Mx. Daxer – Page 72 – Disability Day of Mourning

George Blair

Name: George Blair.
Died: September 11, 2018.
Age at death: 60.
Cause of death: Neglect.
Location: Varney, West Virginia, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; “bedridden”.

Details:
When George’s body was found, he had been dead for some time. His wife and son, also restricted to bed, were alive but had been badly neglected. They were taken to the hospital. Authorities arrested his daughter, who lived in the home and was supposed to be caring for the family.

George loved to garden and his family said that he could grow anything. He also enjoyed watching football.

Case status:
Jessica Blair (Daughter), charged with felony neglect of an incapacitated adult resulting in death and two charges of misdemeanor neglect of an incapacitated adult.

Source:
State Police: Woman arrested on neglect charges in connection with father’s death
Police find man dead along with bedridden family members in need of medical attention
West Virginia State Police investigating death in Mingo County
Obituary

Jalen Goldsborough

Photo of a boy lying in bed, covered with a blanket. He has dark-brown eyes, brown skin, and dark hair. His hands are balled into fists. Name: Jalen Goldsborough.
Died: September 2, 2018.
Age at death: 13.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Hopewell, Virginia, USA.
Disability: Shaken baby syndrome; required 24-hour care.

Details:
Jalen was abused by his father when he was a baby. He survived and his father went to prison, but Jalen was left with severe disabilities.

At 13, Jalen was found starved to death, his mother having been deliberately reducing his food intake for several months.

Case status:
Amy FaJohn (Mother), pleaded no contest to second-degree murder, sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Anthony Saunders (Mother’s boyfriend), pleaded guilty to child neglect, sentenced to 5 years in prison.

Source:
Woman sentenced for son’s starvation death
Starved teen weighed 24 lbs at time of death, mother pleads no contest to murder
Mother Pleads Guilty in Starvation Death of Son with Severe Disability
Hopewell mother convicted of murder in starvation death of son, 13, who weighed 24 pounds when he died
Virginia mother convicted over starvation death of 13-year-old son
Medical Examiner: Murdered Hopewell teen with special needs starved to death
2 charged in death of Hopewell 13-year-old
Murdered Hopewell teen was victim of severe abuse as infant
Mother charged with murder in death of severely disabled 13-year-old

Bonnie Hanks

Photo of a middle-aged woman with dyed red hair, wearing a black tank top and a gold cross necklace. Her skin is freckled, and she wears sunglasses. Name: Bonnie Hanks.
Died: August 28, 2018.
Age at death: 52.
Cause of death: Multiple injuries from a beating.
Location: Fort Pierce, Florida, USA.
Disability: Multiple sclerosis.

Details:
Bonnie was beaten to death by her boyfriend. He explained the bruises on her body by claiming that she fell down a lot because she had multiple sclerosis.

Bonnie cared about her appearance and never left home without first fixing her hair and doing her make-up. She liked having coffee with friends.

Case status:
Jeffrey Yankowski (Boyfriend), convicted of first-degree murder; automatic life without parole.

Source:
St. Lucie County jury convicts Jeffrey Yankowsi in 2018 beating death of girlfriend Bonnie Hanks
Bonnie Hanks, beaten to death in St. Lucie County, was a ‘good soul’

Abel Leveque-Flett

Name: Abel Joseph Leveque-Flett.
Died: August 23, 2018.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Undetermined; after severe abuse.
Location: Little Grand Rapids, Manitoba, Canada.
Disability: Epilepsy, developmental disability, mobility impairment.

Details:
Abel was dead on arrival to a nursing station. He had seven broken bones, severe bruising, and burns. An autopsy was inconclusive because it could not be determined whether he had died from his disability or from the abuse he had endured, but his caregivers were both convicted of “failing to provide the necessaries of life”.

Case Status:
Houston Bushie (Temporary guardian), pleaded guilty to failing to provide the necessaries of life, sentenced to 3 years.
Alayna Flett (Family member, temporary guardian), pleaded guilty to failing to provide the necessaries of life.

Sources:
Guardian sentenced to 3 years for death of toddler who had ‘profoundly disturbing’ injuries
Mar 2021: First Nation demands justice in boy’s death
Manitoba’s families minister calls for review of boy’s death after caregivers charged
Temporary guardians charged in connection with death of 3-year-old in Little Grand Rapids, Man.

Ronald Blankenship

No Photo Name: Ronald Blankenship.
Died: August 20, 2018.
Age at death: 64.
Cause of death: Bronchopneumonia.
Location: Monticello, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; diabetes, mobility impaired.

Details:
Ronald lived with his sister and nephew, who were supposed to care for him. He died of severe, untreated bronchopneumonia and was found in filthy surroundings.

When Ronald was found dead, police also found a young woman with Down syndrome, who had been adopted by one of Ronald’s relatives; she was taken into adult protective services. Three dogs and three cats, also neglected, were taken by animal control; two of the dogs, Cocker Spaniels named Chance and Puddy, were too sick to survive and had to be euthanized.

Case status:
Christie Brown (Sister), convicted of criminal abuse or neglect of a disabled person and aggravated cruelty to a companion animal.
Mason Brown (Nephew), convicted of criminal abuse or neglect of an elderly person, sentenced to 5 years in prison and 1 year on parole.
Justin Tatman (Power of Attorney), charged with criminal neglect, charges dropped.

