I saw the title and my heart sank. "Please, not Michael" is what went through my head.
My own son is a danger to himself and others but no one would listen to an obviously over-protective drama queen mother. I had ax handles and baseball bats hidden all around my house and knives under my mattress and pillows.
The system sucks. I can almost guarantee that this boy could have been helped or at least prevented from suicide/murder if anyone could or would have taken the time to listen to him. I can almost guarantee that he or someone who cares about him tried to get help and was stone walled by the results of Reagan's cutbacks. There is simply not enough affordable services to handle these children in a timely manner.
Preventing the problem before it happens? Spaw is right. If you are pregnant, NO alcohol; NO drugs.