US: Mother kills 5-year-old son, takes her own life at hospital

A 27-year-old woman in the US killed her five-year-old son suffering from cerebral palsy before taking her own life. Lola Griffith and her son's body were discovered by nurses at a suburban children's hospital in Mesa city, in Arizona on 7 November.

According to police, Lola's body was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, although a gunshot was not heard inside the hospital. However, the police did not say as to how Lola's son, Helious Griffith died. They believe that Lola killed her son and later shot herself.

"At midnight, nurses made their rounds. Mom and son were OK, but when they made their 2 a.m. bed check ... unfortunately they were not OK," police spokesman Steve Berry told the Daily News. Lola's son was admitted to Banner Desert Children's Hospital, where she was sharing a room with him since the past week.

The 27-year-old had asked people to help her with $1,500 on the crowdsourced fundraising site, YouCaring, so that she could replace her old car to transport her wheelchair-bound grandfather and son. Lola wrote on the site that her son Helious from the age of one suffers from palsy, inducing audio, odor and touch sensitivities and a fear of doctors.

"He also suffers from separation anxiety when I'm out of his line of sight where he cries and cannot self calm. He has been traumatized by doctors where now he expresses extreme anxiety and downright terror when he smells rubbing alcohol and/or see someone in scrubs or lab coat. We can't progress any further alone. I hope you who's reading this can help us," she wrote.

Only one person had donated $5, under the fundraiser in the past 30 days.