Age Categories – Page 9 – Disability Day of Mourning

Jermiyah Puskac

Photo of a boy with pale skin and short-cropped brown hair, wearing a bulky black jacket and holding up his hand to the camera. Name: Jermiyah Puskac.
Died: April 29, 2023.
Age at death: 17 months.
Cause of death: Head and neck trauma.
Location: Ocala, Florida, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Jermiyah’s mother allegedly caused a skull fracture and neck injury, and then did not call an ambulance until a day after the injury happened. Jermiyah spent two days in the hospital before he died. He had bruises and other injuries consistent with child abuse.

Case Status:
Puskac Summerfield (Mother), charged with murder.

Sources:
Marion County mother charged with murder in death of her 17-month-old son
Central Florida mother charged in infant’s death
Central Florida woman accused of killing her 17-month-old son, deputies say
‘I’ll just have another one’: Mother who gave shifting stories about toddler son’s death now facing murder charges
Autism Memorial: Jermiyah Puskac

Hashi Som

No Photo Name: Hashi Som (Sometimes spelled “Harshi Som”).
Died: April 28, 2023.
Age at death: 86.
Cause of death: Bludgeoned.
Location: New Delhi, National Capital Territory, India.
Disability: Arthritis, mobility impaired.

Details:
Hashi was found dead in her home. She had massive head injuries. Allegedly, her daughter-in-law, frustrated at having to care for her, bludgeoned her to death with a pressure cooker.

Case Status:
Sharmishtha Som (Daughter-in-law), charge with murder.

Sources:
In Delhi, 86-year-old killed with frying pan, cooker by daughter-in-law
Mom-in-law beaten to death in Delhi for refusing to live in care home
Delhi: Woman brutally beats 86-year-old mother-in-law to death using frying pan

5-year-old girl

No Photo Name Unknown.
Died: April 27, 2023.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Beaten.
Location: Surat, Gujarat, India.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
This 5-year-old girl died from her injuries after her mother, who came home to hear her crying, allegedly became infuriated and beat her severely.

Case Status:
Bilkisbanu (Mother), arrested on suspicion of murder.

Sources:
Surat: Shocking revelation in the murder of a 5-year-old disabled girl
A mother killed her 5-year-old disabled daughter in Surat
Shocking Twist in Surat Murder Case of 5-Year-Old Disabled Girl

Janice Houston

No Photo Name: Janice Lynn Houston.
Died: April 21, 2023.
Age at death: 55.
Cause of death: Beaten.
Location: Bullhead City, Arizona, USA.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
Janice was allegedly beaten to death by her son. According to her family, he had choked her the day before, then returned, broke in through a glass door, and beat her to death.

Case Status:
Joseph Houston (Son), arrested on suspicion of murder.

Sources:
Homicide Arrest
Woman dies after alleged beating by son
Arizona Man, 27, Beats Disabled Mother to Death

Abhijit Jaybhay

No Photo Name: Abhijit Jaybhay.
Died: April 13, 2023.
Age at death: 27.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Hadapsar, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
Disability: Accidental head injury; bedridden.

Details:
Abhijit’s father allegedly strangled him because of the medical expenses involved in caring for him.

Before his injury, Abhijit was a laborer like his father.

Case Status:
Baburao Dinkar Jaybhay (Father), charged with murder.

Sources:
‘Not able to bear medical expenses’, labourer kills bedridden son
Man Arrested On Charge Of Murdering Son

E. Balavva

No Photo Name: E. Balavva.
Died: April 13, 2023.
Age at death: 80.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
Disability: Unspecified; bedridden.

Details:
Ms. Balavva was allegedly strangled by her son. Police say he buried her body behind a rice mill and, when questioned, confessed to the killing, saying that she had become a burden to him.

Case Status:
Chinna Balayya (Son), arrested; accused of murder.

