Location: USA – Page 65 – Disability Day of Mourning

Jessica Cunningham

Name: Jessica Kay Cunningham.
Died: February 29, 2016.
Age at death: 15.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Harvey Township, Minnesota, USA.
Disability: Depression, self-injury.

Details:
Jessica was shot by her older brother in a murder-suicide. He also shot her pet German Shepherd.

Her sister wants her remembered as “a beautiful, blonde-haired girl who loved dogs, drawing, movies, makeup, movie stars and so much more.”

Case status:
David Cunningham (Brother), deceased.

Source:
Murder-suicide: Grieving sister speaks out
Teens fatally shot in Meeker County
After murder-suicide, Minn. man faces child neglect, obstruction
Sheriff: 2 Teens Killed In Meeker County Ruled Murder-Suicide
Murder-suicide begs the question: Why?
2 teens found dead in rural Minnesota home were murder-suicide
Murder-suicide begs the question: Why?

Maddox Lawrence

Name: Maddox Lawrence.
Died: Three days before February 23, 2016 (Body found).
Age at death: 22 months.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Syracuse, New York, USA.
Disability: Cancer survivor.

Details:
Maddox’s father kidnapped her, beat her to death with a baseball bat, and burned her body. Apparently, he was jealous of all the attention Maddox received while she was being treated for eye cancer.

Case status:
Ryan Lawrence (Father), pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, sentenced to 25 years to life.

Source:
‘They were two kids struggling’: Maddox’s parents were stressed about money, child’s health
A toddler survived cancer. Then her father beat her to death, burned her and tossed her in a creek.
Father killed his 21-month-old who survived cancer ‘because he was jealous of the attention she got’
Jealous dad murdered cancer survivor daughter with baseball bat and burned body after she was showered with attention
Maddox Lawrence murder: Dad battered toddler to death with a baseball bat
NY dad, jealous of the attention his cancer-survivor daughter received, pleads guilty to killing her
>Toddler Survives Cancer, Father Kills Her for Receiving Too Much Attention
Exclusive: In prison, Baby Maddox’s dad and killer faces ultimate question: Why? (video)

Nancy Parker

No Photo Name: Nancy Parker.
Died: February 20, 2016.
Age at death: 75.
Cause of death: Infection.
Location: Haverhill, Massachusetts, USA.
Disability: Disabled elder; bowel disease, unable to care for herself.

Details:
Nancy was left on the floor of her home for five days by her daughter and granddaughter. She was eventually taken to the hospital, but died of infection.

Case status:
Katherine Saintil-Brown (Daughter), convicted of negligent homicide, criminal neglect of an elder adult and failure to report adult abuse; sentenced to 1-3 years and mental health counseling.
Meritel Saintil (Granddaughter), convicted of negligent homicide, sentenced to 2-4 years in prison.

Source:
Woman jailed for her mom’s death in Exeter
Woman found guilty of causing her mother’s death
Daughter pleads not guilty in mother’s death
Woman convicted of negligent homicide in grandmother’s death
N.H. Paramedics Find Neglected Elderly Woman in Squalor
Deliberations continue in elder abuse death trial Jury to decide fate of granddaughter charged with negligent homicide

Deborah Harris

No Photo Name: Deborah Harris.
Died: February 18, 2016.
Age at death: 22 months.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: San Jacinto, California, USA.
Disability: Developmental delay.

Details:
Deborah was beaten to death; her body showed signs of abuse and starvation. She was the youngest of three girls; her older sisters survived.

Case status:
Tamara Barker (Mother), charged with child cruelty resulting in death, sentenced to 10 years 8 months.
Malick Harris (Father), charged with child cruelty resulting in death, sentenced to 10 years 8 months.

Source:
Parents of San Jacinto toddler charged in her death a year later
Parents charged in daughter’s death in San Jacinto are arrested in Wyoming
Inmate Locator

James Hill

Photo of James Hill, an adult man with black hair and light skin. He is smiling. He has a short goatee and mustache. Name: James Matthew Hill.
Died: February 18, 2016.
Age at death: 33.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Enterprise, Alabama, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
James was murdered by his roommate, who had also been his caregiver. Police say he was bound, blindfolded, and repeatedly stabbed.

Neighbors remember James as “a blessing” who would do anything for others. They often saw him going to a nearby restaurant, where he ate nearly every day.

Case status:
David Montel Cunningham (Caregiver; roommate); pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 40 years.

Source:
Enterprise man arrested in stabbing death
Enterprise man pleads guilty to murdering his roommate

Demond Hudson Jr.

Name: Demond Hudson Jr.
Died: February 16, 2016.
Age at death: 6 months.
Cause of death: Head injury, trauma, pneumonia.
Location: Des Moines, Washington, USA.
Disability: Hydrocephalus.

Details:
Desmond’s hydrocephalus went untreated even though his head was obviously bigger than it should have been. When he died, he had broken bones and head injuries and was malnourished.

