Sandy Hook shooter refused care

A 48-page report on the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings details the "significant mental health issues" of the shooter, Adam Lanza, whose mother described him as having "no emotions or feelings."

The report says Lanza had seen mental health professionals, but had refused the medication and therapy they suggested. That Lanza even saw a mental health professional is rare, according to a new study in the online journal Psychiatric Services. The authors report that fewer than half of teens with a psychiatric disorder received some form of service in the past year.

Are we in a children's mental health crisis?

LEARN MORE ABOUT TEENS AND MENTAL HEALTH:

• Adolescent Mental Health in the United States
Because their brains are still developing, adolescents are particularly receptive to the positive influences of youth development strategies, social and emotional learning, and behavioral modeling. But adolescents' developing brains, coupled with hormonal changes, make them more prone to depression and more likely to engage in risky and thrill-seeking behaviors than either younger children or adults. These and other factors underline the importance of meeting the mental, social, and emotional health needs of this age group. (National Center for Children in Poverty)

• Sandy Hook killer took motive to his grave
Various witnesses described a fifth-grade Lanza as quiet but bright: "He wouldn't necessarily engage in conversation, but wouldn't ignore one," the report states. He attended parties, enjoyed music and played the saxophone. ... But the same year, according to investigators, Lanza produced something called the "Big Book of Granny" — in which a woman armed with a gun in her cane goes on killing sprees with her son, with children sometimes the targets. The story was related to a class project, but apparently never was handed in to the school, the report notes. (CNN)

• A Chilling Look Into Adam Lanza's World
Although he never acted them out until Dec. 14, Lanza appeared to hold onto many of these violent themes throughout his life, Sedensky wrote in his report. ... Sedensky said Lanza had contributed posts to an Internet blog focused on mass shootings, including the murders at Columbine High School. The teenager exchanged emails with people who shared similar interests.(The Hartford Courant)