About this series

Just as Jon Ludlow was not unique in his battle with mental health, his parents were not alone in their struggle with how to help an ailing child.

This series is intended to explore the nuances of treating behavioral health. Though each case is different in its detail, common themes emerge. Melissa and Dave Ludlow hope that sharing their son’s story can help other parents whose children might be experiencing similar symptoms or taking the prescribed drugs that Jon, an Orange Coast College student, did.

The family’s narrative has been constructed through multiple interviews with Jon’s parents, brother Devin and girlfriend, Ivy Ho. The interviews were conducted over an 11-week period. Most took place over the phone or at family’s San Clemente home.

Information was also drawn from Facebook, county records and logs from the Santa Ana Police Department and Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

Other notes from the family included Melissa Ludlow’s typed copies of recent text messages that she received from her son and a typed chronology of events from Jon’s brother, which describes Jon’s behavior after he stopped taking his prescribed medication.