Age Categories – Page 17 – Disability Day of Mourning

Leon Apler

Name: Leon Apler.
Died: August 29, 2022.
Age at death: 6.
Cause of death: Drowning, head injury.
Location: St. Johann, Tirol, Austria.
Disability: SYNGAP1.

Details:
Leon’s father claimed that he had been mugged, and that Leon had fallen into the River Ache, where he was found dead from drowning and a head injury. However, investigators believe Leon’s father faked the mugging in order to cover up Leon’s murder.

Leon’s favorite toy was a huge stuffed lion. He loved bubbles and “everything that spins”.

Case Status:
Florian Apler (Father), charged with murder.

Sources:
Drowned in Ache – Leon (6) begins his last journey
Dad who claims he was mugged has been arrested for murder of his disabled son
Austria tragedy as disabled boy, 6, drowns after his father was ‘knocked unconscious’

Amora Milbourne

Name: Amora Lou Milbourne.
Died: August 27, 2022.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Heat stroke.
Location: Cary, North Carolina, USA.
Disability: Chromosome deletion; prematurity, developmental delay, congenital heart disease, feeding difficulty, stroke.

Details:
Amora’s mother allegedly left her and her little sister Trinity in her car parked outside a gambling establishment, while she spent six hours gaming inside. The sisters died from hyperthermia; when their mother returned to find them unresponsive, she reportedly took 30-45 minutes to get them to the hospital, where they were declared dead. Their mother had been previously investigated by child protective services, who sent social workers to make sure that Amora and Trinity were being taken to medical appointments and properly supervised. The family was getting 40 hours of home health services per week for Amora.

Case Status:
Launice Shanique Battle (Mother), charged with two counts of murder.

Sources:
Cary mom admitted to leaving girls in hot car while gambling; autopsy reveals death by hyperthermia with decaying present
Cary mother charged with murdering 2 children had multiple previous reports of neglect
NC mother charged with murder after children die in hot car, police say
North Carolina mom admitted to leaving girls in hot car at play; Autopsy shows death from hyperthermia with decomposing gift – North Carolina News
Autopsies released on two Cary toddlers found in hot car. Mother charged with murder.
‘Something ain’t right’: Family of mother accused of killing daughters hadn’t heard from her in weeks

Barbara Willshire

Name: Barbara Willshire.
Died: August 24, 2022.
Age at death: 92.
Cause of death: Unspecified homicide.
Location: Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Disability: Disabled elder, declining health.

Details:
Barbara’s husband killed her and himself in a murder-suicide.

She and her husband lived in a retirement community. Friends said that her health had been failing over the past few months, and her husband had been “very distressed”.

Case Status:
Dennis Willshire (Husband), deceased.

Sources:
Couple found dead in Adelaide unit after suspected murder-suicide
Elderly husband and wife found dead in suspected murder-suicide identified

Joanna Parker

No Photo Name: Joanna Parker.
Died: August 22, 2022.
Age at death: 72.
Cause of death: Burns.
Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
Disability: Wheelchair user.

Details:
Joanna’s son allegedly poured gasoline on her and set her on fire. Emergency responders were able to extinguish the fire, but she died at the hospital.

Case Status:
James Parker (Son), charged with murder.

Sources:
Woman dies after being set on fire in Winston-Salem by son, police say

Patricia Martinez

No Photo Name: Patricia Martinez.
Died: August 20, 2022.
Age at death: 57.
Cause of death: Kidney failure.
Location: Bexar County, Texas, USA.
Disability: Chronic illness, diabetes.

Details:
Patricia was found in critical condition after allegedly being neglected by her children. She died a few days later in the hospital.

Case Status:
Oscar Dominguez (Son), Roxanna Carrero (Daughter), and Pedro Luis Carrero (Son).

Sources:
3 Adult Children Neglected Bedridden Mother So Severely She Had Mold Growing on Her Body: Sheriff
BCSO: Woman severely neglected by her 3 adult children dies in hospital
Mother dies after being found in ‘deplorable’ conditions; 3 arrested

Mary Cherella

No Photo Name: Mary E. Cherella.
Died: August 19, 2022.
Age at death: 77.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Wareham, Maryland, USA.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
Mary was shot by her husband in a murder-suicide.

Case Status:
Robert Cherella (Husband), deceased.

Sources:
Probable murder-suicide under investigation on private way near beach
Double fatal shooting reported in Onset
Wareham Shooting, 2 dead in Onset, MA murder-suicide, Investigation ongoing
Mary E. Cherella Obituary (2022)
Robert S. Cherella Obituary

Brayden Butcher

Photo of a young boy with pale skin and dark-red hair, wearing a gray sweatshirt. His expression is neutral. Name: Brayden Aaron Butcher.
Died: August 12, 2022.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma to head and torso.
Location: Tucson, Arizona, USA.
Disability: Autism, scoliosis, rheumatoid arthritis.

Details:
Brayden died of blows to the head and torso. His parents were arrested on suspicion of child abuse.

Brayden was a Star Wars fan who loved Darth Vader.

Case Status:
Joshua Aaron Butcher (Father), charged with murder and child abuse.
Mercedes M. Caho (Mother), charged with murder and child abuse.

Sources:
Pima County couple accused in death of special needs child
GoFundMe: Brayden’s Funeral
Brayden Aaron Butcher
Autism Memorial: Brayden Butcher

Steven Schaper

Name: Steven Schaper.
Died: August 10, 2022.
Age at death: 58.
Cause of death: Sepsis, bedsores, multiple infections.
Location: Des Moines, Iowa, USA.
Disability: Diabetes, chronic illness.

Details:
Steven died from neglect after being kept in poor conditions and denied medical care.

Case Status:
Jacob Schaper (Son), charged with second-degree murder.
Jocelyn Grisham (Son’s fiance), charged with second-degree murder.

Sources:
Iowa man died in ‘deplorable conditions’ after son, girlfriend denied him care: police
Iowa man and his fiancée arrested for father’s neglect death
West Des Moines Police Department News Release

Miss Hsieh

No Photo Name: Hsieh (Family name; given name unknown).
Died: August 4, 2022.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Taoyuan City, Taiwan.
Disability: Developmental delay, poor balance.

Details:
When three-year-old miss Hsieh refused to take her bath, her father beat her and then forced her to stand on a stool, from which she fell. She died of a brain injury; her body showed signs of regular beatings.

Case Status:
Mr. Hsieh (Father), convicted of child abuse resulting in death, sentenced to 9 years.

Sources:
Court sentences man for abuse, death of daughter
Supreme Court upholds man’s 9-year sentence for causing daughter’s death

Driti Balakrishna

Name: Driti Balakrishna.
Died: August 4, 2022.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Fall.
Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Disability: Autism, intellectual disability, hearing loss.

Details:
Driti died after falling from her fourth-floor balcony. After watching CCTV footage, police arrested her mother, who was allegedly upset because she had to care for Driti instead of working.

Case Status:
Sushma Bharadwaj (Mother), charged with murder.

Sources:
Autism Memorial: Driti Balakrishna
Bengaluru woman charged with murder for throwing her child off apartment
Bengaluru: Police charge dentist with murder for throwing autistic child from apartment
Caught on Cam: B’luru woman throws deaf and mute daughter to death from 4th floor
Woman throws 4-year-old daughter to death in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: 4-year-old dies as dentist mother throws her off fourth floor