Remembering the Disabled Murdered by Caregivers
Fatal abuse.
Name Unknown.
Died: December 14, 2022.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Beating.
Location: Geumjeong-gu, Busan, South Korea.
Disability: Blind.
Details:
This 4-year-old girl was taken to the hospital, dead on arrival. A doctor called the police, who suspect the girl’s mother of severely beating her when she woke her mother up asking for food.
Case Status:
Her mother, charged with murder.
Sources:
Mother apprehended over murder of blind 4-year-old daughter
Name: Edwin Colleson.
Died: December 4, 2022.
Age at death: 45.
Cause of death: Undetermined.
Location: Hitchcock, Texas, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.
Details:
Edwin was admitted to the hospital in critical condition, covered in scars and bedsores and with multiple injuries as well as evidence of having been tied up. He weighed 70 pounds, and died six days later. His parents claimed they had been trying to cure his disability with “holistic treatment” that, police say, amounted to torture.
Case Status:
Billie Jean Barnes (Mother), charged with injury to a disabled person.
Timothy Ray Ellis (Stepfather), charged with injury to a disabled person.
Sources:
A 45-year-old man police say was abused by his mother and step-father died on Sunday
45-year-old with intellectual disability dies 5 days after Hitchcock police find him disfigured
Disabled man dies from injuries after subjected to torturous ‘holistic’ procedures by mother, stepfather, Hitchcock police say
Name: Hunter Drew.
Died: October 20, 2022.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Traumatic injury.
Location: Mount Auburn, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Developmental delay, chronic illness.
Details:
Hunter had gotten into a scuffle with a sibling when his father’s girlfriend allegedly grabbed him, threw him so that his head hit a hard object, and then drove him around in her car for three hours while he died of a head injury.
Hunter loved motorcycles, trains, race cars, and big loud trucks.
Case Status:
Ashley N. Bottoms (Father’s girlfriend), charged with involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment causing death.
Sources:
Did custody change cause Hunter’s death?
Charges filed in death of 3-year-old
Family and friends gather for Hunter Drew’s visitation
The short life of a 3-year-old boy taken too soon
DCFS facilitates 3-year-old downstate boy’s move in with his father, and now the boy is dead
Name: Yat-ming Lai.
Died: September 2, 2022.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Beating.
Location: Kowloon, Hong Kong.
Disability: Developmental disability.
Details:
Yat-ming was found dead, his body covered in bruises.
Case Status:
Shing-tai Lai (Mother), charged with murder.
His aunt, charged with child neglect.
Sources:
Mother of murdered 5 year old boy was remanded in a mental health facility in Hong Kong
Name: Hsieh (Family name; given name unknown).
Died: August 4, 2022.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Taoyuan City, Taiwan.
Disability: Developmental delay, poor balance.
Details:
When three-year-old miss Hsieh refused to take her bath, her father beat her and then forced her to stand on a stool, from which she fell. She died of a brain injury; her body showed signs of regular beatings.
Case Status:
Mr. Hsieh (Father), convicted of child abuse resulting in death, sentenced to 9 years.
Sources:
Court sentences man for abuse, death of daughter
Supreme Court upholds man’s 9-year sentence for causing daughter’s death
Name: Jackie Thrasher III.
Died: July 22, 2022.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Traumatic injury.
Location: Frederick, Maryland, USA.
Disability: Autism, epilepsy.
Details:
Jackie was brought to the hospital with a major head injury and died shortly afterward. When authorities saw the bruises on his body, they arrested his mother and her boyfriend.
Case Status:
Catherine Thrasher, charged with child abuse resulting in death, assault, child neglect, and child sexual abuse.
Timothy Lee Haselden II, charged with child abuse resulting in death, assault, and child neglect, and child sexual abuse.
Sources:
Washington County man charged with first-degree child abuse and death of 5-year-old boy
Md. couple accused of sexually assaulting and abusing autistic 5-year-old child, resulting in death
Washington County mother charged in death of 5-year-old son
Man and Woman Charged With Death Of 5-Year-Old Boy In Hagerstown
2 adults face numerous child abuse, sex abuse charges after 5-year-old dies
Cases of two charged in fatal child abuse moved to circuit court; rape charges dropped
Washington County couple face new charges in child abuse case that left boy dead
Autism Memorial: Jackie Thrasher III
Name: Adam Kortes.
Died: July 21, 2022.
Age at death: 27.
Cause of death: Asphyxia; torso compression.
Location: Danville, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: “Special needs” (Multiple disabilities).
