Category: Age: Teen

Age 12-18

Cristina Pangalangan

Photo of a young girl sitting in a wheelchair, lips pursed, looking annoyed. She has fair skin and her brown hair is messy.Name: Cristina Pangalangan.
Died: August 5, 2019.
Age at death: 13.
Cause of death: Heat stroke.
Location: Colleton County, South Carolina, USA.
Disability: Developmental disability, wheelchair user.

Details:
Cristina’s mother deliberately left her in the car for five hours on a hot August day. According to investigators, she checked on Cristina twice, once at noon, before continuing to leave her in the car, and then again at 3pm where she claimed to discover the car was locked and she and her boyfriend had to leave to get a spare set of keys. When first responders who received a call about a child in a locked car arrived on the scene, they found that Cristina had died.

Her eighth-grade teachers remember her as a “very motivated student” who smiled at everyone.

Case status:
Rita Pangalangan (Mother), convicted of murder, sentenced to 37 years.
Larry King (mother’s boyfriend), convicted of murder, sentenced to 32 years.

Source:
New bill aims to help get justice for victims of deadly child abuse
SC v. King, Pangalangan: Disabled Teen Death Trial
WATCH LIVE: Couple on trial for developmentally disabled teen’s hot car death
Testimony begins in murder trial of disabled 13-year-old in Colleton Co.
Mother, boyfriend left disabled Lowcountry girl to die in hot car, solicitor says
SC v. King, Pangalangan: Mom, her boyfriend sentenced in teen’s murder
Couple found guilty in death of 13-year-old with cerebral palsy left in car
Sick mum deliberately left disabled daughter to cook to death in baking car
Trial for murder of special needs Walterboro girl will begin in late August
Delayed murder trial painful for loved ones of Walterboro girl left to die in hot car
Department of Social Services facing lawsuit after girl with special needs dies in car
Lowcountry mother charged with murder in teen’s hot car death resigns from teaching job
13-year-old special needs girl found dead in car in SC; 2 people arrested, authorities say
Report: Two charged with murder after deliberately leaving disabled 13-year-old in car for several hours
Man, woman charged with murder in Colleton County after girl’s death in hot car
Teacher, boyfriend charged in 13-year-old’s death
Teacher mum ‘left disabled daughter, 13, to die in roasting hot car for 5 hours’
Colleton girl’s accused killers had multiple brushes with police amid rocky relationship
Authorities identify 13-year-old girl who died after being left in car
Mom, boyfriend left disabled girl in vehicle 5 hours before death, Colleton deputies say
Teacher of the Year ‘left her disabled teenage daughter to die in roasting car’
Cristina Pangalangan hot car death: Rita Pangalangan & Larry King charged w/ murder
Mother, Boyfriend Charged With Murder After 13-Year-Old Girl With Special Needs Dies in Hot Car
Woman leaves kids in hot car week after sister died in their mom’s hot car, SC police say

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

Ashlyn Ellis

Photo of Ashlyn Ellis, a young girl with long brown hair, looking at the camera, biting her lower lip. She is wearing a purple sweater.Name: Ashlyn Rayanne Ellis.
Died: March 17, 2019.
Age at death: 14.
Cause of death: Smoke inhalation during house fire.
Location: St. James, Missouri, USA.
Disability: Physical disability, nonspeaking.

Details:
Ashlyn was neglected by her mother. She died when she was left alone at home and the house caught on fire. She could not escape because she was in her bed, which had been transformed into a makeshift cage that locked from the outside.

Case status:
Tracy Ellis (Mother), charged with second-degree murder and child endangerment; pled guilty to first-degree child endangerment, sentenced to 6 months to 14 years.

