Army friend: Stepdad suffered war stress

Army friend: Stepdad suffered war stress
Veteran says PTSD might have played role in boy's death
By RUSS ZIMMER • Advocate Reporter • June 27, 2008


NEWARK -- A few weeks ago, Iraq War veterans Kevin Phelps and Corey Flugga were out on the town in Oklahoma City.

The pair, who had forged a close bond during near-daily firefights near Ramadi, laughed, drank beers and caught up on what each other had missed since their last meeting in summer 2006.

The conversation eventually turned to what mementos both had brought back from the war -- nightmares, irritability and alienation from family and friends. The symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.

"For the most part, we talked about how people don't understand what we're going through," Phelps, of Oklahoma City, said Thursday morning, one day after learning the man whom he roomed with was to be charged in connection with the death of his stepson, Carson Hanson. "Family, the military, they don't know how to deal with it."

Flugga now is sitting in the Licking County Justice Center, his bond set at $1 million and facing a charge of murder, which could result in a life sentence if convicted.

Investigators allege Flugga, 22, struck his 3-year-old stepson in the stomach Saturday, resulting in internal bleeding that led to his death.

Licking County Assistant Prosecutor Dan Huston said his office has received unconfirmed information about the possible role of PTSD in the death but has no indication any mental condition was a factor in the incident.

Any determination as to the significance of his state of mind during the alleged assault would be made by the grand jury when the case is presented to them July 3, he said.

Phelps, speaking in a phone interview requested by The Advocate, refused to make any comments he felt would incriminate his friend. He said at first he was sure the allegations were false. But after the news sank in, his shock faded.

“I’ll just say this,” he said. “My little girls were shoved down my throat as soon as I got home just like his boys were shoved down his throat. That’s wrong. We weren’t over there baby-sitting. We were killing people and getting shot at.”
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