The syndrome is named after physician Charles A. Hunter (1873-1955), who first described it in 1917. Born in Scotland, Hunter emigrated to Canada and had a medical practice in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

On July 24, 2004, Andrew Wragg, 38, of Worthing, West Sussex, England, suffocated his 10 year old son Jacob with a pillow, because of the boy’s disabilities related to Hunter syndrome. On December 13, 2005 Andrew Wragg walked out of Lewes Crown Court a free man after a jury determined that he did not murder his 10-year-old son. A military security specialist, Wragg also claimed that he was under stress after returning from the war in Iraq. He denied murdering Jacob, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished capacity. Mrs. Justice Anne Rafferty, calling the case “exceptional”, gave Wragg a two-year prison sentence for manslaughter, then suspended his sentence for two years. Rafferty said there was “nothing to be gained” from sending Wragg to prison for the crime. ^[1][2][3]