Having a child with special needs can be both a blessing and a challenge for parents. Sometimes it’s totally overwhelming, and if moms and dads don’t have a strong support system in place, they can feel isolated, lonely, and even angry. Sadly, sometimes adults make poor decisions when it comes to their kids, no matter what their level of need, which can put them in a dangerous or even deadly situation. Alabama mother Amanda Marie Morgan allegedly left her two autistic teenagers alone in a filthy trailer in October 2025, and one of them died. She’s now facing murder charges.
Morgan reportedly abandoned her children in squalor.
Police in Mobile responded to Morgan’s trailer in Theodore on October 8, 2025, WDAM reported. Once inside, police found Morgan’s 14-year-old son, identified in court documents as MM, deceased. Her 16-year-old daughter, identified as LM, was also inside the filthy home. Investigators noted the trailer had no running water or working air conditioning. They apparently found feces covering the walls inside the bug-infested residence.
Both of Morgan’s children suffered in the home.
When emergency responders arrived, they came upon a tragic scene, according to NBC 15. EMS personnel took LM to an area hospital to treat her malnutrition, but her brother had met a far worse fate. He was dead a blanket wrapped around his neck. At the time, it appeared the teenager’s death had happened by accident, but things changed following an autopsy.
Morgan now faces murder charges.
District Attorney Keith Blackwood wants Morgan held accountable for her son’s death, NBC 15 reported.
“This is not a traditional homicide case. This is felony murder with an underlying offense of aggravated child abuse. That requires a lot of forensic work that has to be done… it’s prudent to take our time and make sure that we have all of the information possible,” Blackwood explained.
A judge set Morgan’s bond at $440,000. If she’s able to come up with the money, she will remain on house arrest and cannot have any contact with her daughter, per NBC 15. She was due back in court on March 24, 2026.
The story enraged many who felt devastated for Morgan’s children.
The WDAM Facebook page lit up with people calling for Morgan to stay locked up for the rest of her life.
“If she is guilty she should be punished harshly and severely! Disgusting human!!” someone suggested in a comment.
Others think Morgan’s children deserved more from their mother.
“There are no words to describe how angry this kind of person makes me- an innocent child – what a POS,” another comment reads.
“Nothing wrong with putting your child in a facility. I rather them be taken care of them this to happen!” someone else chimed in.
We say it all the time, but it’s so real. If you don’t want to care for your children, please find a way to give them the life they deserve. They didn’t ask to be here but are entitled to love and a humane existence.
If you suspect child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child) or go to Childhelp.org. The hotline is available 24/7.
