Age: Child – Page 7 – Disability Day of Mourning

Joseph Barney

Name: Joseph Barney.
Died: June 1, 2021.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Malnutrition, battered child syndrome.
Location: Bronx, New York City, New York, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Joseph, who lived with his mother and her boyfriend, was brought to the hospital and declared dead there. His body weighed 30 pounds, less than two-thirds of what a child his age should have weighed, and showed signs of battered child syndrome.

Joseph liked watching videos of subway trains. Monkeys were his favorite animal, and his favorite foods were pizza, ice cream, candy, fruit snacks, and Capri Suns.

Case Status:
Michael Ransom (Mother’s boyfriend), charged with murder, and aggravated manslaughter of a person under 11.
Sharay Barney (Mother), charged with murder, and aggravated manslaughter of a person under 11.

Sources:
Autism Memorial: Joseph Barney
Parents Indicted on Murder, Manslaughter Charges in Alleged Starvation Death of NYC Boy
Woman and Boyfriend Charged for Death of 8-year-old Autistic Son
Bronx parents indicted in starvation death of 8-year-old boy
Mom, Boyfriend Charged in Death of 8-Year-Old Autistic Boy in the Bronx
Autism Memorial: Joseph Barney
Parents charged with murder in malnourished 8-year-old son’s death
Death of 8-year-old autistic boy in the Bronx ruled a homicide, cops say
Malnutrition probed in death of 8-year-old Bronx boy
Autistic 8-year-old Bronx boy’s death ruled a homicide, was victim of repeated beatings
Autistic NYC boy, 8, dies — possibly from severe malnutrition

Darren Henson

Name: Darren Henson.
Died: May 31, 2021.
Age at death: 9.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Louth, England, UK.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Darren’s stepfather stabbed him and his mother to death. He had grown to hate Darren and wanted to wipe out his mother’s bloodline.

Darren loved football (soccer), especially Chelsea football. He was “a happy child with a kind heart.”

Case Status:
Daniel Boulton (Stepfather), convicted of two counts of murder, sentenced to 40 years to life.

Source:
Evil Daniel Boulton’s twisted hatred for autistic boy he killed
Manhunt killer handed minimum of 40 years for murdering woman and autistic son
Child safeguarding and domestic homicide review set after double Louth murders
Man who stabbed mother, 26, and her autistic son, nine, to death is convicted | Daily Mail Online
Autism Memorial: Darren Henson
Ex-partner brutally stabbed mother and autistic son in front of baby, court told
Violent ex ‘brutally stabbed mum and autistic son to death before 24-hour manhunt’ – Plainsmen Post
Coventry gran’s tribute to boy, 9, after alleged double murder
Suspect, 29, ‘knifed to death ex-partner and her autistic son, nine’

Liam Husted

Name: Liam Husted.
Died: May 28, 2021.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Liam’s body was found by hikers. Initially unidentified, he was called “Little Zion” until a family friend recognized his photo as that of Liam, who had gone missing along with his mother. Less than a day later, police found her and arrested her on suspicion of murder.

Liam loved to swim. He attended a school for autistic children and had a therapist to visit him at home for “behavioral issues,” but these services were suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Case Status:
Samantha Moreno Rodriguez (Mother), pleaded guilty to murder, child abuse, neglect, or endangerment resulting in substantial bodily harm, sentenced to 28 years to life.

Source:
Samantha Moreno-Rodriguez: sentenced to life in prison for murdering 7-year-old autistic son
California woman accused of killing 7-year-old son near Las Vegas sentenced to life in prison
Mom who killed 7-year-old autistic son on hike outside Las Vegas sentenced to minimum of 28 years in prison
Mother guilty of strangling 7-year-old son, dumping body in desert receives sentencing
Sentencing date set for mother charged in 7-year-old son’s murder
The murder of Liam Husted: Mother, 36, pleads guilty to strangling autistic son, 7, to death
Mom accused of strangling 7-year-old agrees to plead guilty
Mother Strangles 7-Year-Old Autistic Son, Dumps His Body In Desert
Autism Memorial: Liam Husted
Prosecutor: California mother admitted strangling special-needs son found dead in Nevada desert
California woman arrested after special-needs son’s body found in remote Nevada area
Samantha Moreno Rodriguez arrested in special needs 7 yr old son murder
Body Of John ‘Little Zion’ Doe Found Near Las Vegas Identified As Missing San Jose 7-Year-Old; Mother Wanted For Murder
California mom suspected in son’s death arrested after nationwide manhunt
Mother arrested in Denver in connection with San Jose boy’s death near Las Vegas
Mother arrested for death of son found dumped on Las Vegas hike trail
San Jose Mother Suspected of Killing 7-Year-Old Son Arrested in Denver
California mom jailed in Denver following son’s Vegas death

