About three weeks after the news broke that 19-year-old Austin Harrouff, a Florida State University student and member of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity, fatally attacked a couple and ate part of a man's face in the driveway and garage of their home, Harrouff's father is speaking out. In an interview for the Dr. Phil Show that aired Wednesday, Austin's father Wade Harrouff said his son's "life is ruined" and expressed that he feels guilty and deep sorrow for what happened to the couple.
During the interview with Dr. Phil, Harrouff said his son did not have a previous history of mental illness but that there is "no doubt" in his mind that his son was having some sort of mental breakdown in the weeks and hours leading up to the attack on the middle-aged couple he is accused of killing. Harrouff said his son couldn’t sleep, was pacing, and couldn’t focus. Harrouff also said he had called a psychologist to get Austin help, but the psychologist didn't call back until the day after the couple had been killed.
Harrouff and Austin went to dinner with family and friends the day Austin was found crouched over one of his victim’s bodies, eating the man’s face.
Harrouff told Dr. Phil that Austin had been very quiet at dinner, then got up to go to the bathroom but didn’t return to the table. Instead, Harrouff says Austin walked two miles from the restaurant to his mother’s house. Harrouff said Austin then returned to the restaurant, seeming embarrassed, then left again, the last time Harrouff saw him before learning Austin had allegedly killed a couple just around the corner from his home.
Harrouff said he has no idea what caused his son to commit the crimes he's accused of and said he was a very kind and caring kid who always wanted to help people. Harrouff also said he can't imagine what it would be like if someone killed his family members in such a way and extended his deepest sympathies to the families of the victims.
Harrouff said Austin is still in intensive care at St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach and is "rapidly deteriorating." Austin had a bad case of pneumonia and burns to the esophagus from ingesting chemicals prior to the attack.
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