The TV movie Troubled Child is based on a true story. The Williams, a middle-class family, adopt Carl, a troubled homeless boy who suffers from reactive attachment disorder. It’s a rare but serious condition in which a child “doesn’t establish healthy attachments with parents or caregivers.” It can develop when a child’s basic needs for “comfort, affection and nurturing aren’t met and loving, caring, stable attachments with others are not established.” In Carl’s case, his conditions provoke him to act out violently.
Carl is portrayed by teen actor Andy Scott Harris. The 17-year-old was born in Kiev, Ukraine and then moved to Minneapolis as a child. He has appeared in several TV shows including Dexter, House, MD, and Big Love. Harris is also a stand-up comedian who often performs at the Improv Comedy Club in Los Angeles, where he and his family now live. Troubled Child will premiere on LMN on Sunday, June 14 at 8pm.
