by proxy is what should have been diagnosed if the grandmother had ever been taken to a competent psychiatrist.
This documentary is effective on many disturbing levels. Initially it seems Robanna is simply unwilling to care for her children, she is young, destitute. The conditions they live in in rural Mississippi are truly sad. Her mother "Memaw", cares for the children but has a particular obsession with the seven year old, Robert.
As the story develops, we see the conditions, and also the educator at Europa Elementary, concerned and upset for Roberts situation. He is a good student at school, but according to his grandmother, kills dogs and cats, and is an unmanageable raging child at home. We see how the system cannot in some cases help children in emotional danger, only actual physical danger.
The grandmother appears narcissistic, and becomes angry with her daughters nurse (Robanna has several medical issues, obesity, thyroid, etc.). Toward the latter part of the documentary, the grandmother is badly bruised with blood clots from supposedly having been kicked by Robert.
She is taken to the ER where she blames Robert. Eventually it is evident that the story was fabricated.
Fortunately, the children are returned to the custody of their natural mother, Robanna. The grandmother is now apparently confined to an institution for her psychological issues. Sad that Roberts life was not protected earlier, but Robanna had neither financial resources or education to get her mother to a psychiatrist. A sad commentary on real issues of poverty in America today. 9/10.
