Category: Age Categories

Sarah Dubois-Gilbeau

Photo of a young African-American girl wearing an oversized red T-shirt. Her hair is done in braids; she has an arm behind her head, and she is smiling.Name: Sarah Dubois-Gilbeau.
Died: April 5, 2019.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Sarah’s father beat her to death because she refused to do her schoolwork. Her mother says that her father refused to accept she was autistic.

Sarah liked acting out movie scenes and reading Lego Ninjago comic books.

Case status:
Brandon Reynolds (Father), pled guilty to intentional child abuse resulting in the death of a child; sentenced to 30 years to life.

Source:
ABQ man gets life in beating death of daughter
Autism Memorial: Sarah Dubois-Gilbeau
Mom says 5-year-old allegedly killed by father had autism
New Mexico father beat daughter, 5, to death after she refused to do homework: cops
Mother of murdered little girl says she was autistic, claims dad who beat 5-year-old to death over homework ‘couldn’t deal’ with diagnosis
Dad ‘battered autistic girl, 5, to death with shoe for refusing to do homework’
Father is arrested for allegedly beating 5-year-old autistic daughter to death with shoe for refusing to do homework

Jaden and Jorden Webb

Photos of twin boys with brown hair and pale skin. One boy is wearing a red Christmas sweater and smiling. The other is wearing a green Christmas sweater.Name: Jaden Webb.
Name: Jorden Webb.
Died: April 4, 2019.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Tucson, Arizona, USA.
Disability: Autism.  

Details:
Jaden and Jorden, twin brothers, were shot dead by their grandmother.

Case status:
Dorothy Flood (Grandmother), pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter, sentenced to 21 years.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Jaden and Jordan Webb
Tucson grandma sentenced to 21 years for killing grandsons with autism
Grandmother pleads guilty to murdering autistic grandsons
Arizona Woman Indicted in Deaths of Twin Grandsons
Grandmother arrested in deaths of 8-year-old Tucson twins
Grandmother charged with murdering autistic grandsons
Tucson woman admits to shooting her twin autistic grandsons
Arizona woman shot dead her orphaned, autistic 8-year-old twin grandsons, then tried to kill herself by overdosing
Twin Boys With Autism Fatally Shot by Arizona Grandmother, Who Tried to Kill Herself: Court Docs
Court documents: Tucson woman admits to shooting, killing twin grandsons
Police: Woman admitted to killing special needs grandsons
Ariz. woman charged with killing 2 grandchildren with autism
Court documents offer background on killing of twin grandsons
Arizona woman indicted in deaths of twin grandsons

Paula Meadows

Black and white photo of a woman with chin-length hair and fair skin, wearing a striped scarf; she is smiling for the camera.Name: Paula Meadows.
Died: April 2, 2019.
Age at death: 83.
Cause of death: Unspecified homicide.
Location: Bucklebury, Berkshire, England, UK.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Paula’s husband killed her in a murder-suicide.

She had three children.

Case status:
Tony Meadows (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Retired Concorde pilot found dead alongside wife in suspected murder-suicide in Kate Middleton’s home village
Pilot who flew Princess Diana and the Queen found dead alongside wife in suspected murder-suicide
Couple found dead in Kate Middleton’s home village
Pair found dead believed to be Concorde pilot and wife, as police probe ‘murder’
Queen’s Concorde pilot and wife found dead in home in Kate Middleton’s village
Queen’s former pilot found dead in suspected murder-suicide
Former Concorde captain and wife found dead in Duchess of Cambridge’s home village

Linnie Everett

Photo of a woman with short, curly hair and fair skin, wearing a light white blouse and smiling for the camera.Name: Linnie Maude Everett.
Died: March 30, 2019.
Age at death: 80.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Morton, Mississippi, USA.
Disability: Bedridden, chronic illness.

Details:
Linnie’s husband shot her dead in a murder-suicide.

Case status:
Thomas G. Everett (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Elderly man dies after allegedly killing his wife before turning gun on himself
Elderly man kills wife, shoots self, Scott County sheriff says
Names released after man kills wife, attempts suicide
Gary and Linnie Everett

Tika Young

Photo of a young woman with bushy brown hair and fair skin, leaning against a car, wearing a printed camo T-shirt that says, Name: Tika Young.
Died: March 30, 2019.
Age at death: 37.
Cause of death: Bludgoned.
Location: Blue Ridge, Arizona, USA.
Disability: Chronic back pain, arthritis.

Details:
Tika’s housemate bludgeoned her to death with a side table and then tried to hide her body. He claimed that she had asked him to hit her and he knew she meant that he wanted her to kill her because of her chronic pain, but her family said that Tika didn’t want to die and her pain wasn’t severe so that story didn’t make sense. Her killer impersonated her on Facebook for weeks after the murder, but her family noticed something was wrong and asked for a welfare check.

Case status:
Patrick Nagel (Housemate), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, sentenced to 25 years.

Source:
Tika Young’s family searches for memories as Blue Ridge man sentenced for murder
Blue Ridge man pleads not guilty to first-degree murder
Arizona murder suspect impersonated victim for weeks, brother says

Kylee Willis

Photo of Kylee Willis, a toddler girl with Down syndrome. She is wearing a Christmas sweater with a reindeer on it. She is grinning and has her forefinger in her mouth. Her hair is light blonde and wispy.Name: Kylee Willis.
Died: March 29, 2019.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Rancho Cucamonga, California, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome.

