Grieving Mom Of Drowned Kids Speaks Out

Md. Woman Laments Court Failures; Husband Charged With Drowning Their 3 Children In Hotel Room

(CBS/AP)  The mother of three young children who were allegedly drowned by their father in a Baltimore hotel room said her husband had become increasingly troubled in recent weeks.

Amy Castillo said a judge stopped alimony payments he had been receiving from her, and he was falling behind on financial obligations.

"All around he was in trouble," she said. "I think he was getting more and more angry."

Asked about court rulings in which a judge agreed to allow Mark Castillo visitation despite documented mental health problems and even after she told the judge he had made reference to killing the kids, Amy Castillo said that "there were some people who would not listen to me."

She said she did not want to talk about the legal issues too much, but said the legal system needs a better understanding of mental-health issues. Her estranged husband was becoming angrier in the weeks preceding the children's deaths.

Still, Amy Castillo said she did not notice anything out of the ordinary on Saturday when she turned her children over to Mark Castillo for a regularly scheduled visitation. It turned out to be the last time she would see her children - Anthony, 6; Austin, 4; and Athena, 2.

"That particular Saturday I didn't notice any unusual behavior but it was a very brief interaction," Amy Castillo told reporters at a briefing at McLean Bible Church, where she and her children regularly attended worship services.

Mark Castillo is charged with the murder of his three children. Police say he drowned his children one by one in the bathtub of a Baltimore hotel room on Saturday.

The Washington Post reported that Castillo told police he swallowed 100 Motrin tablets and stabbed himself in the neck with a steak knife. He awoke 19 hours later and realized that his suicide attempt was a failure, according to court documents.

The Castillos fought a bitter and lengthy battle in the Montgomery County courts over their divorce and custody over the three children. They were granted a limited divorce in February, and Mark Castillo retained visitation rights to the children.

Amy Castillo had asked judges to suspend those rights on at least two occasions, citing her husband's mental instability and his alleged threats. In December 2006, she wrote in a petition for a protective order that her husband told her "the worst thing he could do to me is to kill the children, not me, so I could live without them."

But on both occasions, Montgomery Circuit Court judges denied her requests, saying there wasn't enough evidence that Mark Castillo was a threat to the children. At one point, Amy Castillo was fined by the court for keeping her husband from seeing the children.

One of the judges, Joseph Dugan, declined to comment Thursday but his office referred calls to a Rockville divorce attorney who had reviewed the case at the request of the Maryland judicial branch. Judges generally cannot comment publicly on cases.

Patrick Dragga said there are several instances where the court took relatively unusual steps, such as appointing an attorney to represent the interests of the children and parent coordinator to help with communication between the Castillos.

And when Dugan denied Amy Castillo's request for a protective order granting her sole custody in January 2007, he also required that Mark Castillo attend counseling if he wanted to continue seeing his children. That order ended when the Castillos reached a custody agreement several weeks later, Dragga said.

Judges face the high bar of clear and convincing evidence of abuse or harm before they can issue a protective order, he said.

"I think these guys tried to get the expertise that would help them with this," he said of the judges. "This one didn't work, obviously."

Amy Castillo was soft-spoken and composed throughout her briefing. She said she is devastated but "it gives me peace that no one can harm them again and that they are with Jesus in heaven."

She talked about her children - Anthony was sweet and good-natured; Austin was a bit of a trouble maker and Athena was just learning to talk.

"I couldn't wait to have a girl. ... I feel like I barely got to know her," she said.

[sassalin]

My heart breaks for this Mother. I pray that the court system takes these threats seriously in the future.

I pray the family can receive some sort of comfort that the children are safe now and will always be remembered.

I hope the father gets what he deserves here in this world and after.

[mschalleng]

I had a judge in Norfolk Virginia do the same. Granted unsupervised visitation with my 2 year old son to a father who was on house arrest for stealing a police car with medical records citing 10 years of alcholism. Had I PUT my son in the custody of someone like that -I- would have been fined! Eighteen years later it still enrages and saddens me.

[cbsblogger]

Why are judges not able to be held accountable for their actions or inactions, or lack of consientiousness. It seems as though the only accountability is for extreme cases of corruption.

[prinzowhales]

And, pray tell, CBS, which SRTIs was he on or had he suddenly stopped taking prior to the killing of the children?

And just how much money did the lawyer''s guild and their psychiatric ghouls and potion peddlars collectively steal from these people before they murdered their children?