9-year-old boy

No Photo Name Unknown.
Died: April 21, 2021.
Age at death: 9.
Cause of death: Drowning.
Location: Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
This 9-year-old boy lived with his father in a house with an old, dirty swimming pool out back. There was no fence around the pool, nor safety locks on the door to the outside. Child protective services has reported that he had once been found wandering alone outside.

On the day he died, the boy’s father reported that he had left the back door open, and the boy had fallen into the pool. Instead of calling emergency services, he called the child’s mother, and then only called emergency services when she told him to do so. At first reluctant to retrieve the child from the pool because he was afraid of water and could not swim, he finally fished him out with a rake and did CPR. The boy was declared brain-dead at the hospital.

Case Status:
Gareth Grant (Father), pleaded no contest to aggravated manslaughter; sentenced to one year of community control and five years of probation.

Source:
Port St. Lucie man enters plea deal sparing him prison time in drowning of 9-year-old son
Port St. Lucie Police Detectives Arrest Man for Aggravated Manslaughter of a Child in Drowning Death of His Son
Father jailed on aggravated manslaughter of a child charge after son’s death in Port St. Lucie
Man arrested in connection with son’s drowning death in Port St. Lucie
Dad arrested for manslaughter after 9-year-old autistic son found at bottom of pool
Port St. Lucie man charged with manslaughter in autistic son’s drowning
Autism Memorial: 9-year-old boy

Jax Ponomarenko

Name: Jax Ponomarenko.
Died: March 25, 2021.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Beaten with baseball bat.
Location: Parma, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Jax’s father called 911, saying, “I’ve killed my son,” and claimed he had been hearing voices. He then described how he had beaten the boy to death with a baseball bat.

Jax used a tablet to communicate.

Case Status:
Matthew Ponomarenko (Father), pleaded guilty to aggravated murder, kidnapping, and child endangerment; sentenced to 45 years to life.

Source:
Parma father who beat 5-year-old son to death with baseball bat avoids death penalty, will spend life in prison
Autism Memorial: Jax Ponomarenko
Man Pleads Not Guilty After 911 Call Shows Alleged Confession in Baseball Bat Murder of 5-Year-Old Son
Matthew J Ponomarenko: Parma dad beats autistic son with baseball bat, calls 911: ‘I’m hearing voices’
5-year-old boy killed in Parma, boy’s father arrested, police say
Matthew Ponomarenko beats autistic son, Jax, 5, to death w/ baseball bat
GRAPHIC: ‘I just killed my son after hearing voices,’ Parma, Ohio dad tells 911 dispatcher
Ohio dad admits killing autistic 5-year-old son with baseball bat

Janevive Adienge

No Photo Name: Janevive Adienge.
Died: February 25, 2021.
Age at death: Child.
Cause of death: Poisoning.
Location: Homa Bay, Kenya.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
Janeveve’s uncle told her mother that he was signing Janeveve up for some help from a charity, but then he instead signed Janeveve and her mother up for a life-insurance policy, with himself as the beneficiary. A year later, one of her uncle’s friends distracted her mother with some forms that he said she needed to fill out to get assistance; while her mother was busy, he gave Janeveve poison. Janeveve’s mother called for help, but it arrived too late for the girl, who died. The killer and an associate were both convicted of murder, but the judge found that, although the uncle had been involved in the plot, there was insufficient evidence to charge him.

