My sociopath son stabbed my daughter

Dear AmoMama,

I am torn apart as a woman and a mother. My 14-year-old son stabbed my daughter, who is only 7. I was at work when a neighbor phoned me. My daughter had run into the garden bleeding and screaming and my neighbor called the police and an ambulance.

When the police arrived they found my son calmly sitting on the front steps holding a knife. He was taken into custody and later the judge ordered a psychiatric evaluation.

My poor daughter had been stabbed in the face and in her stomach. Luckily she survived, but she has been left with lasting scars, both physical and psychological.

My son showed no remorse and told the psychiatrist he 'just wanted to see what it was like'. He has always been a difficult boy, but always so bright and charming. He became aggressive after his father left me, and moved to another state when he was 6. Not long after that, I met my current husband, and we had our daughter.

He was angry and jealous of the baby, and I had to watch him all the time. Later on, I got complaints from school that he was cruel to the younger children, but I never thought he would harm his sister in this way.

The Juvenile Court Judge has said that he will allow my son to serve a suspended sentence as long as he gets treatment, and he lives in the family home.

I don't know what to do. How can I bring him back home to live with my terrified little girl? If I don't agree, his lawyer has told me my son will be sent to a Juvenile detention center until he is 18.

I visited him, asked him why he did it, he said he didn't know. Started crying, saying Mommy please take me home. But I don't think any of it is real.

I love my son, I want to save him, but I must protect my daughter. My husband won't speak. He said it is my decision. Please help me. I just don't know what to do.

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