[prinzowhales]

This is a rare lunatic if he were not being prescribed a bushel of psychotropic nostrums...why so quiet CBS?...Don''t want to bite the hand of Big Pharma advertizers...the hand that feeds?

[txnemi]

DaVicar2, very tacky for you to place the blame at the mother''s feet! She didn''t force Mr. Castillo to drown the children, nor did she force the pills down his throat and stab him. On the contrary, when she suspected Mr. Castillo''s mental problems, she apparently tried to restrict his access to the children in order to protect them.

[pam1sadge]

What a tragic loss! This poor woman will suffer the rest of her life because of the ex''s actions. Hopefully, he will stay out of society and she will heal and go on with her life. He obviously thought about what he was going to do for sometime, since he threatened to kill his children on more than one occasion. He may have mental issues, but he is also a cold-blooded killer!

[dannysdailys]

I''ll tell you what''s really sad; is this man thought that murder and suicide was the answer.

Many survivors who have jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge were asked their thoughts right after then jumped. They said, after they jumped, their first thought was "my problems weren''t that bad."

His now are. What a sad state of affairs and my heart goes out to not only the Mom, but to him as well.

In life, we can all feel so all alone...

[tatm06]

The judge in this case has to be accountable for his actions. He was wrong. He didn''t listen to what she had to say. It is his fault that theses kids are dead.

[neenga]

Several years ago, a friend of mine went to court providing strong physical evidence that her ex planned to kidnap their daughter, asking that holiday visitation be suspended. The judge blew her off. The ex kidnapped the child, took her to another country, and sexually abused her. She was eventually found, but the emotional damage has been huge.

[honestabe8]

tatm: the judge messed up, that is for sure. however, the only person who is responsible for those kids being killed is the guy who did it.

[newsnut123]

To dannysdailys:
YOU HAVE GOT TO BE ONE OF THE STUPIDEST PEOPLE ON HERE. HOW CAN YOU FEEL SORRY FOR THIS PIECE OF GARBAGE? FEELING ALONE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH KILLING YOUR KIDS!!

[usbrit-2009]

DaVicar2 - I usually read your posts in the humorous tone they a written. This one, I feel, is in very bad taste.

[blackwater66-2009]

Now, lets hang him and get on with our lives !!

[rudy654-2009]

I don''t know about these judges, but they are responsible in this case, if the mother made it clear about the threats. I worked with a mother in a similar situation where the husband made threats. We were able to get the court to order a restraint immediately, and sole custody. At first the mother didn''t want to put it clearly in writing, fearing that her husband would become angry, but then I explained that if she wanted a judge to side with her, she was going to have to convince him with the real thing, with his explicit language. That did it. The judge didn''t even hesitate.

[starleo146]

This is what we are going to hear more and more as this economy gets worse and worse, people will not know what to do, desperate people do desperate things, and it is as if they snap, and feel no place to turn, so with things like they are, foreclosures, and you lose all you worked, and payed for, and can not feed your kids. We will hear more of this, you can write it down.It is tragic and the courts are not absolved at all in this matter, and neither is the mother, she knew him more than anyone, and her suspicions alone should have kept those kids at home, and should not have let them go with that desperate man who snapped.

[eggy1620]

You can thank mental health advocacy groups for situations like this. They have made it near impossible to remove the violently insane from society or restrict their rights.

[terribayless-2009]

But on both occasions, Montgomery Circuit Court judges denied her requests, saying there wasn''t enough evidence that Mark Castillo was a threat to the children.

I guess there is enough evidense now!

[marcie253]

Who are we feeling sorry for. Life is outrageously hard now for most people in America. Everything is costing more but no one is getting paid more!!! This has nothing to do with this man killing children or anyone for that matter. If your depressed kill yourself not others. DUH!!!!

[bobnjersey]

[The Washington Post reported that Castillo told police he swallowed 100 Motrin tablets and stabbed himself in the neck with a steak knife. He awoke 19 hours later and realized that his suicide attempt was a failure, according to court documents. ]

it''s not just the suicide attempt that was a failure.

[cfin5]

Heaven is a wonderful place for those three sweathearts. NOBODY will ever make them cry again. God even gives those kids the best asphalt streets to walk and play on,.....SOLID PURE GOLD CLEAR AS CRYSTAL! God bless all little children.

