Age Categories – Page 151 – Disability Day of Mourning

Yolanda Reese-Brooks

Photo of Yolanda Brooks, an African-American woman. The photo is very blurry. Name: Yolanda Reese-Brooks.
Died: October 22, 2012.
Age at death: 40.
Cause of death: Obesity and “unspecified injuries”.
Location: Warren, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Injuries from car accident; obesity.

Details:
In 2011, Yolanda had been in a car accident that crushed her pelvis and ruptured her bladder, and was thereafter unable to leave her bed.

Her husband did not keep her clean or care for her, and by the time he called the hospital for help, she was already dying.

Yolanda was the mother of four children, who were two to thirteen years old when she died.

Case status:
Michael Brooks (Husband), pleaded guilty to neglect, sentenced to 2 years probation.

Source:
Man pleads guilty to neglect in death of obese wife
Michigan man charged with abusing his bedridden 400-pound wife and letting her rot in squalor until she died
Michael Brooks, Husband Of Obese Woman Yolanda Reese-Brooks, Avoids Jail Time In Wife’s Death

Robin Adams Jr.

No Photo Name: Robin Adams Jr.
Died: February 2012; body found October 12, 2012.
Age at death: 23.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Hephzibah, Georgia, USA.
Disability: Cri du chat syndrome.

Details:
Instead of taking Robin to the doctor to help him stay fed and hydrated, Robin’s mother neglected him and Robin starved to death. His family failed to report his death and kept collecting his disability payments for several months.

Case status:
Angela Mercer (Mother), convicted of murder, sentenced to 30 years to life; released after 6 years.
Deaidra Motley (Sister), charged with concealing a death.

Source:
Coroner calls mummified body case ‘one of the worst ones that we’ve ever seen’
$100,000 bond set for woman accused in disabled son’s death
Augusta mother sentenced to life in prison for death of disabled son

Deborah Crouch

Photo of Deborah Crouch, a middle-aged woman with light skin and curly dark-brown hair. She is wearing a gold pendant necklace and smiling, showing a gap between her front teeth. Name: Deborah “Debbie” Ann Spain Crouch.
Died: September 15, 2012.
Age at death: 53.
Cause of death: Drowning.
Location: Big Bear Lake, California, USA.
Disability: Unspecified (Wheelchair user); chronic illness.

Details:
Deborah’s husband put her in the car, drove it into the lake, and left her there. Unable to escape the car, Deborah drowned. Her black lab, Onyx, was in the car and died with her. At autopsy it became clear that Deborah had also been beaten.

She was the mother of two sons.

Case status:
Ronald Hitchcock (Husband), convicted of second-degree murder and animal cruelty, sentenced to 15 years to life.

Source:
Big Bear Man Sentenced for Drowning His Disabled Wife and Their Dog
Man sentenced for driving dog, disabled wife into lake
Obituary: Deborah Crouch
Local Woman Identified in Swim Beach Incident
Man Convicted of Second-Degree Murder for Driving Wife, Dog Into Big Bear Lake
Man Arrested After His Girlfriend, Her Dog Found Dead Inside Submerged Vehicle news/local/Murder-Animal-Cruelty-Man-Drives-Dog-Woman-Into-Lake-San-Bernardino-Big-Bear-472147413.html”>Man Convicted After Leaving Wife, Dog to Die in Car in Lake

Patricia Kohler

Name: Patricia Kohler.
Died: September 11, 2012.
Age at death: 72.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: West Palm Beach, Florida, USA.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease, depression.

Details:
Patricia’s daughter and granddaughter allegedly locked her in her room and refused to feed her. Patricia died of starvation.

Case status:
Jessica Rampersad-Singh, aka Cummings (Granddaughter), pleaded guilty to manslaughter by culpable negligence, aggravated abuse of the elderly, and fraud; sentenced to 18 years.
Diane Robinson (Daughter), pleaded guilty to manslaughter by culpable negligence, sentenced to 10 years probation.

Source:
After daughter flips, granddaughter expected to plead guilty to woman’s starving death
Mom, daughter accused of starving grandmother, 72, to death
Diane Robinson, Jessica Rampersadsingh: Charged with the 2012 death of Patricia Kohler
Elderly woman starves to death; daughter, granddaughter charged

Shaneca Webber

No Photo Name: Shaneca Webber.
Died: September 5, 2012.
Age at death: 30.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Millington, Tennessee, USA.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
Shaneca’s mother allegedly confessed to police that she had hit her daughter in the head with a fire extinguisher.

Case status:
Kathy Webber (Mother); charged with first-degree murder.

Source:
Mother Says She Murdered Disabled Daughter With Fire Extinguisher
Woman found murdered in Millington identified
Mother Heads To Court, Admits to Killing Daughter
Millington Woman Found Murdered

Erin Crabtree

Photo of Erin Crabtree, a teenage girl with pale skin and brown hair, smiling at the camera. Someone in a lion costume is resting their hand on her shoulder. Name: Erin Crabtree.
Died: September 4, 2012.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Opiate poisoning.
Location: Maudsland, Queensland, Australia.
Disability: Developmental disability, autism.

Details:
Erin was allegedly fatally poisoned with codeine by her mother, who staged her death as a suicide and collected life insurance. Five years later, Erin’s brother Jonathan would die the same way.

When Erin’s mother was finally arrested, Erin’s sister, also disabled and in her mother’s custody, was found in bad shape from having been repeatedly dosed with sedatives, and was rescued.

