Two Florida women are facing charges for attempting to kill their special needs family members \u2014 cases that are drawing renewed attention to a long-standing crisis facing families who care for medically fragile children in the state.<\/p>\n
According to the Osceola County Sheriff\u2019s Office, Marilyn Therrell<\/a>, 68, admitted to deputies that after her husband died last year, it became harder to care for her two autistic adult sons. Therrell is accused of trying to kill both sons before attempting to take her own life.<\/p>\n In a separate case, Deborah Collier<\/a>, 70, of Volusia County, is facing charges for allegedly attempting to kill her disabled great-granddaughter \u2014 a 13-year-old in her custody \u2014 before trying to take her own life.<\/p>\n In an arrest affidavit, Collier told investigators she could not care for the child and feared placing her in an assisted living facility.<\/p>\n News 6 previously spoke with Collier\u2019s attorney, who said family members were looking for help and care for the girl but struggling to find something they could afford or that was adequate for someone who needs 24-hour care.<\/p>\n [WATCH: Florida families caring for medically fragile children say system is failing them]<\/p>\n A crisis years in the making<\/p>\n These cases are not isolated incidents. They reflect a much deeper, systemic problem \u2014 one that thousands of Florida families are living every day.<\/p>\n Both cases are shining a spotlight on a long-standing crisis<\/a> for Florida families caring for medically fragile children \u2014 defined as children who require a skilled nurse around the clock.<\/p>\n There are between 7,000 and 10,000 medically complex children in Florida, according to Matt Dietz, a disability rights expert. <\/p>\n \u201cVery few of them get 100% of the care that they need,\u201d said Dietz.<\/p>\n One family\u2019s story<\/p>\n Tricia Rafeedie and her family are moving out of Florida to get better care for 6-year-old Noah, whom they adopted through foster care when he was 1.<\/p>\n \u201cHe is cognitively still maybe two years old,\u201d Rafeedie told News 6.<\/p>\n Noah has about 20 diagnoses, ranging from autism and fetal alcohol syndrome to severe brain damage. He also uses a feeding tube.<\/p>\n Rafeedie said she had to leave her job as a child protection investigator to stay home and care for Noah full time.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were told to apply for private duty nursing. That was denied. We were denied home health aide. We were denied paid parent caregiving,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n [RELATED: US is in dire need of home health aides. Florida ranks dead last in availability<\/a>]<\/p>\n Navigating a maze of programs<\/p>\n For families like Rafeedie\u2019s, navigating Florida\u2019s care system means wading through a maze of programs. <\/p>\n According to the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration \u2014 also known as AHCA \u2014 which oversees Florida Medicaid, Private Duty Nursing<\/a>, or PDN, is designed for children whose medical conditions require skilled nursing care in the home or community, rather than just help with everyday tasks like bathing or eating.<\/p>\n