A Colorado Springs teen, Malik Vincent Murphy, arrested yesterday morning for the fatal stabbings of his 5-year-old sister and 7-year-old brother and the nonfatal stabbing of his father reportedly has a history of psychiatric drugs.
Psychiatric drugs have known links to violence. There are 28 warnings from international drug regulatory agencies concerning violence-related side effects of psychiatric drugs.
Psychiatric drugs were found disproportionately linked to acts of violence in a 2010 analysis of prescription drug side-effects data from the Food and Drug Administration’s adverse event reporting system.
Murphy’s history of psychiatric drug treatment dates at least as far back as earlier this year, according to published accounts.
Murphy was arrested for setting his family’s SUV on fire in March. A judge ordered psychiatric treatment and ordered the teen to take all prescribed psychiatric drugs, according to the county state attorney involved in the case.
More recently, Murphy’s great-aunt has said he was on court-ordered drugs.
Murphy told police that he had homicidal thoughts and wanted to kill his family, according to his arrest affidavit. A family friend who said he grew up with Murphy claimed that the young man had suicidal thoughts.
Suicidal and homicidal thoughts are known adverse effects of some psychiatric drugs, including antidepressants.
It is not yet known what psychiatric drugs Murphy was prescribed, or when or how he took them.
However, the incident, if true as alleged, joins a long list of “inexplicable” acts of unspeakable violence committed by adults and children taking psychiatric drugs.
Only by fully investigating mind-altering psychiatric drugs’ known links to violence and homicide can we hope to prevent such tragic bloodshed in the future.
Warning: Anyone wishing to discontinue a psychiatric drug is cautioned to do so only under the supervision of a competent medical doctor because of potentially dangerous and even life-threatening withdrawal symptoms.
If you or someone you know has been harmed by psychiatric drugs, we want to talk with you. You can contact us by clicking here or by calling 303-789-5225. All information will be kept in the strictest confidence.
