned.

The family may be now not certain how Horace Junior was once in a position to get a gun with his historical past of psychological sickness.

Katrina Atkins, Horace Atkins’ spouse, mentioned that two different younger siblings had been within the room and noticed the incident play out.

“They saw their daddy lying there. That’s not our Junior. Junior wouldn’t do that in front of his siblings,” she mentioned.

Lashonda Bailey says her son was once involuntarily dedicated 3 times.

“It’s not fair that someone who abuses drugs and alcohol gets 30 days in a program but someone that doesn’t have control over their mind . . . it’s backwards,” she says.

The family was once advised that he wouldn’t be capable to acquire a gun as a result of of his psychological well being situation.

“He was mentally ill and needed help and the system failed us,” mentioned his grandmother, Mary Adderly.