6-year-old Jack Dorman was placed on a psychiatric hold after he drew what school officials say was a "disturbing picture" that expressed a wish to die, according to NBCLA. The student at the LAUSD's Taper Avenue Elementary in San Pedro was evaluated by the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health Psychiatric Mobile Response Team, who determined the child was at risk of harming himself, and placed him on a 72-hour psych hold.

Dorman's mother, Syndi, is outraged at the school's response to her child's drawing. She explains that Jack had not wanted to go to school that day because his father was being deployed to Iraq, and wanted to spend time with his parents. She also adds that the drawing was an image from one of the video games her son plays. Jack suffers from separation anxiety, and had been seeing a therapist.

also: http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local-beat/Military-Moms-Latest-Worry-...

Dorman said her son suffers from separation anxiety and has seen a therapist in the past. On the day he drew the disturbing picture, he was upset that he couldn't stay home with his family.

"I explained to them what was happening, that my husband was being deployed to Iraq, that he was upset when he came to school today, that he wanted to be home."
[...]
"I'm saying, 'I will deal with it, that we have a therapist, we'll make sure he's seen today.' "They said it was out of my hands. They said they were in control and they could do this and had already called an ambulance."

Dorman said the ambulance ride was traumatizing for her son.

"I was trying to reassure him it would be OK and he asked if I'd come back for him, and I said of course I'm going to come back for you."

[...]Jack was released after 48 hours, but his mother says the experience will have lasting effects.

"My son doesn't want to go back to school. He's afraid they're going to take him away again."