Mr. Sulpizio

No PhotoName: Unknown. Possibly surnamed Sulpizio, like his mother.
Died: August 6, 2015.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Neglect.
Location: Four Oaks, North Carolina, USA.
Disability: Multiple disabilities; non-verbal, blind, brain injury.

Details:
This seven-year-old boy was neglected by his mother. She kept her own room air-conditioned, but the little boy had to live in a filthy room that reached 95 degrees in the summer heat. He died of neglect.

Case status:
Donna Mae Sulpizio (Mother), convicted of intentional child abuse resulting in severe bodily injury, sentenced to 8 years 9 months 24 days; minimum 6 years.

Source:
Mother indicted following death of handicapped child
NC DPS Offender Public Information

Chaitanya Balpande

Photo of Chaitanya Balpande, an adolescent boy wearing a blue polo shirt. He has short black hair and tan skin; there is a spot of red on his forehead.Name: Chaitanya Balpande.
Died: August 5, 2015.
Age at death: 13.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Pune, Maharashtra, India.
Disability: Cerebral palsy (spastic diplegia).

Details:
Chaitanya’s mother abused him, beating him for limping when he walked, starving him, locking him up, and making him exercise for hours at a time. Chaitanya died of injuries received when his mother beat him with a cricket bat.

Case status:
Rakhi Balpande (Mother), convicted of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, sentenced to 10 years.

Source:
Sessions Court in Pune sentences woman to 10 years in prison for murdering her differently-abled son
13-yr-old was beaten to death with cricket bat he considered lucky

Luc Baeyens

Photo of a middle-aged, balding man with lightly tanned skin, wearing glasses..Name: Luc Baeyens.
Died: July 29, 2015.
Age at death: 48.
Cause of death: Smothered.
Location: Tremelo, Flanders, Belgium.
Disability: Down syndrome.

Details:
Luc was smothered by his stepfather.

Case status:
Aloïs De Smedt (Stepfather), convicted of murder, sentenced to 12 years; eligible for release in 3 years.

Source:
Twaalf jaar voor moord op gehandicapte stiefzoon
Tranen maken even Plaats voor Lach op Afscheid Luc Baeyens (48)

Maxwell Peterson

Photo of a teenage boy with strawberry-blond hair and fair skin, smiling, wearing a yellow T-shirt.Name: Maxwell J. Peterson.
Died: July 21, 2015.
Age at death: 16.
Cause of death: Traumatic injury, blood loss.
Location: Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Angelman syndrome.

Details:
Maxwell’s father took him to a park and killed him by slitting his throat and shooting him with a nail gun. Then he killed himself.

Maxwell liked playing basketball.

Case status:
Theodore R. Peterson (Father), deceased.

Source:
Medical examiner: Father of Token Creek homicide victim has died
Son identified, father held in killing at Token Creek County Park

Meredith Jessie

Photo of a little pale-skinned girl in a pink dress. Her brown hair is cut short in a boy cut. She has her hands on her hips and is smiling slightly.Name: Meredith Jessie.
Died: July 18, 2015.
Age at death: 6.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Lakeland, Florida, USA.
Disability: Diagnosed (possibly incorrectly) with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Details:
Meredith’s mother was afraid that her fiancé was going to leave her. She saw Meredith as an impediment to her relationship with her fiance. Twice she had Meredith hospitalized for psychiatric issues, though it’s unknown whether Meredith actually had a mental illness or whether her mother was just obsessed with the idea that she did.

Meredith’s mother stabbed Meredith to death; she also killed her father.

Case status:
Cheyanne Jessie (Mother), convicted of two counts of murder, sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Source:
Cheyanne Jessie sentenced to life in prison for murder of father and daughter
Polk jury begins deliberations in murder trial of Cheyanne Jessie, Lakeland woman accused of killing her daughter, 6, and dad
Family wants death penalty for Lakeland woman accused of…

Lala Mardigan

Photo of Lala Mardigan. She is a young woman with dark brown skin, wearing a yellow shirt; she has headphones in her ears.Name: Lala Mardigan.
Died: Late July 2015.
Age at death: 20.
Cause of death: Malnutrition, infection.
Location: Wadeye, Northern Territory, Australia.
Disability: Lupus, intellectual disability.

Details:
Lala lived in a remote part of Australia. She had spent some time in foster care, but returned to her mother at age 18 even though her mother had told the health service she could not care for her. Despite a case worker’s warning that Lala was not being cared for, the health department did not assign her a guardian. At 20, Lala died from malnutrition and infection, a victim of neglect.