Source:
Ellis sentenced to 14 years in DOC
Document: Disabled teen who died in house fire was trapped in bed, mother charged
Mom charged with murder after disabled daughter killed in house fire
Maries County, Mo. mother faces murder charges in death of disabled daughter in house fire
Mother charged with daughter’s murder after Maries County fire
Mother Charged With Murder In Disabled Daughter’s Death
Deputies: Disabled teen was alone, locked in bed as house burned
Null & Son Funeral Home | Rolla, MO

Emily Hampshire

Photo of Emily Hampshire, a teen girl in a traditional dancing dress with an embroidered top and long, white flowing skirt. She has long straight dark-blond hair and is posing for dance.Name: Emily Ikue-Rose Hampshire.
Died: November 3, 2018.
Age at death: 14.
Cause of death: Diabetic ketoacidosis.
Location: Alton, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Type I diabetes.

Details:
When Emily was diagnosed with diabetes, her mother concealed the diagnosis and neglected to treat her. Emily died of diabetic ketoacidosis, and her mother only called the paramedics after her heart stopped.

Emily was an outgoing girl who “never met a stranger”. She was a cheerleader, a dancer, a singer, and an actor. She played volleyball and competed in local beauty contests and talent shows. At school, she was a good student who focused on reading and writing.

Case status:
Amber L. Hampshire (Mother), pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, sentenced to 7 years.

Source:
Amber Hampshire sentenced in diabetic teen daughter’s death | ksdk.com
Teenager’s Death Is a Reminder of How Critical It Is for Parents to Support Chronically Ill Kids
Alton teen died after mother concealed her diabetes, charges allege — ‘totally treatable’ and ‘heartbreaking’, says prosecutor
Mother charged with involuntary manslaughter in death of diabetic teen
Emily Ikue-Rose Hampshire of Alton Obituary
Emily Hampshire Fundraiser
Teen died after mother concealed diabetes, charges claim
Mother Allegedly Hid Daughter’s Diabetes Diagnosis, Leading to the Girl’s Death
Mother Charged With Manslaughter After Daughter Dies From Lack of Diabetes Treatment
Mother charged with involuntary manslaughter for daughter’s death after concealing girl’s diabetes
A Woman Was Arrested For Allegedly Not Treating Her Daughter’s Diabetes And Letting Her Die
Girl that Died from Diabetes Saw a Chiropractor Instead of a Doctor

Jalen Goldsborough

Photo of a boy lying in bed, covered with a blanket. He has dark-brown eyes, brown skin, and dark hair. His hands are balled into fists.Name: Jalen Goldsborough.
Died: September 2, 2018.
Age at death: 13.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Hopewell, Virginia, USA.
Disability: Shaken baby syndrome; required 24-hour care.

Details:
Jalen was abused by his father when he was a baby. He survived and his father went to prison, but Jalen was left with severe disabilities.

At 13, Jalen was found starved to death, his mother having been deliberately reducing his food intake for several months.

Case status:
Amy FaJohn (Mother), pleaded no contest to second-degree murder, sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Anthony Saunders (Mother’s boyfriend), pleaded guilty to child neglect, sentenced to 5 years in prison.

Source:
Woman sentenced for son’s starvation death
Starved teen weighed 24 lbs at time of death, mother pleads no contest to murder
Mother Pleads Guilty in Starvation Death of Son with Severe Disability
Hopewell mother convicted of murder in starvation death of son, 13, who weighed 24 pounds when he died
Virginia mother convicted over starvation death of 13-year-old son
Medical Examiner: Murdered Hopewell teen with special needs starved to death
2 charged in death of Hopewell 13-year-old
Murdered Hopewell teen was victim of severe abuse as infant
Mother charged with murder in death of severely disabled 13-year-old

Taye, Rylan, Arye, and Kadyn Cockman

Family photo. All have pale skin and are smiling. A teenage boy with dark hair, wearing glasses and a black shirt; a teenage girl with brown hair, wearing a necklace and blue dress; a girl with dark-blond hair, wearing a white shirt; a woman with curly dark-brown hair, wearing a blue flowered dress, and a boy with brown hair wearing a blue shirt. They are photographed outdoors, arms around one another.Name: Taye Cockman.
Age at death: 13.

Name: Rylan Cockman.
Age at death: 12.

Name: Arye Cockman.
Age at death: 10.

Name: Kadyn Cockman.
Age at death: 8.