[itsjustme29]

The system is all jacked up. I feel for you. I often worry about this happening to myself. I, myself, have been jailed because of my unstable ex. While after definate abuse he was let walk free with my children. Currently I hold an executive position and care for both of my children myself without any assistance and I worry daily that their father will snatch them and I will never see them again. REFORM!!!!!!

[croft777]

restraining orders are not even good enough, we need moral change in this country, and in the world. Its always about money, you know, money is the root of all evil. This is very true, people will do anything when it comes to money.

[newsterl]

"were allegedly drowned by their father"

I guess those were alleged bodies that were allegedly alive but are allegedly dead from the alleged drowning by the alleged father who allegedly drowned them in the alleged hotel room, allegedly because he was angry with his alleged ex wife.

"he swallowed 100 Motrin tablets and stabbed himself in the neck with a steak knife. He awoke 19 hours later and realized that his suicide attempt was a failure"

He takes MOTRIN??? LOL what a loser. After he found he failed why didn''t he try again- a jumpr off the hotel roof would have worked, so would stepping in front of a fast moving truck.

"at a briefing at McLean Bible Church, where she and her children regularly attended worship services. "

Oh yeah, I can see how well their devotion was REPAID there, bunch of losers go back to worshipping the same pie in the sky that caused this and/or failed to prevent it, some people are real sheeple- the blind being led by the blind

[rudy654-2009]

Oh yeah, I can see how well their devotion was REPAID there, bunch of losers go back to worshipping the same pie in the sky that caused this and/or failed to prevent it, some people are real sheeple- the blind being led by the blind
Posted by newsterl at 10:35 PM

While I agree that religion has a very bad name, I think you go out on a limb when you try to make the religion at fault. This may be all this woman has left of anything that can help her.

[cattlekate]

and her suspicions alone should have kept those kids at home, and should not have let them go with that desperate man who snapped.
posted by starleo14672 at 01:46 PM : Apr 04, 2008

It''s not that easy. The family courts do not accept prima facie evidence of threats.

It is interesting that the reports state the father started to go bizzerk after his alimony payments, from his doctor wife, stopped.

So what did he do for a living?

[b-easy63]

But on both occasions, Montgomery Circuit Court judges denied her requests, saying there wasn''t enough evidence that Mark Castillo was a threat to the children. At one point, Amy Castillo was fined by the court for keeping her husband from seeing the children.


the judge should be disbarred. If he did not want to deny visitation, he could have had monitored visitation done for a while--he did not even do that--as a judge, he is supposed to THINK and discern situations. The fact that the man needed counseling said the courts knew the kids were potentially at risk, I hope this case haunts that judge until the day he dies and if I were the mom, since I no longer had my kids--I''d make a career out of petitioning Congress, the media and anyone else to keep a mirror on this issue and that judge for as long as I could--until I hounded his azz out of office.

[b-easy63]

We will hear more of this, you can write it down.It is tragic and the courts are not absolved at all in this matter, and neither is the mother, she knew him more than anyone, and her suspicions alone should have kept those kids at home, and should not have let them go with that desperate man who snapped.

Posted by starleo14672 at 01:46 PM : Apr 04, 2008


come back to reality. This is in NO WAY the mom''s fault. She was already fined once for not allowing the kids to go with him. If she had tried it again, they probably would have taken her children from her and gave HIM sole custody, then she would have only gotten one day. Two people are at fault here--the man, for not seeking help and for killing his kids, and the judge for failing to use professional discernment to at least have supervised visitations. If a person warrants counseling and mental health evaluations, they certainly are not in a position to be left alone with defenseless children. Either way, the only thing the mom could have done was break the law, got another fine or go to jail for contempt of court --and lost her kids anyway. She was in a lose, lose and even she did not realize the man was going to kill his kids that day. Hindsight is always 20/20. But try to have a bit of perspective here.

[b-easy63]

NOBODY will ever make them cry again. God even gives those kids the best asphalt streets to walk and play on,.....SOLID PURE GOLD CLEAR AS CRYSTAL! God bless all little children.

Posted by cfin5 at 06:51 PM : Apr 04, 2008


Yep, that is exactly what SPIRITS with no true physical substance and no reference or need or desire for earthly material things needs in heaven, streets made of gold to walk on. gold being a monetary or high value item used by Spirits? LOL

[rudy654-2009]

Posted by b-easy63 at 12:51 AM

I completely agree with your opinion about the judge. In today''s world, any threat to kill needs to be taken seriously. If an eight year old says he is going to kill his teacher, nobody laughs about it and says how cute. They immediately respond. This judge was wrong to just let it go at that.

