Editorâs note:
This is a distillation of a larger true-crime story the authors have been working on for more than a year.Â
Matthew Schniper and Lauren Hug were initially approached by the father of a young man on the autism spectrum to investigate his sonâs experience with the legal system. Christian had been charged with animal cruelty and accused of domestic abuse. Concerned about discrepancies in the case file, the father hired Schniper and Hug to look into the matter. Their inquiry ultimately led them into a deep exploration of the intersection of autism, animal welfare, domestic violence and criminal justice.