Age: Teen – Page 12 – Disability Day of Mourning

Alexandru Radita

Photo of a thin teenage boy with sandy hair and pale skin, wearing a black and white print jacket and a lanyard. Name: Alexandru Radita.
Died: May 7, 2013.
Age at death: 15.
Cause of death: Sepsis, untreated diabetes.
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Disability: Juvenile diabetes.

Details:
Alexandru was neglected and confined to his room, and treatment for his diabetes was withheld. He died of a bacterial infection he could not fight because he was so badly malnourished.

Case status:
Emil Radita (Father), convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 25 years to life.
Rodica Radita (Mother), convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 25 years to life.

Source:
Testimony from convicted father of teen in malnourishment death delayed until June
Supreme Court won’t hear appeals of couple convicted in diabetic son’s death
Alex Radita’s Parents Guilty Of Murder: Dead 15-Year-Old Starved, Neglected
Parents face homicide charges in death of son
Alex Radita, 15, weighed 37 pounds when he died, murder trial hears
Alex Radita lay dead for up to 36 hours, police officer testifies at parents’ murder trial
Calgary murder trial hears diabetic teen was malnourished, covered in ulcers
Raditas guilty of 1st-degree murder of teen son who weighed 37 lb. at death
Diabetic boy’s parents who ‘didn’t believe in doctors’ found guilty of murder
A diabetic boy’s religious parents ‘didn’t believe in doctors.’ Now they’re guilty of his murder.
Can the sad, short life of one boy save others?
Appeal dismissed for Calgary parents convicted of murder in teen’s death

Darnell Hunter Jr.

Name: Darnell “DJ” Lamount Hunter Jr.
Died: February 20, 2013.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Peoria, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
DJ was neglected and starved to death by his father.

He was a Dragon Ball Z fan who also liked reading, video games, and basketball.

Case status:
Darnell Hunter Sr. (Father); pled guilty to manslaughter and neglect; sentenced to 12 years.

Source:
Darnell Hunter sentenced to 12 years for fatally neglecting his impaired son
Darnell Lamount Hunter Jr. – View Obituary & Service Information

Tia Jones

Photo: A girl with brown skin and black hair in braids, wearing a turquoise long-sleeved shirt, standing in front of a Christmas tree. Name: Tia Ann Jones.
Died: February 18, 2013.
Age at death: 12.
Cause of death: Infection.
Location: Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Autism, ADHD.

Details:
Tia Ann’s parents neglected an infection in her feet until it spread and killed her.

Case status:
Randy D. Jones (Father), found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; sentenced to 10 years.
Carissa Jones (Mother), found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; sentenced to 10 years.

Source:
Tia Jones
Ohio Supreme Court will decide if 10-year prison sentence too long for parents convicted of letting sick child die
10-year prison sentence reinstated for Richmond Heights couple in daughter’s death

Brandon White

Photo of Brandon White, a young man with fair skin and very short brown hair. He has ears that stick out a little, and a long nose. He is pressing his lips together. Name: Brandon Leon White.
Died: January 8, 2013.
Age at death: 15.
Cause of death: Asphyxiation.
Location: Denison, Texas, USA.
Disability: Autism, epilepsy, bipolar disorder.

Details:
Brandon had epilepsy and bipolar disorder, but he hadn’t taken his medication for a while–his family said they couldn’t afford it. Instead of getting him the medication, Brandon’s mother’s boyfriend tied him up and gagged him, then put a pillow over his face to make him stop struggling. Brandon died of suffocation.

Case status:
Robert Gray Jr. (Mother’s boyfriend); convicted of murder; sentenced to 45-90 years.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Brandon White
Denison teen dies at home
New details in death of Denison teen
Teen killed in Denison had ties to Jasper
Man arrested for murder in Denison teen’s death
Pennies from Heaven for Brandon
Denison Murder Suspect Testifies He Was Tired During Interrogations
Man sentenced to 90 years for Denison teen’s murder

Quinten Wood

Photo of a teenage boy with pale skin and messy brown hair; he has his head tilted back. He is wearing a flannel shirt. Name: Quinten “Q-Man” Wood.
Died: January 4, 2013.
Age at death: 15.
Cause of death: Pneumonia.
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.
Disability: Chromosome 9 Ring.

Details:
Quinten’s father neglected him; he died of pneumonia related to starvation.

Quinten was a fan of Star Wars and Daft Punk.

Case status:
Michael Wood (Father), pleaded guilty to neglect, given a suspended sentence and one year of probation.

Source:
Valerie Wood-Harber Got Justice for Her Brother – and Other Disabled Kids
Justice for Quinten
Father, DHS Employees Facing Charges In Quinten Wood Death
How a disabled boy’s heartbreaking story inspired real legislation

Andrea Ruth

Portrait photo of Andrea Ruth, a girl with brown skin and short, curly hair in a hairband. Name: Andrea Ruth.
Died: November 24, 2012.
Age at death: 12.
Cause of death: Sepsis.
Location: Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Disability: Multiple medical problems.

Details:
Andrea had been neglected so badly that her legs were scheduled to be amputated because of gangrene. However, her father did not take her for surgery and did not take her to the doctor. She eventually died of blood poisoning.

Case status:
Errol Johnson (Father), convicted of aggravated child neglect and criminally negligent homicide; sentenced to 22 years in prison.
Raven Ruth (Mother), pleaded guilty to aggravated child abuse and second degree murder; sentenced to 25 years.
Chasara Jones (Health care worker), pleaded guilty to aggravated child abuse, sentenced to 13 years 6 months.

Source:
Home Health Care Worker Sentenced In Death Of Bedridden 12-Year-Old
Father and caregiver of disabled Tenn. girl who died from gangrene, bedsores charged with murder
Mother indicted in 12-year-old daughter’s death

Alicia Moore

Photo of Alicia Moore, an African-American teenage girl. She is wearing a neon-green headband, big hoop earrings, and glasses. Name: Alicia Chanta Moore.
Died: November 2, 2012.
Age at death: 16.
Cause of death: Homicide.
Location: Canton, Texas, USA.
Disability: “Special Needs”.

Details:
Alicia was raped and murdered by her great uncle.

Case status:
Michael Vincent Moore (Great uncle), convicted of murder, sentenced to life without parole.

Source:
Police say DNA links uncle to Greenville teen’s slaying
ANGELIZD’s Place – Child Abuse Pages – Alicia Chanta Moore

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

Markea Blakely-Berry

Name: Markea Blakely-Berry.
Died: June 15, 2012.
Age at death: 16.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Markea was starved to death by her mother.

Case status:
Ebony Berry (Mother), pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter, sentenced to 30 years.

Source:
Girl, 16, dies weighing just 40lb after being ‘starved by her food-obsessed mother’

Matthew Degner

No Photo Name: Matthew Degner.
Died: September 8, 2011.
Age at death: 14.
Cause of death: Pneumonia.
Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Matthew was neglected by his mother. He died of pneumonia.

Case status:
Lydia Price (Mother), charged with neglect, cruelty to animals; sentenced to probation and forbidden from owning animals.

Source:
Woman Gets Probation in Berwyn Squalor Death
What went wrong in disabled Berwyn teen Matthew Degner’s death?
WATCH: Boy Found Dead Outside Squalid Home With More Than 200 Animals
Disabled teen found dead at suburban Chicago home, mother charged
Dead teen Matthew Degner lived with over 100 animals in squalid conditions, authorities say
Boy, 14, found dead in squalid bungalow housing more than 200 animals riddled with disease