Age: Child – Page 31 – Disability Day of Mourning

Joseph Beebe

Name: Joseph Jose Beebe.
Died: March 17, 2000.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Tarkington Prairie, Texas, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy, fetal alcohol syndrome.

Details:
Joseph, who told his triplet siblings that he wanted to give them a better life, was beaten to death by his adoptive mother for wetting his pants. When Joseph died, they were removed from the home, and survived.

Case status:
Edith Beebe (Adoptive mother), convicted of injury to a child, 30-75 years.
Brian Beebe (Adoptive father), convicted of failure to protect, served 6 months of a 10-year sentence.
Justin Martin (Stepbrother), convicted of injury to a child, served 6 months of a 10-year sentence.

Source:
Survivor of childhood abuse moves forward by looking back
WHO’S TO BLAME FOR Joseph’s DEATH?
Joseph Jose Beebe

Timothy Boss

School photo of a boy with short, very curly black hair and brown skin and eyes. He is wearing a loose sweater, and has his arms folded in front of him. His expression is neutral. Name: Timothy Boss.
Died: February 23, 2000.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Homicide.
Location: Remsen, Iowa, USA.
Disability: Unspecified “special needs”.

Details:
Timothy’s adoptive parents beat him, and when he died from their abuse, buried his body in their basement.

Case status:
Donald Boss Jr. (Adoptive father), first-degree murder, sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Lisa Boss Green (Adoptive mother), voluntary manslaughter/attempted murder/child endangerment/willful injury, 50 years prison.

Source:
Timothy Boss

Kirk Hammersley-Baker

Name: Kirk Hammersley-Baker.
Died: March 22, 1999.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Stoke-on-Trent, England, UK.
Disability: Epilepsy.

Details:
Kirk’s neglectful father and unstable home life was relieved by his attendance at school, which served as his safe haven. He was a loving boy who had a big smile and liked hugs.

Involved in a custody battle and afraid he had lost custody, Kirk’s father drugged him, strangled him with a scarf, wrapped him in a blanket, and dumped his body in an outhouse.

His school opened a new play area in his memory, which was revamped in his honor for the 20th anniversary of his death.

Case status:
Karl Hammersley-Baker (Father), convicted of murder, sentenced to life.

Source:
Tragedy of ‘little boy lost’ strangled to death by own dad
The chilling murder of Stoke-on-Trent boy, 7, strangled to death by his own dad
Murdered Kirk, 7, to be remembered with play area revamp 20 years on
Tragedy of ‘little boy lost’ who wanted love and affection.
Father in custody row killed son, 7
Life for man who strangled son

Pierre Pasquiou

No Photo Name: Pierre Pasquiou.
Died: December 28, 1998.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Drowning.
Location: Saint-Brieuc, France.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Pierre was drowned by his mother; she pushed him off a pier into the Atlantic Ocean.

Case status:
Annie Pasquiou (Mother). Given a three year suspended sentence; served no time.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Pierre Pasquiou
Solomon, A. (2014). Far from the tree: Parents, children and the search for identity. Scribner Classics.
Life with Aspergers: Murdering Disabled People

Tausha Lanham

A photo of Tausha Lanham, a toddler with pale skin and fine ginger hair. Name: Tausha Lee Lanham.
Died: April 19, 1998.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Burgettstown, Washington County, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Prematurity, developmental delays.

Details:
Tausha’s mother kept her restrained and starved her to death. She was seven years old, but weighed less than twelve pounds, when she died.

Case status:
Michelle Tharp (Mother), first-degree murder, death sentence.

Source:
Under a rock, near some water
Michelle Tharp’s attorneys say she should not face death for starving daughter
Michelle Tharp | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers

Charles-Antoine Blais

No Photo Name: Charles-Antoine Blais.
Died: November 6, 1996.
Age at death: 6.
Cause of death: Drowning.
Location: Montreal, Canada.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Charles-Antoine was drowned by his mother in her bathtub.

Case status:
Danielle Blais (Mother). Pled guilty to manslaughter, given a 23-month suspended sentence and offered a job at the Autism Society of Montreal. No jail time.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Charles-Antoine Blais
Solomon, A. (2014). Far from the tree: Parents, children and the search for identity. Scribner Classics.
Blais decision brings new concern to the disabled
People with Disabilities Outraged by Murders
History of euthanasia in Canada
Tracy Latimer is dead because her father is a murderer

Katie Baker

No Photo Name: Katie Lynn Baker.
Died: May 28, 1996.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: British Columbia, Canada.
Disability: Rett syndrome.

Details:
Katie’s mother deliberately starved her to death because she believed that Katie did not want to live.

Case status:
Cheryl Baker (Mother). Never charged.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Katie Lynn Baker
Crown Will Not Lay Charges in Death of Katie Lynn Baker
People with Disabilities Outraged by Murders
Remembering…
History of euthanasia in Canada Tracy Latimer is dead because her father is a murderer

Justin and Sandra Blair

Photo of a gravestone. It reads: Blair, Sandi Kay, 1960-1996. Justin Michael, 1987-1996. Mother and son. Name: Sandra Blair.
Age at death: 36.
Disability: Injury from a car accident.

Name: Justin Blair.
Age at death: 8.
Disability: Cerebral palsy; blindness.

Died: March 11, 1996.
Cause of death: Bludgeoned with hammer.
Location: Concord, New Hampshire, USA.

Details:
Sandra and Justin, mother and son, were killed by Sandra’s husband, Justin’s father, who bludgeoned them with a hammer.

Case status:
Robert Blair (Father); convicted of murder; sentenced to two consecutive life terms.

Source:
Man Convicted in Hammer Slayings of Wife, Son

Fiona Mitchell

No Photo Name: Fiona Mitchell.
Died: July 12, 1995.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Disability: Brain injury from meningitis, causing blindness and deafness.

Details:
While her siblings lived in the rest of the house, little Fiona was shut up in a room and forgotten, denied care, medical attention, and even food and water. She died of starvation.

“…Fiona was among those whose cases were diffused by factual findings by the coroner. Though Fiona died of malnutrition, the Medical examiner attributed her death to her having had meningitis and said it was “amazing she lived as long as she did.” —Misplaced Mercy

Case status:
Mary Mitchell (Mother), pleaded no contest to criminally negligent homicide; two-year suspended sentence.

Source:
Misplaced Mercy
Girl’s Mother Indicted on Murder Charge

Lucas Ciambrone

Name: Lucas Ciambrone; birth name, Pedro Garcia.
Died: May 13, 1995.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Florida, USA.
Disability: Reactive Attachment Disorder.

Details:
Lucas was kept naked in a bathroom, abused by his parents, and died of a head injury. He had multiple broken ribs that had gone untreated for months, and was malnourished. At trial, defense experts argued that because he had an attachment disorder, Lucas’s behavior traumatized his parents so much that it excused what they had done to him.

Lucas liked Star Wars.

Case Status:
Joseph Ciambrone (Adoptive father), convicted of first-degree murder, sentenced to life.
Heather Ciambrone (Adoptive mother), convicted of first-degree murder, sentenced to 55 years; appealed sentence, sentenced to life.

Sources:
‘Almost like he’s possessed;’ Couple convicted of murdering adopted son tried RAD defense
AT Victim — Lucas Ciambrone
Lucas Ciambrone