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Mother arrested for trying to drown son in Palmdale swimming pool

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Allaire McDougall was taken away kicking and screaming. Screenshot via ABC 7.

PALMDALE – A 33-year-old Palmdale woman was arrested Thursday night for allegedly trying to drown her eight-year-old son in an apartment complex swimming pool.

Allaire McDougall was arrested for attempted murder and booked at the Palmdale Station on $1 million bail, according to deputy Peter Gomez. Her son was transported to the hospital and is now listed in stable condition.

The following is the press report from the Sheriff’s Headquarters Bureau:

On Thursday (05-24-2012) at around 7:30 pm, deputies from the Palmdale Sheriff Station responded to a rescue call of a female adult attempting to hold a child under water in the pool of the “Monte Vista” apartment complex [at 2500 block of Olive Drive in] Palmdale.

Once at the location, deputies learned that 33-Year-old Allaire McDougall attempted to drown her 8-year-old son in the community pool of the Apartment complex.

Bystanders intervened and rescued the victim from the suspect.

The 8-year old boy was transported to a local hospital and is now listed in stable condition.

“She’s telling him, ‘Son, you have to go. This is the end of the world.’ He said, ‘No, mama, I don’t want to die, I don’t want to die.’ So he was fighting for his life,” witness Susan Williams told ABC 7.

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Filed Under: Crime/ Safety

35 comments for "Mother arrested for trying to drown son in Palmdale swimming pool"

  2. MY LOVE AND PRAYERS FOR HER AND HER FAMILY,THIS IS A TRAGEDY IN THIS BEATIFUL FAMILY WHO HAS RAISED HIS CHILDREN UNDER GOD’S PRINCIPLES,INSTEAD OF JUDGING ,LETS PRAY FOR HER RECOVERY.

  3. I just found out about my friend and this happened over 2 months ago!! OMG…I actually picked up the phone to call her about a week ago, because she had been on my mind very heavily. It saddens me deeply. I worked with Allaire for almost 9yrs side by side. She comes from a beautiful family and Aiden was always surrounded by love from his mother and family members. I remember when Allaire first found out she was pregnant with her son. She is a very educated woman, mother and daughter. It may be easy for some to ridicule the situation, but we never know what an adverse from a medication can cause. She was ever so kind to rent that same unit out to my mother for over 2 years. I don’t have any thing to say negative. I remember we were both in school she became a Respiratory Therapist and I went on to become a Registered Nurse.

    I would like to also offer my empathy and compassion to Allaire and her family. We need to pray for her and her family rather than pass judgement!!

    • I agree with all you said danetta I too knows Allaire, and knows especial how she loves and care for her son that child is her world. Almighlty Creator please be with my friend.

  4. I went to high school with this person and personaly know her as a friend. Never n a million years would i think allaire would do such an act. I know for a fact she loves her son.My heart and prays go out to the family. Make no mistake something is very wrong with this picture. She must have been hiding some deep issues that one one knew about.the question is what does a person do before they hit that breaking point?

    • To the high school friend….you are right. I am her cousin. Allaire would never hurt her child. She snapped because there was something she could not handle emotionally anymore. You are absolutely correct and I hope and pray as God is my witness that the right doctors, lawyers and a Judge who has the clarity to see true issues clearly can give her the help she needs and get down to the bottom of this. Please send any support letters you can to her attorney Larry M. Baker, Esq. His fax number is 661-257-2176. His number is 661-257-1222 (although it is his answering service you can leave a message) And you are so right…what do you do before you hit the breaking point and you have not resolved all your issues and feel like there is so much you can’t tell. We are praying daily for her. And YES….SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT.

      • come on what’s wrong with people today ; I’m so sick and tired of people making excuses for parents killing or attempting to harm their children . I don’t give a shit if your world is falling apart there is no excuse to harm a child period! This woman needs to be put away for life and not be allowed to have any more children period!

