Age: Baby – Page 20 – Disability Day of Mourning

Scarlett Chen

Photo of an Asian toddler with tan skin and short black hair, smiling, and wearing a white silk blouse. Name: Scarlett Chen, also called Jia Jia.
Died: July 12, 2004.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Drowning.
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
After Scarlett’s mother was told by a doctor that Scarlett’s autism could not be surgically cured, she drowned Scarlett in the bathtub.

Case status:
Xuan “Linda” Peng (Mother); pled guilty to manslaughter; served five years in prison.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Scarlett Chen
Killer of autistic daughter released
History of euthanasia in Canada
Tracy Latimer is dead because her father is a murderer

“Baby C”

No Photo Name: “Baby C” (Female).
Died: May 2004.
Age at death: 5 months.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Nelson, New Zealand.
Disability: Lissencephaly.

Details:
When he learned that her diagnosis would cause lifelong severe disability, Baby C’s father smothered her.

Case status:
Her father; charged with manslaughter but acquitted, even though he confessed during the trial.

Source:
Complaint from family over Baby C

Mia Depaillat

No Photo Name: Mia Depaillat.
Died: April 18, 2004.
Age at death: 21 months.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Cumming, Georgia, USA.
Disability: Developmental delay.

Details:
Mia died of injuries that her mother claimed had been caused when she had accidentally dropped Mia and she fell down a flight of stairs. However, the injuries Mia had sustained matched shaken baby syndrome, not a fall down stairs. Mia died two days afterward.

Case status:
Jill Ellen Depaillat (Mother), charged with murder; hung jury; mistrial.

Source:
Pound Pup Legacy: Mia Depaillat

Gracie Sharpe

Name: Gracie Louise Sharpe.
Died: March 27, 2004.
Age at death: 20 months.
Cause of death: Shot with speargun.
Location: Mornington, Victoria, Australia.
Disability: Congenital hip dysplasia.

Details:
Gracie’s mother was pregnant with her younger sibling; but her father resented having to care for her and her special needs, and did not want another child. He used a spearfishing gun to kill Gracie’s mother, Anna Marie Kemp, whose baby, a son named Francis, died with her. He hid the body and pretended she had left him. Days later, he killed Gracie with the same speargun.

Case Status:
John Myles Sharpe (Father), convicted of two counts of murder, sentenced to 66 years to life.

Sources:
Sharpe family murders
Gracie Louise Sharpe (2002-2004) – Find A Grave.

Daniel Thomas

Photo of Daniel Thomas, a baby with dark hair and eyes. There is some bruising on his fair skin. He is wearing an orange and teal shirt. Name: Daniel Thomas.
Died: October 13, 2003.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Unknown suspicious death.
Location: Myrtleford, Victoria, Australia.
Disability: Asthma, speech delay, allergies, eczema.

Details:
How Daniel he died is not known because his body was not found for several years, but the coroner suggested he might have been killed through strangulation, drowning, or a head injury. Police suspect that he was abused by his babysitter, and his mother ignored the abuse.

Case status:
Mandy Martyn (Babysitter) and Donna Thomas (Mother). No charges.

Source:
Coroner finds babysitter Mandy Martyn killed toddler Daniel Thomas —but also blames his mother Donna Thomas for doing nothing to help the boy
Cackling babysitter Mandy Martyn denies killing toddler Daniel Thomas, gives reporters a spray

Raya Donagi

A gravestone reading: Raya Rakefet Donagi. Feb. 1, 2003 - Aug. 4, 2003. In the eternal embrace of her mother. Mine An Ener, July 14, 1965 - Aug. 30, 2003. Name: Raya Rakefet Donagi.
Died: August 4, 2003.
Age at death: 6 months.
Cause of death: Blood loss.
Location: St. Paul, Minnesota, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome.

Details:
Raya’s mother slit her throat because she was afraid Raya might have to get a feeding tube.

Case status:
Mine An Ener (Mother); charged with murder. Died by suicide before she could be tried.

Source:
Mine An ENER
Wife of U. prof commits suicide awaiting trial
College prof charged with killing baby
PROFESSOR JAILED IN BABY’S DEATH APPARENTLY SUFFOCATES HERSELF

Deetrick Brown

Photo of Deetrick Brown. It is a photo of a TV screen, showing an African-American toddler with a solemn expression. Faint text along the bottom says, "Christmas. December 25." The rest of the text is indistinct. Name: Deetrick Brown.
Died: January 16, 2003.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Head trauma.
Location: La Quinta, California, USA.
Disability: Parents claimed “drug baby”, intellectual disability, autism. Seizures, possibly due to abuse.

Details:
Deetrick died of head trauma that caused repeated seizures in the months before his death. His parents argued that, rather than being abused, Deetrick was a “drug baby” who had an intellectual disability. When Deetrick died, a judge ruled there wasn’t enough evidence for the case to go to trial. But ten years later, the case was re-opened and reexamined, and his father and stepmother were arrested.

Case status:
Patricia Brown (Stepmother), convicted of second-degree murder, conviction overturned, retrial underway on charges of murder and assault.
Derrick Brown (Father), charges dropped.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Deetrick Brown
Prosecutors Drop Appeal Of Decision To Overturn Murder Conviction
Closing Arguments Scheduled in Trial of La Quinta Woman Accused in Toddler’s Murder
Husband acquitted, testimony continues for wife in toddler murder trial
New Trial Sought For La Quinta Woman Convicted In Toddler’s Death 13 Years After It Happened
New Trial Sought For RivCo Woman Convicted in Toddler’s Death 13 Years After It Happened

Cassandra Killpack

Photo of Cassandra Kilpatrick. She is a young black toddler, outdoors, stooping down and examining some dry grass. Name: Cassandra Taine Killpack.
Died: June 10, 2002.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Water intoxication.
Location: Springville, Utah, USA.
Disability: Reactive attachment disorder.

Details:
Cassandra’s adoptive parents forced her to drink so much water that she died of water poisoning.

Case status:
Jennete Killpack (Adoptive mother), child abuse, 1 to 15 years in prison (served 6 years).
Richard Killpack, acquitted.

Source:
Cassandra Taine Killpack

Gloria Sam

Name: Gloria Thomas Sam.
Died: May 8, 2002.
Age at death: 9 months.
Cause of death: Infection.
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Disability: Chronic eczema.

Details:
Gloria had eczema, a skin condition that needed treatment; but her father, a homeopath, refused to take her to the doctor. They took the sick little girl with them to India and delayed her treatment because they were jet-lagged. By the time she was finally taken to the hospital, her skin had deteriorated to the point that an infection had taken over her body, and she died three days later.

Case Status:
Thomas Sam (Father), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 6 to 8 years, banned from practicing homeopathy.
Majnu Sam (Mother), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 4 years to 5 years 4 months.

Sources:
Parents put social life before baby
Parents jailed over baby’s death
Baby Gloria’s parents jailed

Lilian Gill

Photo of Lilian Gill, a toddler girl with light skin and dark hair. Name: Lilian Leilani Gill.
Died: March 1, 2002.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Homicide.
Location: San Bernardino, California, USA.
Disability: Mother claimed she was autistic.

Details:
Lillian was killed by her mother, who then claimed that Lilian had been sent to a special school to be treated for her autism. Lilian was later found buried in the backyard.

Case status:
Sharon Michelle Gill (Adoptive mother), pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter, sentenced to “almost 14” years in prison and 5 years probation.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Lilian Leilani Gill
Lillian Leilani Gill
Woman gets prison for child’s killing in 2002
Remains found of missing girl