They were told that children with Down Syndrome are vegetables, and that their child would have to spend its life in an institution, suffering only pain. And so I can understand perfectly why Baby Doe's parents chose death for him. They should not be made to feel guilty for the decision they made based on the misinformation supplied by the doctor. I do not understand his motivation. He apparently had a distant relative who was mentally retarded, though not with Down Syndrome.
Many many people think that the handicapped lead lives of misery and are better off dead.
I respect that decision completely, and I don't think they should feel guilty about it for one minute. Some families are better able to deal with handicaps than others, and it would be extremely sad for a child with Down Syndrome to be born into a family that did not like the child for that reason. A little angry at the parents for not taking the time to get the facts, and a lot angry at whoever led them to believe that people with Down Syndrome are monsters. Because this attitude affects how my son is perceived, and how his society will treat him. Yeah, he's extremely cute.