        • I have read so much anger and outrage in various news and media postings that have resulted in disgusting, derogatory, and malicious comments made by people who have no idea what the actual facts are. It is this self-righteous, all-assuming, and outright evil judgement and hate that concerns me most of all. Shame on all of you who think you have it all together in this world that you are completely void of love and compassion. This is a beautiful family who have done so much good for others and the community. I pray that God’s hand is upon you. You are not alone. Your friends are here for you.

          • I was shocked when I found out about this. We went to Respiratory school together and when we graduated, she even walked with her son on stage….she’s a loving Mom from what I gathered in our conversations…Im praying for her and her family.

  5. she probably was not receiving enough state assistance for this child anymore, those mercedes are not cheap

    • Jeff u don’t know shit so keep ur funky comments to urself, that’s a hard working woman never been on no public assistance.

  6. I lived next to this women for a year at in palmdale ca 2554 olive dr. I moved out oct 2011this lady didnt seem to have any mental problems from what ive seen she had an all white mercedes benz shee lived up staires in the next building my patio faced her stair case she was always to kept self her son didnt play with any of the kids that lived there she seemes pretty normal very stuck up some ppl are just crZy you realy cant judge any one just from looking at them its sad what happen to them she just seem sooo normal

  7. so many people out there who’s children have been murdered or kidnapped whether the kidnap was a non-custodial parent, a stranger or the evil trolls who buy n sell children like commodities at DCFS and those people would give anytyhing to have their children with them and this person (since charm school taught me to be too much of a lady to say what i really wanna call it, oops i mean her) gonna try n snuff out her child. This is why I aalways tell people that if u r gonna get high especially on hard drugs please get a sitter for ur child. I mean if u wanna get high n try to commit suicide by drowning thats all good but dont make the kid suffer cuz you’re having a bad trip. and if u are one of those people who just cant handler drugs then dont freakin do them. I can imagine the poor kids head is really screwed up now. and i hope they fired the security guard. probably not cuz he/she would just get a lawyer and say it was not in the job description. In summation I ask WTF is this world coming to? But that’s enough from me for now anyways. Hope yas all had a really great memorial day and have an awesome rest of weeek. if ya want to anyways. peace ya all!

  8. A suicidal woman further out of her mind due to excessive drug use tried to drown her (conflicting reports of) 6 (or 8) year old boy in our community pool. Witness accounts say that the regular, rather long term deployment to Olive Drive security guard just stood by the side of the pool DOING NOTHING to intervene. Reportedly stating that, she “…did not want to get her gun wet…” Two young residents ([guessing badly at age here] perhaps a 13 year old girl & 15 year old boy) were able to rescue the child from the woman who then proceeded unsuccessfully to drown herself. The teenagers were not able to do anything for the woman. Cops arrived and jumped in to pull her out. She reportedly passed out on the grass where she lay handcuffed until paramedics arrived.

    Met the two young teenagers yesterday after my neighbor pointed them out. Went up and asked if they were the two that were involved. They said yes. Told them that I was so impressed that they were able to take action in what must have been a very scary and confusing situation. “Ya it was.” Told them that I had heard that the security guard did nothing. “Ya, she just stood there.” Said that years ago I had been a security guard and I was ashamed and angry that the guard had done nothing to help. Said that it took a lot of guts to get involved. That doing something, anything to help even though they might have been scarred is what it means to be brave. That I, and probably many others in our community saw them as hero’s. I then thanked them for being just the right people to be in the right place at a bad time. They thanked me and walked on. Have not heard any more on the current condition of either the victim child or his mother.