Case Status:
Lucas Odhiambo Okello (Uncle), not charged.
Kevin Ogot (Killer), convicted of murder.
Moses Omondi Sumba (Accomplice), convicted of murder.

Sources:
Two found guilty of killing disabled child for insurance claim
Two found guilty of killing disabled child for insurance claim

Jerome Brown

No Photo Name: Jerome Brown.
Died: February 14, 2021.
Age at death: 11.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Paynesville, Greater Monrovia, Liberia.
Disability: Epilepsy.

Details:
Jerome was born with epilepsy, and when she could not find a cure for him in the spiritual treatments she sought, his mother left him to his father to raise. A neighbor reported finding him close to death in his father’s home; shortly after being found, Jerome died.

Jerome’s mother says that his father starved him to death, and that photos of his body in an extremely emaciated condition corroborate her claims. Police initially declared that he had died of epilepsy; but Jerome’s death was eventually declared to be a homicide and his father and stepmother arrested.

Case Status:
Emmanuel Brown (Father), charged with manslaughter.
Wanneh Tarpalah (Stepmother), charged with manslaughter.

Source:
Little Jerome’s Mother Seeks Justice
Court To Try Couple For Alleged Manslaughter, After 11-Yr-Old Son Starved To Death
“No Foul Play in Little Jerome’s Death” (Caution: graphic images of starvation)
Child, 11, Starved to Death (Caution: graphic images of starvation)

Nanako Tokutani

No Photo Name: Nanako Tokutani.
Died: February 13, 2021.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Drowning.
Location: Kawakami, Nagano Prefecture, Japan.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
Police found Nanako’s body floating in a lake, and her father, soaked with water, in his car in the parking lot. He allegedly kidnapped her from her special needs school, took her to the lake, and drowned her. He told police that his daughter’s disability was “a burden to [his] wife” and that he wanted to “escape this life”.

Case Status:
Kazuhiko Tokutani (Father), suspected of murder.

Source:
Nara: Man killed disabled 10-year-old daughter ‘to escape this life’
Man arrested in Nara Prefecture allegedly killed disabled daughter “to escape this life”

Peter Cuacuas

Name: Peter Cuacuas.
Died: February 10, 2021.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Newburgh, New York, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Peter lived with his mother, but saw his father every Saturday. He stopped attending his online classes in January; in February, he was brought to the hospital, dead on arrival from starvation and weighing only 37 pounds. He died because his mother kept him locked into his room and denied him food.

Case Status:
Letitia Bravo (Mother), pleaded guilty to manslaughter, sentenced to 15 years.
Arturo Cuacuas (Father), pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide, sentenced to one and one-third to four years in prison.

Sources:
Caregiver pleads guilty in starvation death of 7-year-old boy
Memorial marks 1 year since starvation death of Newburgh boy
Dad Admits Role In Child’s Death, Will Testify Against Girlfriend
Autism Memorial: Peter Cuacuas
‘He weighed 37 pounds, and he was 7 years old.’ Questions linger following Newburgh boy’s death
Inquiry To Be Launched Into Newburgh Schools Following Starvation Death Of 7-Year-Old Peter Cuacuas
Letitia Bravo Facing Murder Charges After 7-Year-Old Peter Cuacuas Dies Of Starvation

Jamal Anderson Jr.

Name: Jamal Anderson Jr.
Died: February 8, 2021.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome.

Details:
Jamal died from a gunshot wound to the stomach. Intially, his father claimed that Jamal had been shot by home invaders; but when police found the murder weapon in a backpack outside the house, it turned out to be his father’s gun.

Jamal loved music and dancing and could often be found talking to relatives on his iPhone.

Case Status:
Jamal Anderson Sr. (Father), pleaded guilty to child neglect, sentenced to 12 years in prison, 8 years extended supervision, and “over $1000” in restitution.

Sources:
Dad charged after son, 5, with Down syndrome fatally shot in stomach
Jamal Anderson, Jr.
12 years in prison for Milwaukee father in fatal shooting of son
My son life was taken by gun violence at 5yrs old, organized by Jaquita Harbour