BENZIE COUNTY, MI – Matt Stapleton, whose wife, Kelli Stapleton, allegedly tried to kill their autistic daughter, told People magazine he cannot forgive her.
"I still love her, but I'll never forgive her,” he told People.
He also told the magazine he suspects there are other parents overwhelmed by difficult, violent children, but said that it is not an excuse for harming a child.
Kelli Stapleton is charged with attempted murder after she allegedly poisoned her 14-year-old daughter, Isabelle Stapleton, with carbon monoxide on Sept. 3. She allegedly put burning charcoal grills in her minivan in Blain Township.
Kelli Stapleton was frustrated by her daughter’s violent behavior, often targeting her.
She is scheduled to stand trial July 16.
Stapleton spoke to People before a pretrial hearing in an “exclusive” interview. He said his daughter, known as Issy, has made an “amazing” recovery but still has issues ahead of her.
He said his wife apparently reached the conclusion that killing her daughter and herself was the only way out.
"Who knows when and if she made a decision to do what she did? At whatever point, she felt like that was her only option. And I think there are other parents that fall in that category,” he told People.
"I hope this traumatic event will prompt a call to action."
John Agar covers crime for MLive/Grand Rapids Press E-mail John Agar: jagar@mlive.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ReporterJAgar