    This incident is disturbing on so many levels. With regard to the woman am wondering how she escaped notice for the length of time necessary for her to descend to such madness. Many different news sources have reported the woman as saying that her boy had to die because the world was going to end. Was there no others who cared for her child? Or her? Why did no one intercede before this? Was she isolated with no friends, family, or professional support? Or was she able to hide her decent from everyone until it was almost too late for her child? If she had not tried to drown him in the community pool (located at the center of many 2 story apartment buildings surrounded by a vertical strutted metal fence that can easily be seen through) – if she had instead taken some action in her apartment – they could both be dead now. It seems rather trite but I hope that they will both receive the care and concern that can save them both. As I have read that she is in jail instead of a psychiatric hospital I fear that she will not receive “appropriate” mental health care. The caveat here being that I have not been in a LA County Jail so do not know what procedures they have for meeting the needs of the mentally ill who are also, commonly, suffering through withdrawal symptoms from psychotropic or illegal drugs.

    The care and concern, the love and support necessary to save her son will depend upon how much he saw, heard, and suffered through. I am more concerned about what can and will be done for him. If you can live long enough the edges of those memories that once cut so deep are dulled by handling.

    Yes – this woman needs to be held responsible for this horrifically insane act. Witness accounts say that “…she was out of her mind on drugs…” The decent into dark destructive madness is so much faster when drugs or alcohol are abused.

    Believe there should be a new guilty verdict for cases such as this: Guilt mitigated by temporary (or chronic) insanity with an enhancement when illegal drugs are included. Where a (hopefully) just prison sentence begins in a psychiatric hospital, so if and when she is deemed presentable enough for properly agreed upon societal sanity, she will complete her term of punishment in prison, (if she is “cured” before her sentence has run it’s course of course.) Now this is really pie in the sky wishing here. Whenever there is an “enhancement” due to illegal drug use, that after completing their prison term there is an additional, mandatory, year of probation where random drug screening and counselors are available.

    Will be the first to admit that the more I learn the less I know. I am not intelligent enough nor have I done sufficient research to be an expert at anything. Just call me Jack. I do know that the recidivism rate indicates that something needs to change. Would be rather idyllic if we could change without new laws being necessary to modify our new reality. There is hope in that “change is the only constant” but the trick is biasing it towards the positive.

    I have evident empathy for this woman that is present because of what I suspect to be true of her. May never learn enough of her story to know for sure if my empathy is safe with her. I have been in that place where “…things fall apart,(and)the center will not hold.” I am hear today and the woman I am because of the mistakes and the successes of those who cared just because, or received a pay check to support their caring just enough. It was the kindness and care of wise women who appeared though the years that helped rhyme my reason just enough to save something of my self from my self.

    For those who do not relate enough to understand, well congratulations on having lived more of your life in the light. Have taken you on the scenic route through mental meanderings on addiction, insanity, and attempted murder. Please remain seated until my soap box has come to a full and complete stop.

    Know that an “understanding ear” can be an invaluable life saving device. If you have neither empirical knowledge (based on life experience) or explicit knowledge (from book learning) that enables you to understand, just listen for emotions. Tears or laughter can always be translated. Just listen. And when necessary be the right person at a bad time.

    • Alyx

      Nice sentiment, but reality intervenes on how you pay for or implement the sort of caring approach you advocate.

      Reality on the money front is that this state is 9 Billion with a B in the hole right now, and those of us who pay the bills for the state are tapped out.

      Reality on the care you described having problems is the decriminalization of mental illness back in the 60’s (?) where courts no longer have the power to force people with mental illness into long term care. Someone in need of long term care can walk away at any time from that care and not a damn thing the state can do about it until there is an issue of harm to themselves or others. I personally don’t know how to balance the right of the individual in these matters from the rights of society, but until you can find a way to balance both those “rights”, government can only offer the carrot and not much of the stick to get sick people to accept care.

      • Yes Sir.

        I certainly agree that economists would need circus worthy juggling skills to implement some of my suggestions in regard to legal responses to drug and mental illness induced crime. It is hard to see solutions when the view is obstructed by red tape mounding over the bottom line.

        One point that I was not clear on. I do not believe that everyone who commits an insane act can be allowed to be found “Innocent by Reason of Insanity.” Culpability and acceptance of guilt is important. My reason for asking that a guilty verdict be reached despite mitigating factors of drugs or mental illness so there is the ability to apply whatever “justly normative” sentence as punishment. One that will also allow treatment for addiction and mental health issues.