Source:
Neglect charges on one defendant dropped
Monticello man found guilty of neglect after death of uncle
Bond set for three in neglect case | Piatt County Journal-Republican
3 arrested in connection with death of Monticello man

Mason Jordan

Name: Mason Jordan.
Died: August 20, 2018.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Bend, Oregon, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus.

Details:
Mason’s mother shot him to death.

Mason liked reading, watercolor painting, music, and playing with toy cars. He was curious about everything. Despite medical problems that put him in the hospital on a regular basis, friends and neighbors remember him as a very happy child.

Case status:
Tashina Aleine Jordan (Mother); charged with aggravated murder, pleaded guilty to murder, conviction reduced to first-degree manslaughter; sentenced to 10 years in prison and 20 years in the Oregon State Hospital.

Source:
Oregon mother pleads guilty to killing son with disabilities
DA won’t seek death penalty in Bend mother’s murder case
Police: Bend mother kills special needs son, 7, before attempting suicide
2016-17
Single mother shoots her severely disabled 7-year-old son to death and attempts to kill herself by overdosing on pills
Correction: Disabled Child Shot story
Mother Accused Of Killing 7-Year-Old Disabled Son Before Attempting Suicide
Mother believed to have killed son expected to recover
Bend mother arraigned on aggravated murder charge in son’s shooting
Bend woman arraigned in alleged killing of son, 7
Mother indicted for murder in shooting death of son with severe disability
Bend woman charged with killing disabled son back in court

Christopher Pratt

Name: Christopher Pratt.
Died: August 17, 2018.
Age at death: 6.
Cause of death: Head injury, malnutrition.
Location: Lansing, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Chromosome 10 disease, autism, epilepsy.

Details:
Christopher died from a head injury, having lost nearly half his body weight while in the care of his aunt.

Christopher lost his mother when he was five years old. Before he went to stay with his aunt, Christopher was a happy boy who used to greet his cousin by grabbing her face to show affection.

Case Status:
Jessica Bice (Aunt), convicted of second-degree murder and first-degree child abuse, sentenced to 33 years.

Sources:
‘Christopher felt safe here’: New bench memorializes Lansing area boy who died in 2018
Aunt sentenced to prison for death of Lansing boy with special-needs
Woman responsible for death of autistic 6-year-old sentenced
Lansing woman found guilty of homicide in death of boy with special needs
Lansing woman convicted of murder, child abuse in death of 6-year-old nephew
Lansing woman convicted of murder in death of 6-year-old nephew with special needs
Jurors weigh fate of aunt charged with murder, child abuse in 6-year-old’s death
Autism Memorial: Christopher Pratt
Trial begins for aunt in 2018 death of disabled, ’emaciated’ Lansing boy
Testimony continues in child abuse, murder case
Family wants justice following death of young boy
Aunt charged with murder, child abuse in death of a Lansing 6-year-old
Family of the woman accused of killing her 6-year-old nephew speaks out
Family demands justice for Lansing boy who was killed

Muhammad Rabiul

No Photo Name: Muhammad Rabiul, also called Rabiul Alam.
Died: August 12, 2018.
Age at death: 30.
Cause of death: Fire.
Location: Chittagong, Bangladesh.
Disability: Mental disability.

Details:
Muhammad lived with his mother in a makeshift house. When she went out to go begging for the day, she shackled him to the house. While she was gone, the house and several others burned down. Everyone but Muhammad escaped; he died in the fire because he could not get out of his chains.

Case status:
Fatema Begum (Mother), status unknown. Possibly no crime.

Source:
Meant for safety, shackles lead to his death
Bound man with mental disability burns to death in Chattogram fire

Ann DeLucia

Name: Ann DeLucia.
Died: August 8, 2018.
Age at death: 70.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Valhalla, New York, USA.
Disability: Stroke, mobility impaired.

Details:
Ann was in the hospital when her husband walked into her room, shot her, and then killed himself.

Case status:
Richard DeLucia (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Staff, patients: Somber atmosphere blankets Westchester Medical Center after shooting
Man upset by wife’s illness kills her, himself at hospital
What is mercy killing? Does Richard DeLucia’s murder-suicide qualify?

Joe Pooley

Name: Joe Pooley.
Died: August 7, 2018.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Drowning.
Location: Ipswitch, England, UK.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Joe’s girlfriend encouraged three of her friends while they beat Joe up, threw him into the river, and held his head under until he drowned.

Case status:
Becki West-Davidson (Girlfriend), convicted of murder, sentenced to 17 years to life.
Lisa-Marie Smith, charged with murder, acquitted.
Sean Palmer, convicted of murder, sentenced to 18 years to life.
Sebastian Smith, convicted of murder, sentenced to 21 years to life.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Joe Pooley
Joe Pooley: Lack of prison recall ‘contributed to’ murder
Murder accused told mother ‘I held his head under water’, court hears
Murder accused ‘bullied and ganged up’ on autistic man found dead in river
Joe Pooley death: Vulnerable man ‘attacked and thrown into river’
Joe Pooley death: Mother ‘frustrated’ by Ipswich murder trial delay
Murder accused ‘bragged about killing’, court hears
Court told pair panicked after alleged attack on Joe Pooley
Murder accused allegedly tried to cover his tracks – court told
Joe Pooley death: Gang ‘attacked vulnerable man and threw him into river’