Case status:
Demond Hudson (Father), charged with second-degree murder; incarcerated as of 2/17/2023.
BJ Silipa (Mother), charged with second-degree murder.

Source:
Charge: Couple neglected baby to death, then blamed lack of insurance
Police: Dad blamed ‘ego,’ lack of insurance for baby’s death
Parents of Des Moines baby who suffered devastating injuries charged with murder

Jeffrey Rak

No Photo Name: Jeffrey Alan Rak.
Died: February 14, 2016.
Age at death: 58.
Cause of death: Trauma in the setting of chronic illness.
Location: Burlington Township, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Alcoholism, epilepsy, COPD, heart disease, cirrhosis, chronic illness.

Details:
Jeffrey’s son hit him in the face; soon thereafter, he died.

Case status:
Daniel Rak (Son), acquitted of murder but convicted of aggravated domestic battery, sentenced to 4 years probation.

Source:
People v. Rak
Burlington Twp. man acquitted of murder gets probation for domestic battery
Attorney: Light ‘bop’ from son didn’t kill Burlington Township man
JEFFREY ALAN RAK DVM’s Memoriam on Daily Herald
Elburn man charged with father’s murder wants statements banned from trial
Prosecutors: Burlington murder suspect’s statements were voluntary
Man charged with killing his father in Burlington Township
Police: Signs of struggle at scene of Burlington Township death

Carolyn Taurino

No Photo Name: Carolyn Marie Taurino.
Died: February 10, 2016.
Age at death: 57.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Kershaw, South Carolina, USA.
Disability: Amputee, wheelchair user.

Details:
Carolyn’s son is accused of shooting her to death.

Case status:
Robert Allen Hypes (Son), charged with murder.

Source:
Carolyn Marie Taurino, age 57
Man charged in mom’s murder
Man charged with killing wheelchair-bound mother in Lancaster Co.
Man Charged with Murder of Mom Who Used Wheelchair
South Carolina man accused of shooting, killing his wheelchair-bound mother

Holli Jeffcoat

Name: Holli Jeffcoat.
Died: February 10, 2016.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Idalou, Texas, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Holli told someone at school that she had been sexually abused and was pregnant, and named her stepfather as the person responsible. Holli had reported sexual abuse once before at age 10, but since then her mother, who knew about the abuse, had instructed her not to tell anyone about it because her abuser was financially supporting the family.

A week after she reported the abuse, Holli was found stabbed to death in her home; someone had removed her uterus, then set a fire to try to cover up the crime.

Holli loved pep rallies. She played baseball and ran track in the Special Olympics and worked as an office aide at her school.

Case status:
James Bryant Holland (Stepfather), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to life without parole.
Deborah Holland (mother), pleaded guilty to injury to a child, elder, or disabled person, sentenced to 15 years.

Source:
Mother sentenced to 15 years in connection to brutal murder of Holli Jeffcoat
Debi Holland, once charged for capital murder of her own daughter, pleads to lesser charge
Texas couple indicted in murder of woman’s pregnant teen daughter
Murdered Teen Was Found With Uterus Cut Out
Child Protective Services aiding in Lubbock sheriff’s homicide investigation
Search warrant: Homicide victim accused family member of sexual abuse a week before killing
Report: Murdered Idalou Teen Was Pregnant by Family Member, Mother Knew About Sexual Abuse
Nearly Two Months After Holli Jeffcoat’s Murder School Staff Share Memories, Hopes for Justice
Lubbock medical examiner releases cause of death in Jeffcoat case
Police arrest stepfather of slain 18-year-old special needs student
Family says Holli Jeffcoat ‘deserves justice’ after stepfather arrest
Holli Jeffcoat’s Grandmother Defends Mother, Says Murderer Must Pay Consequences
Texas man gets life sentence for murdering pregnant, mentally disabled stepdaughter
Mother still awaiting trial, 3 years after Holli Jeffcoat murder

Ethan Okula

Name: Ethan Okula.
Died: February 10, 2016.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Bowel obstruction.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability, hearing impaired, vision impaired, chronic illness including a bowel condition.

Details:
Ethan was at school when he began to experience severe stomach pain, so the school sent him home to his foster parents, recommending they take him to the hospital. But instead of getting him medical attention, they put him on the couch and left him there until he stopped breathing. When emergency services were finally called, he was dead from an untreated bowel obstruction.

Case status:
Denise Alston (Foster mother), pleaded guilty to tampering with public documents, sentenced to 3 years probation.
Carol Fletcher (Foster mother), pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child, sentenced to 8 months time served and probation.

Source:
A 10-year-old’s wholly preventable death
Finally, after two years, criminal charges in a child’s heartbreaking death
Couple who left 10-year-old foster kid dying on couch charged
Ethan Okula’s foster mother was sentenced in his tragic death. So many more are to blame
Finally, after two years, criminal charges in a child’s heartbreaking death