Age Categories – Page 54 – Disability Day of Mourning

Hector Pizarro

Name: Hector J. Pizarro.
Died: September 4, 2019.
Age at death: 16.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Congenital disability, autism, epilepsy, mobility impaired.

Details:
Hector had been known to child protective services for some time. At one point, he was found to weigh only 60 pounds and monitored by child welfare until he gained weight to 68-70 pounds. But once watchful eyes were averted, Hector was once again neglected.

Hector’s mother brought him to the emergency room, weighing 42 pounds. He died shortly thereafter from malnutrition, with a bedsore covering one side of his body, making it clear that he was neglected to death. Her neighbors had been completely unaware that Hector even lived there.

Case status:
Iraida M. Pizarro-Osorio (Mother), convicted of chronic child neglect resulting in great bodily harm, sentenced to 4 years probation.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Hector Pizarro
Milwaukee woman sentenced to 4 years’ probation in death of son
Autism Memorial: Hector Pizarro
16-year-old Milwaukee boy weighed 42 lbs.; mother charged with his death
Mom charged in death of 16-year-old son who weighed just 42 pounds
Milwaukee mom charged with starving her son to death
16-year-old boy weighs 42 pounds at death, mother charged
Milwaukee mom charged with neglect of teenage son, weighed just 42 pounds at time of death
Mother charged in death of disabled, 42-pound teen

Skylea Carmack

Photo of a girl with light, freckled skin, brown hair pulled back, smiling for the camera. Name: Skylea Carmack.
Died: September 4, 2019.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Gas City, Indiana, USA.
Disability: Developmental disability, possibly autism.

Details:
Skylea’s stepmother strangled her, then reported her missing, saying she had vanished from her home. Police issued a Silver Alert, announcing that Skylea had a history of running away to her mother’s home and might have an autism awareness blanket with her. Skylea’s body was found behind her home several days later.

Skylea was one of six siblings.

Case status:
Amanda Carmack (Stepmother), convicted of murder, neglect of a dependent, strangulation, and domestic battery; sentenced to life without parole.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Skylea Carmack
Jury recommends life without parole for Indiana woman convicted of killing 10-year-old stepdaughter
BREAKING: Missing 10-year-old girl found strangled in shed behind home [Police]
Skylea Carmack: Autopsy confirms girl found dead in shed was strangled as stepmom remains jailed for her
Court docs: Stepmom killed Gas City girl over charm bracelet. Abuse, confinement marked her last hours.

Amzin Shaw

Name: Amzin “Bibi Jasmin” Shaw.
Died: September 3, 2019.
Age at death: 63.
Cause of death: Smoke inhalation.
Location: Queens, New York, USA.
Disability: Stroke.

Details:
Bibi Jasmin died in a fire allegedly set by her niece’s boyfriend, who was staying rent-free with her and her niece. She had recently had a stroke, and used a cane and sometimes a wheelchair, and was unable to get out of the house. Apparently, she had attempted to evict the couple because they did not help her pay for rent or utilities and, when asked, her niece’s boyfriend threatened to kill her.

Bibi Jasmin was one of 17 siblings and had several grandchildren.

Case status:
Rampersaud Persaud (Boyfriend of niece), charged with murder and arson.

Source:
Murder charge in Queens Village fire
Queens Village Man Charged in Death of Wheelchair-bound Property Owner who Evicted Him
Former Tenant Accused Of Setting Deadly Fire Due In Court On Murder, Arson Charges
Man Charged With Murder As Woman Dies in Queens Fire: NYPD
Man charged with murder in Queens fire that killed woman: police
Ungrateful tenant charged in deadly arson that killed Queens homeowner: ‘Her kindness got her killed’

Dinah Durham

No Photo
Name: Dinah Durham.
Died: September 2, 2019.
Age at death: 65.
Cause of death: Sepsis.
Location: Mableton, Georgia, USA.
Disability: ALS.

