Huynh, Bay Be

Born deaf in a remote Vietnamese village; possibly also mentally handicapped; never went to school or learned any language. Came to the U.S. with his family about 1991, and got into trouble with neighbors and arrested by police for his habit of repeatedly stealing mail. Found incompent to stand trial for lack of any language or communication. Services for disabled Southeast Asian refugees in Washington State were so sparse that he was still without help in 1994, despite official talk about deporting him back to Vietnam. Efforts were under way to teach him sign language.