Age Categories – Page 124 – Disability Day of Mourning

Justin Kirby

Photo of Justin Kirby. He is a man with ruddy skin and light brown hair, wearing a white sweatshirt. His hair is cut short; his expression is neutral. Name: Justin Kirby.
Died: September 26, 2015.
Age at death: 26.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Bloomington, Indiana, USA.
Disability: Rod-cone dystrophy; visual impairment.

Details:
Justin was shot by his wife. She claimed self-defense, but the placement of the bullet wounds proved he had been shot while trying to run away.

He was a stay-at-home dad for his three children; he loved the outdoors and riding his horse.

Case status:
Taylor Roxann Kirby (Wife), pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, sentenced to 15-22 years.

Source:
Justin Wayne Kirby – View Obituary & Service Information
Woman who killed husband sentenced to 22 years
Neighbor says children played 20 feet away from dying father

Thelma Hayner

No Photo Name: Thelma Ruth Hayner.
Died: September 23, 2015.
Age at death: 84.
Cause of death: Heart attack, aggravated by infection from untended pressure sores.
Location: Asheboro, North Carolina, USA.
Disability: Dementia, frail elder.

Details:
Thelma’s son and daughter-in-law allegedly neglected her, leaving her alone at home, locked into her room and in her bed. When she was finally taken to the hospital, doctors discovered multiple severe pressure sores and malnutrition. She died of a heart attack shortly thereafter, her body weakened by infection and poor care.

Case status:
James Hayner (Son), convicted of elder neglect resulting in serious injury and involuntary manslaughter, sentenced to 1 year 1 month to 2 years 1 month.
Kathleen Hayner (Daughter-in-law), convicted of elder neglect, sentenced to 10 months to 1 year 9 months.

Source:
State v. Hayner, 840 S.E.2d 539
Couple charged in alleged elder neglect death

John Pehota

Photo of John Pehota, a fair-skinned, balding man in a sports-themed sleeveless shirt and glasses. Name: John “Jack” Pehota.
Died: September 23, 2015.
Age at death: 77.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: The Hammock, Florida, USA.
Disability: Heart condition, mobility impairment.

Details:
John was shot by his wife.

He loved the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing, and collected guns. In 2005, a local newspaper published a letter to the editor that John had written, in which he complained about a recent ban on beach-going vehicles. The ban on vehicles extended to John’s mobility scooter, and because he could not walk to the beach while carrying his fishing tackle, the ban prevented him from going fishing.

John owned a small dog and was often seen walking the dog around his neighborhood.

Case status:
Anna Pehota (Wife), convicted of second-degree murder, sentenced to life without parole, with a mandatory minimum of 25 years.

Source: Anna Pehota, 75, Charged With 2nd-Degree Murder for Shooting Husband in Hammock
“He Kept Pushing Me Mentally”: Anna and John Pehota’s Life Before She Shot Him

Kathryn Burroughs

No Photo Name: Kathryn “Katie” Burroughs.
Died: September 22, 2015.
Age at death: 35.
Cause of death: Suffocation.
Location: Barrington, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy, intellectual disability.

Details:
Katie’s father suffocated her, then committed suicide.

Katie enjoyed attending summer camp.

Case status:
Harry Burroughs (Father), deceased.

Source:
Barrington father, daughter dead in apparent murder-suicide, coroner says

Gurneer Chaddha

No Photo
Name: Gurneer Chaddha, also spelled “Gunoor” or “Gurneet”.
Died: September 14, 2015.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Rajouri Garden, West Delhi, India.
Disability: Liver disease, asthma, intellectual disability, from aspiration of amniotic fluid during birth.

Details:
Gurneer’s mother spent a lot of money at private hospitals to try to cure her daughter. She strangled Gurneer before killing herself; in her suicide note, she said that she had killed her daughter because Gurneer’s illness could not be cured.

Case status:
Vidhi Chaddha (Mother), deceased.

