Michael Jace, 51, is a monster who completely destroyed his family when he shot his wife, April, 40, multiple times until she was dead. The biggest victims of this awful tragedy are Michael and April’s two sons, both under the age of 10, who reportedly witnessed their mother’s murder on Sunday, May 19 in their Hyde Park, California home.
Those poor boys. We can’t even imagine what they are going through.
After hearing the awful reports that Michael murdered his wife while his two sons watched in horror, we reached out to Mental Health Expert Steven Ornstein to find out if they have a chance of recovering from such an ordeal. Steven has not treated Michael’s sons.
“Any child who has to witness their own father shooting their mother dead will be traumatized and suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. These young boys, both under the age of ten, have a long road of recovery in front of them,” Steven told HollywoodLife.com.
“First of all they are still in the developmental stage of their lives and this tragedy will no doubt have a huge impact on them mentally. They didn’t just lose one parent, they lost both. They will have to deal with the guilt and shame attached to having a father who murdered their mother.”
Steven also brought up a good point — the boys still have to face their mother’s funeral.
“This tragedy is not over for the kids, it’s just beginning. There will be a funeral, an investigation, and so on.”
Our hearts ache for these two innocent boys.
Despite everything they have been through, Steve believes that these two young boys can definitely be saved from their emotional trauma.
It won’t be easy, but with the right people around them supporting them at all times, it is possible they will recover from witnessing their mother’s murder.
“They of course will need extensive professional counseling, but they first need to be settled in a safe and protective environment,” Steven explained. “They have just experienced a major shock to their systems, physically, emotionally and mentally. Their guardian, whomever it may be, will need to reach out to a trained professional on how to best deal with the incident and how to best talk to the kids about it.”
It is mandatory that Michael’s sons are put into therapy sooner rather than later, because the long term effects of the horror they witnessed could be lifelong.
“They must get therapy or they could develop learning disabilities coupled with mental disorders,” Steve said.
“There is hope for them, and they can one day lead healthy and fulfilling lives with enough nurturing, professional care and love from family and friends.”
We truly hope that Michael’s sons are in good hands. Our thoughts remain with April’s family, especially her children.
— Lauren Cox
Follow @Iaurencox
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