Police: Lilburn Father Kills Special Needs Son

LILBURN, Ga. - A Lilburn father is charged with murdering his own special needs son.

Police said the boy's mother told them the 12-year-old needed around the clock care and screamed a lot with outburst. She also told police her husband had not been able to sleep for 10 days.

The two were found in the rear parking lot at the First Baptist Church. The father, Fikri Erdem, called 911 around 9:15 Monday evening from his Toyota truck in the parking lot. Police said Erdem attempted a murder-suicide.

He used a kitchen knife and cut his son's throat. He them attempted suicide by inflicting injuries on himself.

Erdem was rushed to Gwinnett Medical Center where he underwent surgery and is expected to survive. Police said Erdem confessed to the killing from his hospital bed.

We have also learned Hakan Erdem was a 7th grade student at Sweetwater Middle School.

Police said the older Erdem called his wife and left her a voicemail message saying he was sorry and asked her to tell their daughters it was an accident.

People we talked to who live in Lilburn said the circumstances did not sound like an accident. They wondered why the father did not reach out for help.

Erdem faces one count of malice murder.