Details:
Kylee’s mother’s boyfriend was babysitting for her. When she interrupted him, he allegedly beat her severely. She spent several days on life support before dying of her injuries.

Case status:
Adam Hughes (Mother’s boyfriend), charged with murder; convicted, sentenced to 15 years to life.
Corrine Blake (Mother), convicted of cruelty to a child, sentenced to probation.

Source:
Save Down Syndrome: Kylee Willis
Girl, 4, with Down Syndrome ‘beaten to death by mother’s boyfriend’
Calif. Man Allegedly Killed Girl with Down Syndrome, 4, Because He Was Mad She Interrupted Him

Sam Koets

Photo of a smiling boy in a helmet. His arms are tied to his side with straps. He has fair skin and dark hair and is wearing an orange shirt.Name: Sam Koets.
Died: March 28, 2019.
Age at death: 16.
Cause of death: Drowning, hypothermia.
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Sam was made to live in the family’s unfinished basement, in horrible conditions. He died when his father left him alone, hands tied, near the family’s pool on a cold spring day. A little while later, he texted Sam’s thirteen-year-old sister, asking her to check on Sam. She sent back a photo of Sam, wading chest-deep in the pool, which was so cold it had ice floating on top. Sam’s father, however, did nothing to help Sam; he did not call emergency services, attempt to return home, or contact anyone but Sam’s thirteen-year-old sister who was watching Sam die in front of her eyes. Sam’s body was found floating in the icy pool; he had been dead at least an hour.

Case status:
Timothy Koets (Father), charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree child abuse, second-degree child abuse committed in the presence of another child and fourth-degree child abuse, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, sentenced to 2-15 years in prison.
Michelle Koets (Mother), sentenced to 21 days in jail for refilling Sam’s Ritalin prescriptions after he died.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Sam Koets
‘Sam had value’: Judge sentences father, former GRCC professor to 2-15 years for disabled son’s drowning
Father pleads guilty in drowning death of disabled son
GRCC fires man accused of manslaughter in son’s death
Mother enters plea for refilling dead son’s prescriptions
Michigan man charged with involuntary manslaughter in autistic son’s drowning death now accused of illegally filling teen’s prescriptions
GRCC professor headed to trial in son’s death
Haunting final photo shows disabled boy moments before he drowned in icy pool
Michigan dad charged after bound autistic son drowns in pool
‘It’s a nightmare:’ Professor’s arrest in death of son with severe autism rocks family
Former student shocked after professor charged in son’s death
Dad Charged in Death of Teen Son Who Has Autism
Local professor faces manslaughter charges in autistic son’s death
Michigan Professor Arraigned in Drowning Death of Autistic Teen Son Found in Icy Pool With Arms Bound
Father didn’t alert rescuers when son with autism waded into deep, cold pool, police report says
Father charged with manslaughter in son’s death
Teen with severe autism found dead in icy pool with arms bound; Michigan professor father charged
Professor facing charges in drowning death of son with special needs
Father charged with manslaughter in son’s death
Georgetown Township Father Arrested After Son’s Death
Professor facing charges in connection with drowning death of son with special needs

Vivek Kakadiya

No PhotoName: Vivek Kakadiya.
Died: March 28, 2019.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Strangulation.
Location: Khijaria village, Visavadar taluka, Junagadh district, Gujarat, India.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Vivek’s sister-in-law allegedly strangled him because she believed he was “a burden… she would have to carry for the rest of her life”.

Case status:
Daya Kakadiya (Sister-in-law), charged with murder.

Source:
Gujarat: Woman held for killing brother-in-law with learning disability

Rebecca Fogel

Photo of Rebecca Fogel, a young woman sitting in an airplane seat, wearing a red T-shirt and smiling for the camera. Her messy dark-brown hair is drawn back in a half-ponytail.Name: Rebecca Fogel.
Died: March 26, 2019.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Fall injuries.
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.
Disability: Unspecified special needs, wheelchair user.

Details:
Rebecca’s father took her to the top of a parking garage and jumped while holding her. Both died on impact.

Rebecca, an outgoing girl who liked to be around friends, was a long-standing member of the Friendship Circle of Michigan, a group for people with disabilities. Shosh Newman, a Friendship Circle member, says that Rebecca was “like a little sister” who “changed [her] life forever”; thanks to Rebecca, she decided to become a Special Education teacher.

Rebecca loved the color red. As a little girl, she wanted to name her little brother “Mr. Salt”, from Blue’s Clues. She grew up into an articulate young woman who talked non-stop and got standing ovations for her performances at the summer camp talent show.

Case status:
Andrew Fogel (Father), deceased.

Source:
Doctor, daughter with special needs die in apparent murder-suicide
Doctor, daughter with special needs die in apparent murder-suicide at Hard Rock casino

Janette Dunbavand

Black and white photo of Janette Dunbavand as a younger woman. She has short curly dark hair and pale skin; she is wearing a white robe and a mayor's chain of office.Name: Janette Dunbavand.
Died: March 22, 2019.
Age at death: 81.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Northchurch, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England, UK.
Disability: Dementia.

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

Janette lived in the same house for her whole life. She served as town mayor from 1994-1995 and had two children.

Case status:
John Dunbavand (Husband), deceased.

Source:
The tragic letter dad wrote to children before he killed himself and his wife
Man who shot wife ‘could not bear her suffering’
Husband left heartbreaking note before shooting his wife
Former councillor, 81, may have shot his wife and then himself
Burglars break into home of dead couple just days after ‘murder suicide’