Details:
Dinah was starved and left alone in her wheelchair until she developed severe pressure sores that quickly became infected. She died from sepsis, weighing only 75 pounds.

Case status:
Christopher Lee Durham (Son), charged with felony murder, neglect, and exploiting an elderly or disabled person
James Stephen Stanfield Jr. (Son), charged with felony murder and neglect.

Source:
Cobb brothers indicted, accused of murder, neglect in disabled mother’s death
They left their mother sitting in her own feces for 2 weeks before she died. Now, they face felony charges
Cobb men charged with murder following disabled mother’s death
Mableton brothers killed elderly mother, police say

Janet Lewis

No Photo Name: Janet Lewis.
Died: September 1, 2019.
Age at death: 76.
Cause of death: Stabbing.
Location: Hullbridge, Essex, England, UK.
Disability: None; husband convinced she would have a stroke and need to go to a nursing home.

Details:
Janet’s husband was convinced that he was getting dementia and that Janet was going to have a stroke, and that he would need to put her in a nursing home and pay £800 a day for her care. He stabbed her to death and attempted to hang himself, but survived.

Janet’s husband does not have dementia; he was diagnosed with anxiety and “obsessive worrying”, declared competent to stand trial, and convicted of murder.

Case status:
Robert Lewis (Husband), convicted of murder, sentenced to 16 years.

Source:
Hullbridge murder trial: Robert Lewis jailed for murder of wife Janet
Hullbridge murder trial: Robert Lewis guilty of murdering wife Janet
Janet Lewis death: Husband ‘had abnormal mental functioning’
Hullbridge: Robert Lewis murdered wife Janet after ‘obsession’ with dementia

Barbara Walsh

No Photo Name: Barbara Walsh.
Died: August 31, 2019.
Age at death: 85.
Cause of death: Sepsis, pressure sores, bone fractures.
Location: Clinton Township, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Disabled elder.

Details:
Barbara was found on the floor of her apartment by paramedics, where she had been for two days, and died a few weeks later in the hospital. She had been abused and neglected by her daughter, leaving her with multiple bone fractures, many bruises, and a large untreated bedsore, and was bleeding into her brain; the medical examiner concluded that blunt trauma had contributed to her death.

Case Status:
Ann Marie Walsh (Daughter), convicted of first-degree vulnerable-adult abuse; sentenced to 4 years 9 months to 15 years.
Acquitted of murder because the jury could not determine whether she intended to “commit great bodily harm” when she abused her mother.

Sources:
Walsh acquitted in mom murder trial
Experts disagree on what contributed to death of eldelry Clinton Township woman
Clinton Township woman acquitted of murder, convicted of elder abuse in death of mother
Clinton Township woman denies she abused mother in two police interviews
Clinton Township woman bound over on felony murder charge in mother’s death

Deborah Leitch

Name: Deborah Leitch.
Died: August 29, 2019.
Age at death: 24.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: South Shore, Blackpool, England, UK.
Disability: Down syndrome.

Details:
Deborah’s mother let her die from “severe emaciation and neglect;” Deborah was found starved in her home, with a severe and untreated scabies infection.

She was described by her family as a cheerful girl who was “always smiling.” She loved horses, had a boyfriend, and had attended college and a day-care program.

Case Status:
Elaine Clarke (Mother), pleaded guilty to gross negligence manslaughter, sentenced to 6 to 9 years 7 months.
Robert Bruce (Household member), charged with allowing or causing the death of a vulnerable adult; charges dropped.