Died: May 11, 2018.
Cause of death: Multiple homicide.
Location: Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
Disability: Autism; Rylan also had chronic pain.

Non-disabled victims: Cynda Miles, age 58; Katrina Miles, age 35.

Details:
Arye, Kadyn, Rylan, and Taye were all killed by their grandfather in a mass murder-suicide. Their mother and grandmother were murdered in the same event.

The family lived on a farm, where the four children were home-schooled, and were working on making the farm self-sustaining. They grew vegetables and even built their own dam.

The four children all kept journals, and Taye, the oldest, was becoming an accomplished writer. All the children were working on learning to swim.

Case status:
Peter Miles (Grandfather), deceased.

Source:
‘Such lovely people’: Community in shock at WA murder-suicide
Inside remote farmhouse seven people shot dead in Osmington, Australia
PICTURED: The family who live at the ‘mass murder-suicide farmhouse’
Margaret River Tragedy: 7 Dead In Suspected Murder-Suicide In Western Australia
Mum and four ‘autistic’ kids among seven dead in Australia ‘mass-murder suicide’
Four autistic children and their mother among seven found dead in Australia
Police continue probe into WA murders
Grandfather suspected of murder-suicide in Australia family massacre
Tributes for family in Margaret River suspected murder-sucide
‘We are devastated’: Grandparents, mother and four children killed in murder-suicide in Australia
Who is Peter Miles, what happened in Osmington and how is the granfather linked to the murder-suicide shooting?
Grandparents, mom and kids shot dead in Australia murder-suicide
Western Australian police say seven shooting deaths were murder-suicide
Grandad kills wife, daughter and FOUR autistic grandkids, then himself
Cops investigating whether gun owning grandfather was behind murder of 7
Tributes for family murdered in rural WA
Who were the family killed in the Margaret River mass shooting?
Three guns found at scene of murder-suicide belonged to grandfather
Mom and 4 Children With Autism Among 7 Victims of Australian Murder-Suicide — and Grandfather Is Suspect
The grandfather suspected of shooting seven family members
Pictured: Mum and Four Children Killed In ‘Murder Mass Suicide’
Osmington massacre suspect is four dead autistic children grandfather
‘He didn’t snap, he planned this’
The mystery of the Miles family and a murder-suicide that shocked the world
Osmington murder-suicide suspect, grandfather Peter Miles, sounded vague’ day before worst mass shooting in Australia for 22 years
Peter Miles: Margaret River grandfather had ‘sense of failure’
‘Sense of failure’ led to WA farm murders
Bloodshed in Australia: Grandfather suspected of gunning down his wife, daughter, and four autistic grandchildren
Grandad ‘planned the mass-shooting of my four children,’ devastated dad says
Margaret River, WA shooting: Father of murdered children speaks out
Dad Whose 4 Children with Autism Died in Murder-Suicide Says Kids’ Grandfather Planned Attack
My family was ripped apart by violence – and the killer was not a ‘good bloke’
Father of children killed in suspected murder-suicide claims grandfather planned the deadly shooting
Grandfather Suspected of Killing 6 Relatives Battled Depression After Son’s Suicide, Friend Says
Margaret River Massacre, Peter Miles, Katrina Miles
Australian feminists deny mental health crisis behind Margaret River murder-suicide
Margaret River community calls for support after mass murder
Margaret River shooting: Katrina Miles’ friends, community want better mental health

Tyler and Aidan Talmage

Photo of Tyler, Aidan, and Arianna Talmage. They are children with light-olive skin and brown hair, photographed sitting in a row of airplane seats and smiling for the camera.Name: Tyler Talmage.
Age at death: 14.

Name: Aidan Talmage.
Age at death: 10.

Died: May 3, 2018.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA.
Disability: Bipolar disorder, autism.

Non-Disabled Victim: Arianna Talmage, age 6.

Details:
Aidan and Tyler, and their little sister Arianna, were shot by their mother in a murder-suicide. She had been having trouble paying medical bills.

Aidan loved animals, especially chickens, and liked playing catch. Tyler had pet guinea pigs. Arianna liked dancing and playing with Play-Doh.

