Casino killer’s adoptive parents accuse officials of hiding mother’s mental illness

Saturday, Oct. 16, 1999 | 2:59 a.m.

In a claim filed Thursday, the attorney for John and Winifred Strohmeyer says Los Angeles County did not disclose that their adoptive son's biological mother was a chronic schizophrenic even though she had been treated in a county facility.

"The county knew where she was and had all her medical records," attorney Gregory W. Smith said. "They were the ones that referred the child for adoption."'

The woman's son, Jeremy Strohmeyer, was convicted last year of the May 1997 rape and murder.

Attorneys for the Los Angeles County Counsel's office said they had not seen the claim and could not comment on it.

Smith said if 45 days pass without negotiation or response from the county, he will file suit.

The Strohmeyers signed up with the county to adopt a child in 1974, Smith said. When they met with county case workers, they told them they would consider adopting a child whose mother had taken drugs or was a drug addict. But they specifically told them they did not want a child with a family history of mental illness, the attorney said.

Nevertheless, the county placed a baby then known as Jeremy Hall with them in April 1980, even though Jeremy's mother was a chronic schizophrenic and had been at been treated at County USC Medical Center, Smith said.

He said studies show that mental illness in a person's family history predisposes them to similar problems later on.

"They knew, being educated people, that mental illness is something that's part of the genetic structure and that it's passed from mother to child," Smith said.

He said a carefully written letter the Strohmeyers received about a year after the adoption made it appear as if the biological mother was showing symptoms of mental illness due to drug use. He said that in fact the mother had been institutionalized well before then with the schizophrenia.

Jeremy grew up with every possible advantage and was an honor student at the time the killing took place, Smith said. His parents saw some signs of trouble when he began drinking, but ascribed the problems to normal teen angst, Smith said.

"If they had had any indication, they would have gone for mental treatment or counseling," Smith said.

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