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May 18, 2008 10:50 pm US/Central
Sheriff To Mom Of Autistic Son: Don't Go To Church
(WCCO)
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Carol Race started heading to St. Joseph's in Bertha, but decided against it after the Todd County Sheriff Pete Mikkelson stopped her to warn her she'd be arrested. (File)
CBS
A Minnesota mom hopes to meet with church leaders this week to get permission to return to church with her autistic son.
On Monday, Carol Race will go to court over a restraining order her church filed against her 13-year-old autistic son Adam.
Race attended a different church on Sunday with her family. She started heading to St. Joseph's in Bertha, but decided against it after the Todd County Sheriff Pete Mikkelson stopped her to warn her she'd be arrested.
"He told me in no uncertain terms if I stepped foot in church I would be arrested," said Race.
The church took out the restraining order because Adam, who is more than 6 feet tall and over 225 pounds, sometimes becomes violent or has loud outbursts.
"I thought this is going to be difficult for Adam. I mean we were literally on our way to church and then to change plans like that with a severely autistic child that can cause real trouble. So I verbally explained to him that we're still going to church but we're going to a different church," said Race.
She said she hopes to meet with church leaders later this week.
"I'm hoping that through the diocese we might be able to look at real accommodations that might be made for my family. And even more importantly educate them so that when people see the behaviors that my son exhibits they'll understand him rather than fear him," said Race.
Race said Adam did well throughout Sunday's mass at Christ the King in Browerville, Minn.
But she'd like to come to some sort of agreement so she can return to St. Joseph's where she has attended mass for the past 12 years.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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