Case status:
Astra Volk (Mother), deceased.

Source:
UPDATE: Post indicates Grand Forks family found shot to death struggled with financial problems
Family’s deaths a grim discovery for ‘quiet’ street
Mom and her three kids killed by gunshots in Grand Forks
‘It’s a bad dream that doesn’t end’: Friends, family of Grand…
Family friends speak out on GF murders
Police confirm Grand Forks mother killed children, herself in home
‘We love you:’ Mourners remember lives of Grand Forks shooting…
Campaña de Astra Volk : Living Expenses Due To Medical Bills
Autism Memorial: Tyler and Aidan Talmage

Susan and Daniel Gibson

Photo of a brown-haired, fair-skinned teenager in profile, head resting on his hand, wearing a khaki shirt.Name: Susan Gibson.
Age at death: 75.
Disability: Unspecified; wheelchair user.

Name: Daniel L. Gibson.
Age at death: 17.
Disability: Unspecified; special needs.

Died: April 9, 2018.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Reeds Spring, Missouri, USA.

Details:
Susan and her grandson Daniel were shot dead by Susan’s son, Daniel’s father, in a murder-suicide. Also killed was Cynthia Miller, 43, the girlfriend of the killer.

Case status:
Victor Gibson (Father of Daniel, son of Susan), deceased.

Source:
Daniel Gibson, age 17
Neighbor describes family who lived at Stone County home where 4 were found dead
One teen, three adults die in suspected murder-suicide in Missouri Ozarks
Four found shot to death in home near Branson West

Aurelia Castillo

Photo of Aurelia Castillo, a teenage girl with dark curly hair and olive-toned skin. She is sitting in a wheelchair, and wearing a polka-dotted neck brace. Name: Aurelia “Rey Rey” Castillo.
Died: March 12, 2018.
Age at death: 14.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Shelbyville, Kentucky, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Aurelia’s grandmother killed her and then shot herself.

Aurelia’s surviving brother, Julian, is autistic.

Case status:
Julia Cash-Owens (Grandmother), deceased.

Source:
Cerebral palsy shooting: Julia Cash-Owens spent years caring for her granddaughter, then killed her
Family of murder-suicide involving special needs girl ‘heartbroken’
Family: Woman kills herself after killing teen granddaughter with cerebral palsy
Family: Woman Kills Granddaughter With Cerebral Palsy Then Herself
Julia Cash-Owens shoots Aurelia Castillo Kentucky disabled granddaughter dead then self
Grandmother shot disabled granddaughter, 14, dead before killing herself
Family: Woman kills herself after killing teen granddaughter with cerebral palsy
Woman Shoots Granddaughter With Cerebral Palsy, Then Shoots Herself In Murder-Suicide

Jada Wright

Photo of Jada Wright, a girl with short black hair and brown skin. She is wearing a coral-colored dress.Name: Jada Wright.
Died: February 15, 2018.
Age at death: 14.
Cause of death: Head trauma.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
After Jada’s parents died, she stayed with an aunt until her aunt’s medical problems kept her from caring for Jada. After that, she moved in with her legal guardian, and her legal guardian’s son became her caregiver.

Jada was beaten to death by her caregiver. She died days after her 14th birthday.

Case status:
Christopher Ward (Caregiver; son of her legal guardian), pleaded guilty to child neglect resulting in death, sentenced to 9 years in prison.

Source:
‘She could light up a room:’ Girl, 14, found beaten to death on Milwaukee’s north side
‘Why?’ Aunt of girl with cerebral palsy, beaten to death days after her birthday, is heartbroken
Caretaker charged in death of disabled girl in Milwaukee | Reading Eagle – AP
Caretaker charged in blunt force trauma death of 14-year-old Milwaukee girl with cerebral palsy
Christopher Ward charged in death of 14-year-old girl; ‘admitted to becoming frustrated,’ striking her
Man charged in beating death of 14-year-old girl
Man charged in death of Milwaukee girl with cerebral palsy gets 9 years in prison