Case status:
No charges.

Source:
Twenty-year old’s death highlights the people in remote communities falling through the gaps
Aboriginal woman would be alive ‘if people in power cared’

Quincey Pollard

Plaque reading: "William Garland Pollard. 17 Jan 2014 - 11 Jul 2015."Name: William “Quincey” Pollard.
Died: July 11, 2015.
Age at death: 17 months.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Lakewood Ranch, Florida, USA.
Disability: Developmental delay, leukemia (Claimed).

Details:
After Quincey died from blunt-force head trauma, his father, accused of murder, explained the bruises on his body by claiming that Quincey was clumsy and developmentally delayed and had leukemia.

Case status:
Richard Williams (Father), convicted of second-degree murder, sentenced to life.

Source:
Man faces up to life in prison for murder in toddler’s death
Inmate Population Information Detail
Jury hears toddler’s mother describe the last morning before his death
Was Quincey Pollard killed? Or was he just clumsy?

Matthew Hoag

Photo of a young man with fair skin, short brown hair, and a think mustache; he is smiling.Name: Matthew Paul Hoag.
Died: June 30, 2015.
Age at death: 21.
Cause of death: Methanol poisoning.
Location: Sylvan Township, Michingan, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
When this young man drank windshield wiper fluid, his mother refused to seek medical treatment for him. He died from poisoning.

Case status:
Paulette Redding (Mother), pleaded no contest to third-degree child abuse, sentenced to 2 years of probation and 50 hours of community service.

Source:
Obituary of Matthew Paul Hoag
Mother charged in death of disabled son who drank windshield wiper fluid
Mother in court in death of disabled son who drank windshield fluid
Michigan Mom Gets Probation In Adult Son’s Wiper Fluid Death

L’Naya White

Photo of L'Naya White, a baby with her mouth open and eyes squeezed shut in laughter. She has fair skin. She is wearing a green and blue top.Name: L’Naya White.
Died: June 26, 2015.
Age at death: 6 months.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Rapid City, South Dakota, USA.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
L’Naya was raped and beaten by her mother’s boyfriend and died of a head injury caused by shaken baby syndrome. However, during trial her killer argued that he had merely left her on the couch, which was dangerous because of her frailty due to her “serious disability”, and she had fallen off and hit her head on the floor. Eventually he was allowed to admit to being negligent, plead guilty to second-degree manslaughter, and receive a sentence of only 4 years in prison.

Case status:
Kristopher Houchin (Mother’s boyfriend), initially charged with rape, child abuse, and murder. Pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter; sentenced to 10 years consisting of 4 years in prison and a 6-year suspended sentence.

Source:
Rapid City man sentenced after admitting he’s responsible for the death of a six month old girl
Candlelight Vigil For L’Naya LovePolice Discover Shocking Reason Behind 6-Month-Old Baby’s DeathBaby’s Violent Death Hits Deep In Rapid City CommunityRapid City Man Sentenced In Death Of 6-Month-Old GirlMonsters Among Us: Kristopher Houchin charged with the rape and murder of 6-month-old L’Naya Love WhiteRapid City man charged with murder of 6-month-old girlObituary for L’Naya Love White – Rapid City, SD
Kristopher Houchin Charged With The Rape And Murder Of 6-month-old Girl
Rapid City man sentenced to prison for baby’s death
Baby’s Violent Death Hits Deep In Rapid City Community

Forgiveness Sibanda

No PhotoName: Forgiveness Sibanda.
Died: June 21, 2015.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Mafohla village, Umguza, Zimbabwe.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
Forgiveness’s father had been told by some prophets that his son was a goblin. He believed them, and hated Forgiveness because he could not see himself “raising a goblin”.

While Forgiveness’s mother was at the canal doing the laundry, his father hit him on the head and killed him. When his mother came back, his father threatened to kill her too if she reported the murder, and put her on a bus to tell her mother that the child had died of natural causes. But Forgiveness’s mother went to the police instead, and the toddler’s body was found buried in the backyard.

Case status:
Jeremiah Filbert Sibanda (Father), convicted of murder with intent, sentenced to 25 years.

Source:
Father Kills Disabled Son (3)
Parents Kill Own Disabled Son
Man kills disabled son, buries body
Killer dad jailed for 25 years