Source:
‘Please cremate me along with my daughter’: Heartbroken mother kills her two-year-old girl and herself over child’s serious illness | Daily Mail Online
New Delhi: Woman kills daughter, commits suicide over disease
Delhi woman kills child, self over deadly disease

David Swallow

No Photo Name: David Swallow.
Died: September 9, 2015.
Age at death: 49.
Cause of death: Fire.
Location: Dunston, England, UK.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
David’s mother burned their house down in a murder-suicide; David was taken to the hospital and died there sixteen days later. His father, who tried to rescue him, was hurt but survived.

Case status:
Audrey Swallow (Mother), deceased.

Source:
Desperate attempt to save disabled man from blaze
‘She’d never have hurt him’ – Coroner’s verdict on fire which killed mother and son
Fatal Dunston house fire started deliberately
Double death fire ‘started by woman who wanted to kill herself’
Double fire death inquest set to be held today

Jessica Hagan

A blonde young woman with Down Syndrome, wearing a fuzzy blue sweater and a medal around her neck. Name: Jessica Hagan.
Died: September 8, 2015.
Age at death: 19.
Cause of death: Poisoning.
Location: Cranston, Alberta, Canada.
Disability: Down syndrome.

Details:
Jessica’s mother allegedly poisoned her with a fatal drug overdose.

Jessica loved the Alberta Ballet and collected Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! cards. Her brother, a bodybuilder, names her as his biggest supporter.

Case status:
Christine Hagan (Mother). Never charged; died months later of natural causes.

Source:
Homicide unit investigating suspicious death in Cranston
Calgary police declare Jessica Hagan’s death a homicide, but no charges

Margaret Yamaguchi

Photo of Margaret Yamaguchi, a middle-aged Asian woman wearing a white dress and holding a bouquet of red roses. Name: Margaret Machiko Yamaguchi.
Died: September 7, 2015.
Age at death: 61.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Covina, California, USA.
Disability: Unspecified (Assisted living facility resident).

Details:
Margaret’s daughter went to the assisted living center where she was staying and stabbed her to death.

Case status:
Athina Sumi Rivera (Daughter), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, sentenced to 10-16 years.

Source:
Woman Allegedly Stabs Mother to Death at Assisted Living Facility in Covina
Woman gets 16 year prison sentence for stabbing mother to death at Covina senior living facility
Margaret Yamaguchi Obituary

Julie Collier

Photo of Julie Collier, a woman with straight blond hair, wearing a floppy hat. She is smiling. Name: Julie Anne Collier.
Died: September 5, 2015.
Age at death: 55.
Cause of death: Head trauma.
Location: Chippenham, Wiltshire, England, UK.
Disability: Mobility impairment (wheelchair user), possibly due to alcoholic neuropathy and a bad fall.

Details:
Julie’s husband killed her by beating her in the head and face.

Julie was an outgoing woman whose favorite band was the Manchester pop group “Take That”.

Case status:
Christopher Collier (Husband), charged with murder; pleaded guilty to manslaughter, sentenced to 4 years.

Source:
Man charged with murder in Chippenham
Police launch investigation into Chippenham woman’s death
Neighbours tell of their shock as husband faces murder charge
Family tribute to Julie Collier after murder charge
Man who killed disabled wife in drink-fuelled row jailed
Man who beat disabled wife to death during argument at Chippenham home is jailed for four years
Alcoholic husband jailed for four years for bludgeoning disabled wife to death in Chippenham

Sze-ming Chan

Name: Sze-ming Chan.
Died: September 5, 2015.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Poisoning.
Location: Hong Kong, China.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Sze-ming’s father killed him and kept the body in his apartment. About five or six days later, he killed himself and Sze-ming’s eight-year-old brother Sze-ho by filling the apartment with charcoal smoke.

Case status:
Chun-hing Chan (Father), deceased.

Source:
Hong Kong father who killed his sons in murder-suicide ‘saw his fortune disappear after inviting dishonest relative to run his business’
Triple murder-suicide: Hong Kong father took son for breakfast before returning to flat to burn charcoal
Autism Memorial: Sze-ming Chan