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Burlington County Times
October 14, 2003
Reprinted with permission of the author. All rights reserved.
Parents of murdered boy, 11, still struggling with their grief
by Danielle Delfin
"Sometimes it seems like it just happened yesterday," said Mark Katsnelson. "I don’t see how it can even get better, and I’m not sure that it should. Our son is not here with us anymore. Gregory was an amazing and good person, and I know what kind of person he could have been."
In his honor, the Katsnelson family is pursuing Gregory’s Law, a measure that would allow the courts to order mentally ill people into assisted outpatient treatment if they are deemed to pose a threat to themselves or others.
Ronald Pituch, a mentally ill man who family members said refused treatment, is awaiting trial on charges he murdered Gregory, 11, and his own mother, Josephine Pituch, last Oct. 17. If convicted of the boy’s murder, he could be sentenced to death.
"We’re trying to preserve our son’s memory," Mark Katsnelson said. "Since our son can’t build his own legacy, we want to do it for him."
As they lead the effort for Gregory’s Law, the couple deals with the emptiness of their Kings Grant home, once filled with their sons’ laughter and sibling spats.
The couple’s oldest son, now 16, is attending school out of state in an effort to shield him from the public aftermath of losing the younger brother he was very protective of.
Cathy Katsnelson said overwhelming community support has kept her going. However, she said, everyday things most people take for granted hit her hard.
"I see the school bus and pass the school-bus stop, and it’s obvious he’s missing," she said. "Gregory should be in the eighth grade now and he’s not. A huge part of our family is missing."
"Sometimes it’s hard to open your eyes in the morning," her husband said.