[swwils]

When this sick dude is convicted they should tie some logging chains around him and toss his butt off the Golden gate bridge.The thing is though some corrupt no morales lawyer will plead to the court that he is insane and should be hospitalized.That is why people do stuff so horrific and laugh about it.We have turned into a cry baby country.We used to show no mercy to killers,and rapist.Today 4000 approximately sit on Death Row and we(the tax payers) pay 6,400,000,000,every 10 yrs to keep them alive,just to execute them.That is an estimate of course but my research proves very close.That money could do so much good,that is why people need to write their Congressmen and Senator''s,and put a stop to this.

[swwils]

When this sick dude is convicted they should tie some logging chains around him and toss his butt off the Golden gate bridge.The thing is though some corrupt no morales lawyer will plead to the court that he is insane and should be hospitalized.That is why people do stuff so horrific and laugh about it.We have turned into a cry baby country.We used to show no mercy to killers,and rapist.Today 4000 approximately sit on Death Row and we(the tax payers) pay 6,400,000,000,every 10 yrs to keep them alive,just to execute them.That is an estimate of course but my research proves very close.That money could do so much good,that is why people need to write their Congressmen and Senator''s,and put a stop to this.

[swwils]

When this sick dude is convicted they should tie some logging chains around him and toss his butt off the Golden gate bridge.The thing is though some corrupt no morales lawyer will plead to the court that he is insane and should be hospitalized.That is why people do stuff so horrific and laugh about it.We have turned into a cry baby country.We used to show no mercy to killers,and rapist.Today 4000 approximately sit on Death Row and we(the tax payers) pay 6,400,000,000,every 10 yrs to keep them alive,just to execute them.That is an estimate of course but my research proves very close.That money could do so much good,that is why people need to write their Congressmen and Senator''s,and put a stop to this.

[swwils]

When this sick dude is convicted they should tie some logging chains around him and toss his butt off the Golden gate bridge.The thing is though some corrupt no morales lawyer will plead to the court that he is insane and should be hospitalized.That is why people do stuff so horrific and laugh about it.We have turned into a cry baby country.We used to show no mercy to killers,and rapist.Today 4000 approximately sit on Death Row and we(the tax payers) pay 6,400,000,000,every 10 yrs to keep them alive,just to execute them.That is an estimate of course but my research proves very close.That money could do so much good,that is why people need to write their Congressmen and Senator''s,and put a stop to this.

[swwils]

When this sick dude is convicted they should tie some logging chains around him and toss his butt off the Golden gate bridge.The thing is though some corrupt no morales lawyer will plead to the court that he is insane and should be hospitalized.That is why people do stuff so horrific and laugh about it.We have turned into a cry baby country.We used to show no mercy to killers,and rapist.Today 4000 approximately sit on Death Row and we(the tax payers) pay 6,400,000,000,every 10 yrs to keep them alive,just to execute them.That is an estimate of course but my research proves very close.That money could do so much good,that is why people need to write their Congressmen and Senator''s,and put a stop to this.

[swwils]

This nation has made me sick the way society is always blaming the innocent and the guilty get treated with the best respect.This man that drowned those little children should be tortured then executed with extreme prejudice.When we learn that Murder''s and Rapist of any human is not tolerated in our world we might(might)have a decent place for our children''s children to live.

[swwils]

This nation has made me sick the way society is always blaming the innocent and the guilty get treated with the best respect.This man that drowned those little children should be tortured then executed with extreme prejudice.When we learn that Murder''s and Rapist of any human is not tolerated in our world we might(might)have a decent place for our children''s children to live.

[swwils]

Everyday I watch the news it shows that this world has more evil than good upon it.God is coming soon,This is just my opinion.The world is tearing apart,wars,storms,and diseases that used to be extinct are returning.We have that MRSA that is resistant to our strongest antibiotics.Also look at all these babies having babies,most try to throw them away or flush them down the toilet.If you are a believer in God,and Christ,then know our time grows short.

[michellem99-2009]

This is not sunday school..US of A is not/has been/will be A Christian nation..sep of church and state..the fathers set it up that way. The constution.ye can see to read it..newster dear careful on the term blind. They have fully sighted eyes but their mind is blind. It is the seeing that cause the messes.