        My request is that we as a society learn to listen, and be the right person in a bad time. Idealistic of course. But free nonetheless.

        Thanks for taking the time to comment.

        • Alyx

          Your plan is interesting, but the money to implement enforced treatment as a result of being found guilty but temporarily mental ill just isn’t there. I was wrong when I stated that CA is 9 Billion in the hole right now, the correct number is 15 Billion.

          • Sigh. You have me there Steve. While money makes the world go round our level of debt makes my head spin even faster.
            I do not know that even if there were funding that any of my suggestions would make a viable, sustainable, and beneficial difference in our society. Just typing out loud. Perhaps next time I will give a nod to quoting and giving proper reverence to figures rather than mere literature. :)

          • PS – There is still the ability that a person can be sent to a psych ward for at least 72 hours when found to be a danger to themselves or others. When on a Hold they are not legally able to leave the hospital. Consider it a psychiatric arrest. Monday morning quarterbacking alert: Could this near tragedy have been averted if she had been placed on a hold? Child Protective Services would have had to then take custody of the child. (Went through CPS system as a teen so know it’s not perfect but there are enough good people who work hard for those kids that life saving differences are made.) No the “5150 Hold” does not in and of itself solve any problems. It is effectively a pause button. What it does is it makes folks “In Authority” aware that there is a problem. When the overtaxed system works well assessments are made and game plans laid. Perhaps the Hold would not be enough to keep the woman from attempting to self destruct, but maybe it could have kept her son from having to witness it.

          • Alyx flatly. Frankly u don’t no wat u talkin about She ain’t of never have been on any kind ov drugs, And I know how much she loves Her son, wat happened to her is very tragic and if it can happen to her it can happen to any ov you

        • “My request is that we as a society learn to listen, and be the right person in a bad time. Idealistic of course. But free nonetheless.”
          I think you made a very powerful statement.
          So few people take the time to smile or say a kind word to someone who looks alone or sad. It can make a difference, not only to the person you are speaking to or smiling at, but also in your own heart. In this case, it could have helped this young mother take a different path and put the light back into her childs eyes. Sometimes we need to remind others that there is hope and other people who care.

        • The idea that there is a “system” that can do what God intended each and every one of us to do, will be our demise. We live our private, sequestered, as-safe-as-possible lives, trying hard to stay within our comfort zones and justifying our attitudes and reasons. We need to completely restructure our mindset. How about a world where we all actually seek out someone to help, with sincere humility and compassion. Face-to-face, hand-in-hand, and heart-to-heart. Let’s not wait for a “system” to do the job. It’s not about money, it’s about LOVE.

    • Alyx –
      Thank you for your beautiful words. You have much
      to share and give, and I am glad you are on this planet.

  10. My heart goes out for the family of this young lady. my prayers will be constant for them in this difficult time. healing only comes from god. hold tight to god’ unchanging hand.

    • this is so very true. i’m saddened more than any other emotion for her family affected by this. i knew her and i can say only by my experience, that she never acted in any way that was harmful to Adan. For the firt 2 years of his life, I remember the numerous nights she spent sleeping at the hospital and various specialists she had taken him to for testing and surgery when he had a life threatening condition. She always concerned and exhibited love for him. I just can’t understand this. A prayer for healing goes out to her and her family.

      • yes please pray 4 her & her family. hi fatima. i wasnt sure if u knew or found out. i miss my friend dearly & went to her parents house. i kno she loves aden & n her right mind wouldnt have done this….

  11. Unfortunately a lot of people are suffering from mental break down!
    Jails or prisons don’t cure mental illness, it actually makes it
    worse ! Needless to say we all condemn the act of trying to drown
    your children, that is a given; however,is it possible this could
    have been prevented !abdulaskia@yahoo.com