“By all accounts, Jonathan Martinez was a happy child,” Marsden said Tuesday at a news conference. Jonathan Martinez had Williams syndrome, a rare disorder characterized by learning delays, mild-to-moderate intellectual disabilities and heart problems, according to Dale Marsden, superintendent of the San Bernardino City Unified School District. The superintendent said the Martinez family wanted to honour Jonathan’s memory by getting the word out about Williams syndrome. It affects about 25,000 people in the United States, said Terry Monkaba, executive director of the Williams Syndrome Association. Children with Williams syndrome can be “overly friendly and endearing,” Monkaba said.

Source: thestar April 12, 2017 18:56 UTC