Sources:
Telangana Man Strangles Mother To Death For Being A
Telangana: Unable to serve old mother, man strangles her to death
Telangana: Man strangulates ill mother to death as he felt her as a burden

Gary Lew

No Photo Name: Gary Lew.
Died: April 11, 2023.
Age at death: 68.
Cause of death: Beating.
Location: Denton, Nebraska, USA.
Disability: Spina bifida, dementia; wheelchair user.

Details:
Gary was beaten to death by his daughter, son in law, cousin, and a family friend. Two young children witnessed the incident.

Case Status:
Christina Thornley (Daughter), pleaded no contest to six charges including abuse of a vulnerable adult, false imprisonment, being an accessory to murder, and evidence tampering; sentenced to 15 years.
Justin Thornley (Son in law), pleaded no contest to manslaughter, tampering with evidence, vulnerable adult abuse, false imprisonment, and criminal conspiracy; sentenced to 25 to 30 years.
Jacob Thornley (Cousin), pleaded no contest to manslaughter, abuse of a vulnerable adult, false imprisonment, evidence tampering and criminal conspiracy; sentenced to 29 to 30 years.
Braden Bongers, pleaded no contest to attempted assault; sentenced to 9 to 18 years.

Sources:
Final 2 of 4 suspects convicted in Omaha man’s murder sentenced to prison
Three men accept plea deals in beating death of wheelchair-bound Omaha man
Multiple suspects found guilty in Omaha man’s death after pleading ‘no contest’
3 of 4 suspects in Omaha man’s murder plead ‘no contest’

Carol Clark

Name: Carol Clark.
Died: April 9, 2023.
Age at death: 72.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Falls Township, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Stroke, diabetes, mobility impaired (Wheelchair user).

Details:
Carol’s body was found in a shed. Her son had drugged her with Fentanyl and then fatally shot her.

Case Status:
Sean Rivera (Son), agreed to plead guilty to homicide, kidnapping, aggravated assault, and drug possession with intent to deliver; plea deal is for life without parole.

Sources:
Falls man takes plea deal to avoid death penalty in murder of his mother
Man Accused Of Drugging & Shooting His Mother
Son Charged With Murder of Bucks Co. Woman
Falls man drugged mother, took her to Philadelphia and fatally shot her: Police
Bucks County man charged with killing his mother on her 72nd birthday

Grace Kinard

Photo of an elderly woman with fair skin and short blonde hair, wearing glasses, dangling earrings, and a black turtleneck. She is smiling for the camera. Name: Grace Kinard.
Died: April 8, 2023.
Age at death: 81.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Hellam Township, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Frail elder, chronic illness.

Details:
Grace’s husband shot her, then died by suicide. He left no note, but police believe that his reasons included Grace’s worsening health and his inability to care for her.

Case Status:
Ronald Kinard (Husband), deceased.

Sources:
Health issues apparently at the root of weekend murder-suicide, police say

Eliana Gonzalez

Photo of a young girl sitting at a table, wearing a fluffy pink robe. She has light skin and long black hair with a pink bow in it and a mouse-ears headband. Name: Eliana “Nichie” Paloma Gonzalez.
Died: April 7, 2023.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Hit by car.
Location: Prunedale, California, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Eliana left her home and was killed when she tried to cross a highway and was hit by a car. Police believe her father, fully aware of the danger to Eliana, deliberately took no precautions to prevent the accident.

Eliana’s name has been variously reported as Eliana Paloma, Eliana Gonzalez, and Nichie Paloma.

Case Status:
Jermain Gonzalez (Father), charged with second-degree murder and child abuse; pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter and child abuse, sentenced to 10 years.

Sources:
Prunedale dad convicted for daughter’s death on Highway 101
7-year-old girl killed while trying to cross Highway 101
Prunedale dad convicted for daughter’s death on Highway 101
7-year-old girl killed while trying to cross Highway 101
Autism Memorial: Eliana Gonzalez
Monterey County Father Charged with Murder After 7-Year-Old Daughter Tragically Killed on Highway 101
Prunedale father charged with murder in death of autistic daughter
Father arrested after daughter, 7, killed on Highway 101 in Monterey County
DA: Arraignment postponed for father of girl killed while trying to cross Highway 101