Case status:
Maree Crabtree (Mother), charged with two counts of murder, grievous bodily harm, torture, fraud, and armed robbery.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Erin Crabtree
Mum’s strange decision before deaths
Witness claims mum accused of murdering children wished son was dead: court
Gold Coast mum Maree Mavis Crabtree accused of murdering her two disabled children
‘Very controlling’: Chilling allegations against Qld mum accused of killing her disabled kids
Mum’s strict rules before alleged murder
Mom murdered her two adult children for insurance payouts, police say
Australian mother arrested after she allegedly poisoned her disabled kids
Gold Coast mother killed two adult children for financial gain, police allege
Maree Crabtree ‘told disabled son to hold up a chemist’
Mum, 51, charged with murdering her kids told one to rob a chemist
Mother accused of poisoning her disabled adult children to death bagged $500k in insurance
‘Killer mum’ claimed $500k in insurance for disabled kids
Mum allegedly poisoned two children, prepared suicide note
Queensland mother allegedly murdered her two children with disabilities for money
Mother charged over children’s murders
QLD mother charged with murder, torture after allegedly poisoning two children to death
Friend says murdered Jonathon Crabtree was ‘full of life’
Jonathan Crabtree tried to call best mate an hour before his death
Australian mother arrested for the alleged murder of her two disabled children
Gold Coast mother killed two adult children for financial gain, police allege
Son of murder-accused had been ‘trying to pick up his life’ before he was found dead
Pictured: Disabled siblings ‘poisoned to death by rat-loving mother’
Australian mum ‘poisoned, killed disabled children for financial gain’, police claim
Murder-accused mother used prescription drugs to control children: police
Police say murder-accused mum helped son secure $200,000 disability benefits, then staged his suicide
Mum accused of disabled kids’ murder said one got Autism from a needle
Australian woman kills two ‘disabled’ adult children for financial gains
Mum partied as Erin died alone
Father of murdered siblings tried to have his son put in care
The missing Sprite cup in the police case against an accused double murderer

Ayanda Mnisi

No Photo Name: Ayanda Mnisi.
Died: August 16, 2012.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Strangulation.
Location: KaMhlushwa, South Africa.
Disability: Epilepsy.

Details:
Ayanda’s father raped and strangled her to death.

Case status:
Sunnyboy Phakimpi Mnisi (Father), sentenced to 15 years for murder and 3 years each for two counts of rape.

Source:
Mpumalanga man jailed for raping, murdering daughter
Father admits to killing epileptic daughter, but denies raping her

Timothy Brooks

No Photo Name: Timothy James Brooks.
Died: August 8, 2012.
Age at death: 52.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Marlow, Oklahoma, USA.
Disability: Bipolar disorder, Schizophrenia.

Details:
Timothy Brooks owned a ranch and liked to go hunting.

His son allegedly shot him dead, then posed him to make it look like a suicide and collect the life insurance.

The death was initially ruled “undetermined”. Six years later, Timothy’s son was charged with murder.

Case status:
James Kyle Brooks (Son), charged with first-degree murder; trial resulted in hung jury. Retrial scheduled.

Source:
Second Trial Set For Oklahoma Man Accused Of Killing Dad For Life Insurance
Hung jury: Additional details from Brooks case that doesn’t reach verdict | News | duncanbanner.com
Charge: Man killed Marlow dad, tried to make it look like a suicide
Man charged with murdering father: Brooks accused of killing father to collect $500,000 life insurance policy
Timothy James Brooks – View Obituary & Service Information
Newcastle man arrested, accused of killing his father for insurance money

Antonio Mendez

Name: Antonio Mendez.
Died: August 7, 2012.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Trauma, malnutrition.
Location: Palm Springs, California, USA.
Disability: Developmental disability.

Details:
Antonio’s sister and her boyfriend are accused of neglecting, starving, and beating him to death.

Case status:
Ines Patrisia Mendez (Sister), charged with murder and dependent abuse.
Shanen Ryan Riley (Sister’s boyfriend), charged with murder.

Source:
Couple re-enter not guilty pleas to murder of her mentally disabled brother
Death Of Woman’s Developmentally Disabled Twin: Did She Kill Him?
Desert Hot Springs Couple Accused Of Killing Disabled Boy Appear in Court | MyNewsLA.com
Local couple accused of killing disabled twin brother granted continuation due to developments in case
Hearing Pushed Back For Couple Accused Of Killing Disabled Boy In 2012
Hearing Set For Tuesday For Couple Accused Of Killing Disabled Boy
Woman charged in murder of her mentally disabled twin brother who was living in repugnant conditions
COUPLE CHARGED AND ARRESTED IN 2012 DESERT HOT SPRINGS MURDER

Gabriel Philby-Zetzsche

Photo of a round-faced man in a red baseball cap and orange-and-white jersey. He has light skin and is wearing glasses. Name: Gabriel Philby-Zetzsche.
Died: July 26, 2012.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Traumatic injury.
Location: Westerlo, New York, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Gabriel’s mother stabbed and bludgeoned him to death.

Case status:
Tracey Zetzsche (Mother), pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter, sentenced to 20 years.

Source:
Episode 13: Gabriel Philby-Zetsche
Amnesia figures in manslaughter plea for Westerlo woman
Declaring her love, mother given 20 years for killing son