Remembering the Disabled Murdered by Caregivers
Name: Virginia “Jenny” Chumbley.
Died: August 28, 2013.
Age at death: 44.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: London, Kentucky, USA.
Disability: Breast cancer.
Details:
Jenny’s husband shot her in the head as she slept. He claimed he had done it to “stop her suffering”.
Case status:
Ernest Christ Chumbley (Husband), pleaded guilty to manslaughter, sentenced to 13-15 years.
Source:
Man who says he killed wife to stop suffering given 15 years
Name: Mary Bowers.
Died: August 25, 2013.
Age at death: 83.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Orange City, Florida, USA.
Disability: Stroke, Alzheimer’s; recently moved to assisted living facility.
Details:
Mary was shot to death by her husband, who then shot himself.
Case status:
Gary Bowers (Husband), deceased.
Source:
Caregivers who kill their spouses share traits, experts say
Police: Man kills wife, self at assisted living facility
Murder-suicides among elderly driven by illness, depression
Mary Emma Willoughby Bowers (1930 – 2013) – Find A Grave Memorial
Name: Marian Roberts.
Died: August 17, 2013.
Age at death: 57.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Oakland, California, USA.
Disability: Quadriplegic, TBI.
Details:
Marian was shot by her father in a murder-suicide.
Case status:
William K. Roberts (Father), deceased.
Source:
Oakland father, daughter shot to death in murder-suicide
Oakland man kills disabled daughter, self
Elderly Oakland man kills disabled daughter, self
Oakland father, daughter shot to death in murder-suicide
Name: Melissa Torres.
Died: August 4, 2013.
Age at death: 32.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: New York City, New York, USA.
Disability: Quadriplegic.
Details:
Melissa’s boyfriend strangled or suffocated her.
Melissa had a two-year-old son who was in the apartment at the time. Though he was alone for most of the next day, the little boy was found safe and now lives with his grandmother.
Case status:
Angelo Sanchez (Boyfriend), convicted of and sentenced to 25 years to life.
Source:
Quadriplegic Woman Found Dead In Her Williamsburg Bathroom, Boyfriend Charged
Boy left with murdered mom’s body still thinks she’s just sleeping
NYC man gets 25 years to life for suffocating quadriplegic girlfriend, leaving son with body
Name: Hayley Dea Bell.
Died: August 1, 2013.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Pneumonia, malnutrition.
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Disability: Developmental disability; tube-fed; epilepsy.
Details:
Hayley’s mother refused services and took her daughter out of school. Hayley died of starvation and pneumonia, weighing 12 kilograms (26 pounds).
Case status:
Elisha Bell (Mother), caregiver. No charges.
Source:
Starved, sick and unschooled: Did child protection fail Hayley?
Bell, Hayley Dea
Name: Matthew Hafer.
Died: Several days before July 27, 2013.
Age at death: 28.
Cause of death: Prescription drug overdose.
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Disability: Autism.
Details:
Matthew’s mother poisoned him with an overdose of prescription drugs.
Case status:
Joann Hafer (Mother), pled guilty to second-degree murder; sentenced to 10 years to life.
Source:
Autism Memorial: Matthew Hafer
Woman accused of killing son who had autism set for court
Police: Vegas woman drugged adult son to death
Mom accused of fatally drugging son appears in court
Police: Woman survives suicide attempt, arrested in death of disabled son
Court case
Name: Melinda ‘Mindy’ Pace.
Died: July 22, 2013.
Age at death: 58.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Jackson, Mississipi, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.
Details:
Mindy’s sister fatally shot Mindy and her dog before committing suicide.
Case status:
Nancy Pace (Sister), deceased.
Source:
Murder/Suicide – Killed – Melinda Pace (Jackson, MS)
Jackson woman who killed sister dies
Name: Lola Mae Stout.
Died: July 14, 2013.
Age at death: 73.
Cause of death: Heat stroke.
Location: Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Disability: Stroke, goiter, schizophrenia.
Details:
Instead of getting medical care for their ailing mother, Lola Mae’s sons and husband loaded her in the back of the van where they all lived along with 35 starving animals. As they loaded her in, she collapsed, but they ignored her and went on a two-hour drive to Phoenix. The van had no air conditioning; when they arrived, they found her dead.
Case status:
Alan Stout (Son), sentenced to 2 years probation for vulnerable adult abuse and animal cruelty.
Gregory Stout (Son), sentenced to 2 years probation for vulnerable adult abuse and animal cruelty.
Alva Stout (Husband), sentenced to 2 years probation for vulnerable adult abuse and animal cruelty.
Source:
Men get probation for abuse in mother’s death
AZ woman found dead in van carrying 35 animals
Name: Isaiah A. Buckner.
Died: July 10, 2013.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Peritonitis from untreated internal injury.
Location: Athol, Massachusetts, USA.
Disability: Autistic, deaf, visually impaired.
Details:
Isaiah died soon after he was rushed to the hospital with abdominal trauma. His caregiver had kicked him in the stomach, severing his small intestine; then the injury was ignored for several days, killing him.
Isaiah attended Austine School for the Deaf. He was energetic and social and liked to give everyone hugs.
Case status:
Christopher Vinsant (Mother’s boyfriend), pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter, sentenced to 8-10 years.
Source:
Autism Memorial: Isaiah Buckner
Athol man pleads guilty in death of 10-year-old Isaiah Buckner
Man pleads guilty to manslaughter for Athol boy’s death in 2013
Man pleads guilty to manslaughter for Athol boy’s 2013 death
Investigative report details 110 child abuse and neglect deaths, with a third happening under eye of Mass. DCF
Isaiah Buckner | Out of the shadows
Name: Mary Swierzewski.
Died: July 6, 2013.
Age at death: 59.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: East Rockhill, Alabama, USA.
Disability: “Mentally handicapped”.
Details:
Mary was shot by her father in a murder-suicide.
Mary “loved to dance. She also enjoyed volunteering at the Sellersville Theater, Quakertown Library and participating with the Silver Sneakers at the Upper Bucks YMCA. Mary loved bells and took great pride in her collection. She also enjoyed watching Dora, the Explorer and Sponge Bob.”
Case status:
Thaddeus Swierzewski (Father), deceased.
Source:
Murder/Suicide – Thaddeus Swierzewski (Bucks County, PA)
Mary Swierzewski (1953-2013) – Find a Grave.