In a quiet neighborhood in South Ockendon, Essex, England, a community remains shaken by the tragic death of five-year-old Lincoln Brookes, an incident prosecutors say was at the hands of his mother, Claire Button.
Button, 35, is accused of murdering her autistic son in December 2024. Prosecutors claim that the overwhelming pressures of caring for Lincoln drove her into deep depression. She denies murder but has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
On December 15, emergency services were called to the family’s home on Windstar Drive after Claire’s husband, Nicky, returned from work to find Lincoln unresponsive and Claire seriously injured after a suspected suicide attempt. Despite paramedics’ efforts, Lincoln was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m.
Prosecutor Andrew Jackson told jurors the act was “deliberate and unlawful,” adding that Claire’s mental health had worsened in the months leading up to the tragedy under the strain of caring for an autistic child.
The case highlights a painful truth often overlooked: caregivers of children with autism or serious mental illness are themselves at high risk of emotional exhaustion and depression. Research shows that nearly 45 percent of parents of children with autism report symptoms of depression, and caregivers of psychiatric patients experience significantly higher rates of anxiety and stress compared to the general population, according to studies published in ScienceDirect and PubMed Central (PMC).
Experts say these struggles stem from long hours of care, social isolation, financial pressure, and the emotional weight of constant vigilance. Without adequate mental health support, caregivers’ well-being can deteriorate, sometimes with devastating consequences.
