Texas Mom Who Killed 2 Daughters Had a 'History of Mental Illness,' Authorities Say

[HereSince1628]

13. You're correct, and this reporting doesn't meet standards in the AP style guide

THe ever present possibility of the presence of a mental disorder contributing to violent behavior can't be dismissed out of hand

But, the rate of violence in persons with mental disorders is very nearly the same as the rate of violence of the general public which is around 5 percent. YET, when mental disorders show up in the media 40% of the time it is in association with violence.

This media treatment greatly distorts the public's perception of the dangerousness of persons with mental disorders.

And the penalties of prejudice and discrimination that accrue to persons with mental disorder from that distortion is the reason why the AP style manual says that references such as the one in this article shouldn't be reported.