Mx. Daxer – Page 185 – Disability Day of Mourning

Matthew Sutton

No Photo Name: Matthew Sutton.
Died: April 22, 2001.
Age at death: 28.
Cause of death: Sedative overdose, smothered.
Location: Leonay, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Disability: Trisomy 13

Details:
Matthew was given a fatal dose of sedative before he was smothered by his parents, who claimed it was “euthanasia”.

Case status:
Margaret Sutton and Raymond Sutton (Parents). Convicted of manslaughter; served no jail time.

Source:
Double death of parents who killed their son Matthew Sutton
Regina v Raymond Douglas Sutton; Regina v Margaret Ellen Sutton [2007] NSWSC 295 (4 April 2007)

Chelsea Craig

Name: Chelsea Craig.
Died: March 19, 2001.
Age at death: 14.
Cause of death: Prescription drug overdose.
Location: Pointe-Claire, Quebec, Canada.
Disability: Rett syndrome.

Details:
Chelsea was poisoned by her mother with a mix of prescription drugs. At trial, The judge ruled that she was not at fault for Chelsea’s death because of her own history of abuse and because of the “stress caused by Chelsea’s disability”.

Chelsea had a pet bulldog named Penny. She was a freshman in high school.

Case status:
Rachel Capra Craig (Mother). Found not guilty because of a mental disorder; hospitalized; died July 2002.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Chelsea Craig
Mother found not responsible in death of disabled daughter
Murderpedia: Rachel Capra Craig
Inclusion Daily Express: Mother Charged With Poisoning Teenage Daughter

Gabriel Britt

School photo of a young boy wearing a plaid shirt; he has brown skin and dark-brown hair. His expression is neutral. Name: Gabriel Britt.
Died: March 3, 2001.
Age at death: 6.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: St. George, South Carolina, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Gabriel was suffocated by his father, who put his body in a pond and tried to pretend that Gabriel had accidentally drowned.

Case status:
Terrence Britt (Father); convicted of unlawful conduct toward a child, sentenced to 10 years with all but 4 years suspended.
Renee Britt (Mother); mistrial, no conviction.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Gabriel Britt
Terrence Britt pleads guilty to reduced charge, sentenced to 10 years in prison, mistrial declared in mother’s case
Gabriel Britt’s death now ruled a homicide
Mother, Father charged in death of boy
Judge rules SC no longer has to monitor how Renee Britt cares for her children

Amanda Bates

A temporary plaque marking a grave: "Amanda Lois Bates, 1987-2001." Name: Amanda Bates.
Died: February 5, 2001.
Age at death: 13.
Cause of death: Diabetic ketoacidosis, gangrene.
Location: Grand Junction, Colorado, USA.
Disability: Juvenile diabetes.

Details:
Amanda’s juvenile diabetes was left untreated. She died of a combination of diabetic ketoacidosis and a gangrenous infection.

Case status:
Colleen Bates (Mother), pleaded guilty to negligent homicide, given 20 years of probation.
Randy Bates (Father), pleaded guilty to negligent homicide, given 20 years of probation.

Source:
Amanda Bates
Colo. Girl’s Diabetes Death Ruled Homicide
Parents May Be Charged in Girl’s Death | WWRN – World-wide Religious News
No jail for parents in daughter’s death
Faith-healing: No defense against child abuse

Logan Marr

Photo of Logan Marr, a small girl with fair skin and light brown hair, wearing a pink T-shirt; she is licking her lower lip and looking off to the side. Name: Logan Marr.
Died: January 31, 2001.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Chelsea, Maine, USA.
Disability: Reactive attachment disorder.

Details:
Logan’s mother taped her into a high chair with duct tape, wrapping her in tape and putting the chair in the basement. There, Logan died of suffocation from the duct tape across her mouth.

Case status:
Sally Schofield (Foster mother), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 17 years, released on probation after 15 years.

Source:
AT Victim — Logan Marr
Logan Marr – Police Interviews With Sally Schofield
Release of central Maine woman convicted in child’s death stirs painful memories

Eva Visco

Photo of Eva Visco's tombstone, a bronze, heart-shaped plaque decorated with a rose. It reads, "Eva Visco, January 27, 1926 to December 26, 2000. We love you." Name: Eva Visco.
Died: December 26, 2000.
Age at death: 74.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Deltona, Florida, USA.
Disability: Chronic illness; frail elder.

Details:
Eva was shot in the head by her husband.

Case status:
Leo Visco (Husband), pleaded guilty to manslaughter, sentenced to 5 years suspended and 10 years probation.

Source:
DELTONA MAN, 81, AVOIDS PRISON IN ILL WIFE’S KILLING
Florida man pleads guilty in suicide-pact slaying
Visco Describes Killing Wife
Man Enters Plea in Killing of Wife
Eva Visco (1926 – 2000)

Florence Simpson

No Photo Name: Florence Marjorie Simpson.
Died: October 3, 2000.
Age at death: 81.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Howick, New Zealand.
Disability: Terminal cancer.

Details:
Florence’s son drugged her and strangled her with the cord to her morphine pump.

Case status:
Christopher Simpson (Son), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 3 years.

Source:
Doctor jailed for killing his terminally ill mother
Doctor charged with strangling mother
Strangled mum full of morphine
The New Zealand Herald
Mercy Killing

Alex Boucher

Name: Alex Charles Boucher.
Died: September 25, 2000.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: New Port Richey, Florida, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy, medical problems.

Details:
Alex’s adoptive father, angry that he had soiled himself, wrapped him in a blanket so tightly that he choked on his own vomit and died of asphyxiation.

Case status:
James Curtis (Adoptive father), pleaded guilty to manslaughter, sentenced to “nearly 14 years” in prison.

Source:
Fla. man pleads guilty in state tot’s death
Alex Boucer, 3, Smothered
CHARGE FOUGHT IN CHILD’S DEATH
Alex Charles Boucher

Meridee Reynolds

Name: Meridee “Kay” Reynolds.
Died: September 9, 2000.
Age at death: 40.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Vancouver, Washington, USA.
Disability: Mobility impairment; sleep disorder.

Details:
Meridee’s friend and caregiver shot her, and claimed she had done it “to end the pain”.

Case status:
Melanie McDonald (Caregiver), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 8-30 years.

Source:
Caregiver Accused of Murder

Grace Bogey

Name: Grace Lee Bogey (Born Gracielo Cano).
Died: September 2, 2000.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Roswell, New Mexico, USA.
Disability: Spina bifida.

Details:
Grace was abused by her adoptive mother and adoptive grandparent. At death, she had multiple head injuries consistent with shaken baby syndrome.

Case status:
Veronica Bogey (Adoptive mother), charged with child abuse; acquitted; civil suit underway.
Terry/Terri Bogey (Adoptive grandparent), pleaded no contest to child abuse, sentenced to probation.

Source:
Grace Lee Bogey (Gracielo Cano)
Scott Johnson, As Personal Representative of the Estate of Graciela Cano A/k/a Grace Lee Bogey, Deceased; and Lorena Torrez, Plaintiffs-appellants, v. Anne Holmes; Bonnie Vehstedt; Karen Zarate; Lydia R. Saenz; Sonia Perez; Virginia Villareal; Viviane Encinias; Ginger Bowman; Denise H. Narvaez; Children, Youth and Families Department, New Mexico; Veronica Bogey; Terry Bogey A/k/a Teri Bogey, Defendants-appellees, 455 F.3d 1133 (10th Cir. 2006)