Details:
Adam died from being restrained, his chest compressed so that he could not take a breath. Police say his parents would restrain him when he had “episodes”, and that his father had sat on Adam. The death was registered as a homicide and his parents were charged.
Neighbors remember Adam as a young man who used to walk around the neighborhood, and never bothered anyone.
Case Status:
Kristine Kortes (Mother), charged with neglect of a dependent person and involuntary manslaughter.
Richard Kortes (Father), charged with neglect of a dependent person and involuntary manslaughter.
Sources:
Parents face charges after son’s death in Montour County
Parents charged after death of son with special needs
Parents of Danville man charged for his death
Parents charged in son’s July death
Name: Timothy Ferguson.
Died: July 6, 2022.
Age at death: 15.
Cause of death: Malnutrition, hypothermia.
Location: Norton Shores, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Autism with speech and motor impairment.
Details:
Timothy died from a combination of starvation and hypothermia. His mother had been feeding him very little, often just bread soaked in hot sauce, and had been forcing him to take ice baths. His mother insisted that he was “faking” his disability.
Case Status:
Shanda Vander Ark (Mother), convicted of murder and first-degree child abuse; sentenced to 50-100 years for child abuse and life without parole for murder.
Paul Ferguson (Brother), pleaded guilty to first-degree child abuse, sentenced to 30-100 years.
Sources:
Man who helped mum torture disabled brother to death begs mercy at sentencing
Killer jailed for disabled younger brother’s death after tearful ‘mercy’ plea
Michigan man faces up to 100 years in jail for torturing and starving autistic brother to death
Muskegon Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Starvation Death of Disabled Brother in Michigan
3 things to know before mom is sentenced for torturing son to death
Michigan law clerk is jailed for life for torturing her disabled son
Mum who tortured and starved disabled son expressionless as jailed for life
Michigan woman sentenced to life in prison in starvation death of 15-year-old son – CBS Detroit
‘We know who you are’: Judge and victim’s siblings call out mom who fatally tortured son
MI v. Shanda Vander Ark: Tortured Son Murder Trial
Tortured Son Murder Trial: Shanda Vander Ark Cross-Examination
Testimony begins in trial of Norton Shores mom accused of killing her teen with special needs
Hot sauce, ice baths, motion sensors | What prosecutors accuse a Norton Shores mom of doing to slain son
Michigan mom found guilty of starving her disabled son to death
Michigan woman found guilty of murder and child abuse in starvation death of son
Michigan mother found guilty of murder in starvation death of her disabled 15-year-old son – CBS News
Norton Shores mother heads to trial for murder, child abuse of teenage son
Norton Shores mom accused of torturing, killing son faced ‘similar allegations’ in custody case
Woman charged with homicide, child abuse of teenage son in Norton Shores
43-year-old woman arrested for open murder of teen in Norton Shores
Woman charged with murder, abuse in death of underfed teen
MI Woman Charged After Son Dies, Tortured With Ice Baths and More
A mother charged with the death of her child
Autism Memorial: Timothy Ferguson
‘Sadistic’: Mother charged with abuse, murder of teen
Name: Katherine Sokolich.
Died: July 3, 2022.
Age at death: 63.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Ballwin, Missouri, USA.
Disability: Unspecified.
Details:
Katherine’s brother, who was her court-appointed guardian and responsible for taking care of her, beat her because he was frustrated with taking care of her. After he called 911 and reported that she was injured, Katherine was hospitalized, but later died of a brain bleed due to head trauma.
Case Status:
Anthony Sokolich (Brother, guardian), pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, sentenced to probation.
Sources:
Police say 70-year-old Missouri man killed disabled sister
Man accused of beating disabled sister to death
70-Year-Old Missouri Man Beat His Disabled Sister to Death: Authorities
Disabled woman dies after attack by ‘frustrated’ caretaker brother near Ballwin, police say
Name: Luis Benítez.
Died: June 12, 2022.
Age at death: 38.
Cause of death: Head trauma.
Location: Posadas, Misiones, Argentina.
Disability: Schizophrenia, anemia, breathing problems.
Details:
Luis lived with his sister and her husband, who did not want him to leave the house. One night, when he tried to do so, his brother-in-law allegedly slammed his head against the doorway. Luis was found dead in his home the next day.
Case Status:
Pedro Walter E. (Brother-in-law), arrested on suspicion of murder.
Sources:
From natural death to homicide after autopsy
De muerte natural a homicidio luego de la autopsia