Source:
SAR Learning Brief – Jessica “Jessica” is Deborah’s pseudonym.
Debbie Leitch looked ‘like a skeleton’ before neglect death
Mother’s manipulation of social services left vulnerable woman to die of malnutrition in filthy bed
Mum who starved daughter to death will not have sentence increased
Mum who starved disabled daughter to death could see jail sentence increased
My monster ex starved our daughter to death – she’ll be out in just 6 years
Mum who allowed disabled daughter to die in squalor jailed
Mum abandoned daughter who starved to death in infested room
Evil mum starved disabled daughter to death in ‘maggot and faeces’ covered room
My ex starved our daughter to death while taking £215 a week in benefits
Mum left her disabled daughter to starve to death in ‘faeces-laden’ and ‘maggot-infested’ bedroom
My ex-wife starved our disabled daughter to death – I found out on Facebook
Pair appear in court accused of causing the death of ‘vulnerable’ disabled woman in South Shore
Blackpool woman’s death: Pair charged with manslaughter
Two charged with manslaughter over death of emaciated and neglected 24-year-old
Pair face charges over death of woman with Down’s syndrome by neglect
Two face charges after disabled girl was found dead with ‘severe emaciation’

Polly Bahadoor

Name: Polly Kunti “Mama” Bahadoor.
Died: August 25, 2019.
Age at death: 83.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Charlieville, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago.
Disability: Arthritis; wheelchair user.

Details:
Polly was bludgeoned to death.

She was a quiet, helpful woman who made and sold food to the neighbors. Energetic and “always moving”, she liked to have her nails painted and “pretty up”.

Case status:
Devanand Bahadur (Grandson), charged with murder.

Source:
Teen charged with killing his enfeebled grandma
Wheelchair granny, 85, beaten to death
83-year-old woman murdered in Charlieville
Trinidad: ‘Quiet’ granny’s murder stuns family
Relatives in shock

Amy Nguyen

Photo of a teenage girl in a flowered baseball cap, lavender Bratz t-shirt, and black-and-white giraffe-print skirt. Name: Amy Nguyen.
Died: August 20, 2019.
Age at death: 14.
Cause of death: Traumatic injury.
Location: Ontario, California, USA.
Disability: Unspecified special needs.

Details:
Amy and her 4-month-old sister Kaitlyn were found dead, with “visible injuries”, and their mother was arrested on suspicion of having killed them.

Amy loved colorful clothing. She was fond of bows, headbands, skirts, and bracelets, and often complimented others on their clothes. She doted on her baby sister. Her classmates called her “Sweet Amy”, and remember how welcoming she was to new students and anyone who felt out of place.

Case status:
Linda Nguyen (Mother), charged with murder.

Source:
Friends say goodbye to Amy and Kaitlyn Nguyen
Woman accused of killing her two children to undergo mental evaluation
California Mother Under Investigation For Murder Of Her Daughters And Attempted Suicide
Ontario mother’s suicide notes detailed plan to kill her two daughters, ages 4 months and 14 years, police say | FOX 10 Phoenix
Mom is responsible for deaths of 2 girls found in Ontario home, police say
Ontario Mother Left Suicide Notes Indicating Plan to Kill Her 2 Daughters First, Police Say
Linda Nguyen: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know
LA-area mother left note detailing plan to kill her children, arrested in their death

Vanessa Mayfield

Selfie of a young woman with dark skin and very curly short black hair, big hoop earrings, and a T-shirt that looks like a sports jersey and spells out "SEXY". Name: Vanessa Faye Mayfield.
Died: August 17, 2019.
Age at death: 31.
Cause of death: Head trauma.
Location: Fort Worth, Texas, USA.
Disability: Unspecified, likely developmental disability or mental illness.

Details:
Vanessa was experiencing homelessness and was known among the homeless community in Fort Worth for her honesty, stubbornness, wild hair, and hearty laugh. She was the mother of a new baby.

Her fiance had a job at a restaurant and she hoped he’d be able to provide for her. Instead, he allegedly assaulted and killed her.

Case status:
Jared Seavey (Fiance), convicted of murder, sentenced to 30-99 years.

Source:
Man who murdered fiancee outside Fort Worth church sentenced to 99 years
Suspect in homeless woman’s murder was fiance who claimed to be ‘out of town,’ friend says
Woman found dead on stairwell outside a Fort Worth church; 21-year-old man arrested