Age: Elder – Page 47 – Disability Day of Mourning

Albert Vereen

An African-American man in a white T-shirt. Name: Albert Lee Vereen.
Died: August 7, 2015.
Age at death: 63.
Cause of death: Sepsis.
Location: Longs, South Carolina, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; wheelchair user.

Details:
When Albert was admitted to the hospital in poor condition, doctors called police to report neglect. The next day, he died of sepsis from a large, untreated bedsore.

Albert had seven grandchildren.

Case status:
Ronya Green (Daughter), charged with abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult resulting in death.
Albert Vereen Jr. (Son), charged with abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult resulting in death.

Source:
Obituary of Albert Lee Vereen – Longs South Carolina
2 arrested for neglect after father dies from untreated bedsore

Norma Ludlam

Name: Norma Ludlam.
Died: July 6, 2015.
Age at death: 75.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Eli Waters, Queensland, Australia.
Disability: Frail elder.

Details:
Norma was severely beaten by her neighbor and caregiver. She was taken to the hospital alive, but survived only two days before succumbing to head injuries.

Case Status:
Frederick Ronald Sinfield (Neighbor, caregiver), convicted of murder, sentenced to life.

Sources:
Hervey Bay carer denies murdering frail friend | The Courier Mail
Man charged with 75-year-old Norma’s brutal murder
The Queen v Sinfield (No 2) [2019] QSCPR 5
Man accused of murdering 75yo Fraser Coast woman remanded in custody

Anne Schmidt

No Photo Name: Anne Schmidt.
Died: July 5, 2015.
Age at death: 73.
Cause of death: Fire.
Location: Vineland, Ontario, Canada.
Disability: Unspecified; wheelchair user.

Details:
Police had been called to Anne Schmidt’s home because of a domestic disturbance. When they got there, they found that her son had poured gasoline all over the living room; and when an officer approached, Anne’s son ignited the gasoline. Anne was in a wheelchair and unable to escape the flames; she and her son both died. The police officer who had tried to help her was badly burned, but recovered.

Case status:
Karl Schmidt (Son), deceased.

Source:
Vineland explosion ruled murder-suicide
Officers hailed for ‘heroic efforts’ in Vineland explosion
NRPS officers heroic acts recognized by SIU
Obituary of Anne and Karl Schmidt
Long road ahead for burned police officer

Debra Mae Shelton

Photo of Debra Mae Shelton, a middle-aged woman with brown hair and pale skin. She has a round face and is smiling slightly. Name: Debra Mae Shelton.
Died: June 14, 2015.
Age at death: 61.
Cause of death: Complications of untreated abscess.
Location: Carleton, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Diabetes, chronic illness.

Details:
Debra Mae had been badly neglected when she was brought in to the hospital. She died from complications of high blood sugar and an untreated abscess that had caused infection to spread throughout her body.

Case status:
Robert G. Shelton (Husband), pleaded no contest to second-degree vulnerable adult abuse, sentenced to 5 years probation.

Source:
Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS) – Offender Profile
Carleton man pleads in wife’s death
Debra Shelton’s Obituary
Debra Shelton
Woman who weighed 550lbs had live MAGGOTS living on her skin
‘He did all he could’: Friend defends Carleton man in jail

Harold Ambrosius

Name: Harold N. Ambrosius.
Died: June 12, 2015.
Age at death: 89.
Cause of death: Smoke inhalation.
Location: Hobart, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Heart disease.

Details:
Harold’s friend used to come by and help him with chores–until one day she set his house on fire. He died of smoke inhalation combined with his underlying heart disease.

Harold was a retired truck driver and tavern owner.

Case status:
Roni Coonen Anderson (Friend, caregiver), pleaded no contest to murder, sentenced to 20 years in prison and 15 years extended supervision.

Source:
Hobart arson murder: Woman sentenced to 20 years in prison for killing man in 2015 fire
$100,000 bond for Hobart murder, arson suspect
Harold Ambrosius Obituary, De Pere, WI

Hiroko Ono

Name: Hiroko Ono.
Died: June 5, 2015.
Age at death: 83.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Sacramento, California, USA.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Hiroko was allegedly stabbed to death by her husband.

Case status:
Masaharu Ono (Husband), charged with murder; released from jail into hospice care due to his bad health.

Source:
Documents: 92-year-old accused of killing wife near death in hospice care
Calif. man, 89, charged with murdering his wife: cops
Nonagenarian Accused of Killing Wife Said to Be Near Death

David Matwiju

Photo of a man with fair skin and shaggy brown hair and beard. His eyes are wide open, giving him a wild look. Name: David Lee Matwiju Sr.
Died: June 3, 2015.
Age at death: 64.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Springfield Township, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Stroke, kidney disease, alcoholism.

Details:
David starved to death while in the care of his wife.

Mr. Matwiju was a US military veteran whose alcoholism began after his return from Vietnam.

Case status:
Dorothy Matwiju (Wife), convicted of failing to provide for a functionally impaired person, sentenced to 1 year probation.

Source:
Springfield Township wife sentenced for neglecting ailing husband, who later died
Springfield Township Police: Wife charged after husband found starved to death
Springfield Township woman’s lack of care contributed to husband’s death, police say

Dorothy Berry

No Photo Name: Dorothy Berry.
Died: May 24, 2015.
Age at death: 77.
Cause of death: Malnutrition, sepsis.
Location: Merritt Island, Florida, USA.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Dorothy’s son and daughter neglected her, keeping her on a wooden bench in the living room and not feeding or cleaning her. She died from malnutrition and infected bedsores.

Case status:
George Mack Berry Jr. (Son), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 5 years probation.
and Susan Dawn Berry (Daughter), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 5 years in prison.

Source:
Supervised Population Information Detail
Inmate Population Information Detail
Merritt Island siblings fight charges in mom’s death

Louis Spires

No Photo Name: Louis Spires.
Died: May 15, 2015.
Age at death: 68.
Cause of death: Smothered.
Location: Louth, England, UK.
Disability: Alcoholic, visually impaired, mobility impaired.

Details:
Louis’s partner smothered him by putting a pillow over his face and sitting on it.

Case status:
Lynn Stallard (Partner, caretaker), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 12 years to life.

Source:
Pensioner who murdered her housebound and disabled partner by putting a pillow on his head and SITTING on it faces life in jail

Izaltina King

No Photo Name: Izaltina King.
Died: March 19, 2015.
Age at death: 86.
Cause of death: Neglect.
Location: New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; needed 24-hour care.

Details:
Izaltina died when she fell to the floor and was left there for nearly 24 hours. She also had bedsores and two toes that had become necrotic.

Case status:
Steven E. King (Son), charged with neglect.

Source:
New Bedford man charged with neglect in mother’s death