Remembering the Disabled Murdered by Caregivers
Name Unknown.
Died: June 30, 2022.
Age at death: 72.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Brooklyn, New York, New York, USA.
Disability: Unspecified.
Details:
This 72-year-old man was found dead from a head injury, allegedly after a fight with his 60-year-old cousin, with whom he lived.
Case Status:
His cousin, arrested.
Sources:
Man, 72, beaten to death by cousin during wild fight in their Brooklyn apartment
Name: John V. Hoover.
Died: June 29, 2022.
Age at death: 44.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Hixson, Tennessee, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.
Details:
John was taken to the hospital, severely malnourished and with pressure sores on his body. A week later, he died. Neighbors said John had been rummaging in the trash and asking for food; allegedly, his parents withheld food to force him to take showers, and tied him to the bed at night to keep him from taking food.
Case Status:
John Hoover (Father), charged with felony murder and aggravated neglect of a vulnerable adult.
Jacqueline Hoover (Mother), charged with felony murder and aggravated neglect of a vulnerable adult.
Sources:
Hixson Couple Facing First-Degree Murder Charges In Starving Death Of Their Adult Son
‘Severe malnutrition:’ Tennessee parents charged with starving adult son to death
A Hixson couple is facing first-degree murder and neglect charges.
Tennessee Couple Accused Of Starving Developmentally Disabled Adult Son To Death
‘Tied Him To A Bed At Night’: Tennessee Parents Face First-Degree Murder Charges For Starving Disabled Son To Death
‘That’s disgraceful:’ Neighbor says Hixson man who died of starvation rummaged for food
Name: Chase Allen; also spelled “Chayse”.
Died: June 24, 2022; last seen March 2022.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Head trauma.
Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Blind, other unspecified disabilities.
Details:
Chase’s body was found in a freezer. His mother, who had a history with child protective services, was arrested on suspicion of having caused his death. Relatives, who called Chase “the sweetest”, said they had offered to take Chase off his mother’s hands if she couldn’t deal with his disabilities, but had been rebuffed.
Case Status:
Azuradee France (Mother), charged with felony murder, first-degree child abuse, torture, and concealing a death.
Sources:
Here’s what we learned during hearing about 3-year-old found in freezer in Detroit home
Detroit mom told police she kicked 3-year-old, put body in freezer when he wouldn’t wake up
Detroit neighbors say 3-year-old boy found dead in freezer was blind; family called CPS 13 times this year
Detroit mom charged after 3-year-old son found in freezer
Mum charged with murder and torture after blind son, 3, found dead in freezer
Family says mother charged with killing 3-year-old has history of abuse
Detroit mom arrested after 3-year-old boy found dead in basement freezer
Name: Donna Mayfield.
Died: June 23, 2022.
Age at death: 87.
Cause of death: Shooting.
Location: Overland Park, Kansas, USA.
Disability: Disabled elder; bedridden.
Details:
Donna was shot by her husband, who then killed himself.
Case Status:
Frank Mayfield (Husband).
Sources:
87-Year-Old Man Emailed His Children His Plans Before Killing Wife and Himself: Authorities
Neighborhood in shock after suspected murder-suicide of elderly couple
Overland Park police identify elderly couple killed in suspected murder-suicide
‘This is a tragedy’: Elderly Overland Park couple dies in possible murder-suicide
Two people killed in Overland Park murder-suicide
Name: Vaishnavi Suresh Pattyane.
Died: June 15, 2022.
Age at death: 19.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Andheri, Mumbai, India.
Disability: Intellectual disability, mobility impaired.
Details:
Vaishnavi’s mother reported her death as a natural death; however, authorities who examined the young woman’s body found ligature marks on her neck. After questioning Vaishnavi’s mother, police say she confessed to killing her daughter because she had become tired of caring for her.
Case Status:
Shraddha Pattyane (Mother), arrested on suspicion of murder.
Sources:
Mumbai: Woman booked for murder of daughter with intellectual disability, denied bail
Woman from Mumbai suburb ‘kills’ disabled teen daughter out of ‘frustration’
Mumbai: Mom held for mentally ill girl’s murder
Woman arrested for killing differently abled 19-year-old daughter
Mumbai: Mom held for killing mentally disabled daughter in Andheri
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
Name: Leela Gopalan.
Died: June 6, 2022.
Age at death: 55.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Vatakara, Kerala, India.
Disability: Cancer.
Details:
Leela’s husband strangled her and then hanged himself.
Case Status:
Mithal Gopalan (Husband), deceased.
Name: Jo Ann Henry Harris.
Died: June 1, 2022.
Age at death: 82.
Cause of death: Beaten.
Location: Trussville, Alabama, USA.
Disability: Dementia.
Details:
Jo Ann’s husband reportedly called his son and said that he was going to kill his wife and himself. The son called the police, and after a standoff that lasted a few hours, Jo Ann’s husband shot himself in the face, though superficially enough that he was able to walk out of the house, and was then hospitalized. Police found Jo Ann’s body in the house.
Case Status:
John B. Harris (Husband), charged with murder.
Sources:
81-year-old Trussville man indicted in wife’s strangulation/suffocation death
UPDATED: Trussville PD identifies 80-year-old man charged in killing of his wife
80-year-old Trussville man kills wife, shoots himself in face during standoff, police say
UPDATE: John B. Harris is charged with murder in the slaying of of wife Jo Ann Henry Harris, 82. Authorities believe both the victim and the suspect suffered from dementia. https://t.co/0sGtGDFgxK
82-year-old woman dead, 80-year-old husband hospitalized after Trussville incident
Name: King Dewey.
Died: May 31, 2022.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Port Arthur, Texas, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome, suspected autism.
Details:
King was found dead in his home, weighing only 19 pounds. Police say he had been locked in a closet for some time.
Case Status:
Tina Louis (Mother), charged with injury to a child.
Kristen Louis (Sister), pleaded guilty to two counts of injury to a child, sentenced to 30 years.
Jaylin Jevon Lewis, found guilty on two counts of injury to a child.
Sources:
Third suspect arrested in connection with death of 4-year-old boy found in Port Arthur home
Mom and Aunt Charged in Death of Disabled Toddler Boy Found Emaciated
Mother, daughter charged in handicapped child’s death
Police release new details about death of 3-year-old emaciated special needs child
Police: Emaciated 3-year-old special needs child weighed 19 pounds at time of death
Third suspect sought in ’emaciated’ toddler’s death
Name: Joan Patricia Ffolkes.
Died: May 30, 2022.
Age at death: 82.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Tallahassee, Florida, USA.
Disability: Dementia.
Details:
Joan was allegedly stabbed by her daughter. She died after three days in the hospital. Police say that Joan’s daughter told them that she found it difficult to care for Joan and had been planning her murder for several months.
Joan was a legal secretary. After retirement, she grew a rose garden.
Case Status:
Brigette Ffolkes (Daughter), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to life.
Sources:
Tallahassee woman gets life sentence for killing mother with dementia
Tallahassee woman indicted for murder in death of her elderly mother
Woman stabbed by daughter dies from injuries on Memorial Day, charges upgraded to 1st degree murder
Joan Patricia Ffolkes Obituary (2022)
Correction: Mother of administrative law judge stabbed in her home, daughter arrested
Mother of Administrative Judge Killed by Daughter