Further to this subject of BR and his temper and overall behavioral issues, it's an interesting subject. Many have wondered if he was / is on the spectrum, and while his medical records were sealed by his parents so that all we have is speculation based upon what has been revealed about his behavior, I do think it's valid to question what may have been at the root of his behavioral issues.
We know that he also had a bedwetting problem when he was younger. We also know that he had a disturbing issue with scatolia which seemed most often to be directed towards his sister. Then there were the outbursts of temper that occurred, which interestingly people have noted this tendency was shared with his father. Was this all from jealousy of JBR? Certainly that's possible. And add to that PR's illness which resulted in her having to spend time away from the kids and isolated from them during her treatment. And then there was the death of JR's oldest daughter. A lot for kids under the age of 10 to deal with for sure.
Aside from being messy and not picking up after himself, of which JBR was also guilty, BR seems to have been a nice kid. He was a boy scout, had friends and I am not aware of any incidents of concern at school. His interests for a kid his age seem to be normal. He had a fairly privileged life with housekeepers to pick up after him, nice vacations, plenty of material possessions, etc. What seems to have been missing, was parental interest in teaching him (as well as JBR) about personal responsibility with regard to toileting habits, hygiene, and simple acts of putting toys and clothing away when done using those things. PR was way more invested in JBR and her pageants and all that entailed than anything BR was interested in. And JR was in addition to working a lot and being away on business trips, and emotionally distant father. I can only imagine that being raised in an atmosphere where appearances seem to be more important that actual parenting, issues would arise.
If there is truth to the golf club story in that it was deliberate and not an accident, this should have been a wake up call to the parents that there is a problem that needs to be dealt with. Was he under the care of a therapist as has been suggested? Was there ever a conversation between the parents that perhaps something special with BR would be appropriate for one or both parents to undertake with him like PR had with JBR with the pageantry? Appearances seem to suggest that BR kind of got pushed to the side when JBR came along.....the beautiful little golden girl, apple of both mom and dad's eyes who was described as sweet & kind, having a definite stage presence and a sparkling quality. How has BR been described? There's a pretty obvious difference there, which I think has its origins in what the R's themselves put out about their children. I cannot imagine that this would not have impacted BR in some way. He can't be described necessarily as neglected, but he certainly ran a distant 2nd to his younger sister.
Some of his demeanor after her death I think can be directly related to how protected he was by his parents. He was sheltered big time and kept out of the public eye, which would help explain his awkwardness with people and in public view. He appears to this day to be nervous, uncertain of himself and uncomfortable in public situations. He works remotely. His moving past his sister's death so quickly could be a sign that it offered a sense of relief to him, that things now could return to the "normal" that he experienced before she was born, where he was the center of attention. He famously drew the family without her within a few short weeks of her death. She wasn't there anymore and he seemed remarkably nonchalant about it. This by no means indicates that he was responsible for her death, as I would think unless he's a sociopathic / psychopathic monster he would be feeling some remorse, some regret, some responsibility. And yet he seems very pragmatic and carefree. Bottom line IMO, this all points back to the parents as not having done a very good job in parenting. They did not protect either of their children adequately. The "protection" of BR only started after the murder. If he was responsible, emphasis on if, and there were signs beforehand that they ignored or brushed aside, they did him a disservice by not getting him appropriate help. And if he wasn't, they still responded in such a way as to somewhat overprotect which has resulted in an emotionally and socially awkward young man whose demeanor continues to raise questions as to his guilt.
No one is perfect of course. And child rearing can be very challenging. Some manage it better than others. The choices made when kids are young most likely impact them for the rest of their lives.
