Age: Young Adult – Page 12 – Disability Day of Mourning

Lydia Whitford

Photo of Lydia Whitford. She is a young woman with fair skin and dark brown hair; she is wearing a turquoise jacket and pink baseball cap. Her mouth is open and her face relaxed in a neutral expression. Name: Lydia Whitford.
Died: July 14, 2016.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Possible homicide; possible natural death after abuse.
Location: Stonewall, Manitoba, Canada.
Disability: Autism, epilepsy.

Details:
Lydia’s death was originally ruled natural, but her mother and sister saw bruises on her body and pushed for an investigation. More than a year later later, Lydia’s foster mother was charged with manslaughter. Exactly how Lydia died has not been released.

Her sister told reporters that “I want people to remember her as the kind and loving person she was.”

Case status:
Lisa Marie Campbell (Foster mother), charged with manslaughter, charges stayed.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Lydia Whitford
Vigil marks birthday of woman with autism who died in CFS care
Family wants answers in homicide of teen living in licensed foster home
Family of woman with autism found dead in foster home seeks answers
Family plans birthday vigil for Manitoba teen with autism killed in foster care
Family seeks answers after teen’s death in foster care deemed a homicide
Homicide victim’s family asks how woman with autism died in CFS care
Killing of teen with autism in foster care to be investigated by Manitoba’s children’s advocate
Foster mother charged in death of autistic woman, 18
Woman charged with manslaughter in death of disabled woman
Winnipeg woman charged in death of teen with autism
Foster mom charged in 2016 homicide of teen with autism, family says
Winnipeg woman arrested following homicide in July 2016: RCMP
Family of teen with autism looking for closure after Crown stays manslaughter charge against foster mother

Jeffrey Kittredge II

Photo of Jeffrey Kittredge II, a heavyset man with fair skin and short brown hair, smiling broadly. Name: Jeffrey A. Kittredge II.
Died: July 7, 2016.
Age at death: 20.
Cause of death: Sepsis.
Location: Barre, Vermont, USA.
Disability: Spina bifida, congenital brain defect.

Details:
Jeffrey loved the outdoors and enjoyed sports. As a child he participated in bowling and wheelchair soccer and eventually began coaching sports. He also liked fishing and wildlife.

Jeffrey’s father and father’s girlfriend neglected him until he died from blood poisoning caused by infected bedsores.

Case status:
Jeffrey Kittredge (Father), found guilty of neglect of a vulnerable adult, sentenced to 3-5 years in prison and 5 years probation.
Jennifer Cote (Father’s girlfriend), pleaded guilty to Medicare fraud and neglect of a vulnerable adult, sentenced to 1-3 years.

Source:
Montpelier man sentenced in connection with disabled son’s death
Montpelier woman gets 1-3 years in death of vulnerable adult
2 charged after man died from septic shock due to bed sore
Jeffrey A. Kittredge II
Pair charged in 20-year-old’s bed-sore death
Dad, girlfriend charged after disabled son died of septic shock from bed sores

Elizabeth Wilms

No Photo Name: Elizabeth Wilms.
Died: July 5, 2016.
Age at death: 29.
Cause of death: Murder.
Location: Kew, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Elizabeth’s boyfriend was abusive and took advantage of her mild intellectual disability. He beat her fatally and left her to die alone on the floor. At autopsy, she had GHB, often used as a date-rape drug, in her body.

Case status:
Alexander Freeburn (Boyfriend), convicted of murder, sentenced to 25 years; murder conviction overturned, found guilty of manslaughter, resentenced to 9-12 years.

Source:
Remorseful killer who left girlfriend to die has sentence cut in half
Vic killer apologises over victim’s death
Melbourne woman ‘petrified’ of killer boyfriend

Tammara Killam

No Photo Name: Tammara Killam.
Died: June 21, 2016.
Age at death: 25.
Cause of death: Dehydration.
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Tammara and her twin sister Brooke, who was also autistic and intellectually disabled, were left alone in an RV by their father. The women had no power or water and had been given nothing but bread and water to eat for a week. They were left without air conditioning or access to water in the 122-degree desert heat. Their father had given them cell phones, but the phones no longer worked.

Tammara died of dehydration; Brooke survived.

Case status:
Roger Carter Killam (Father), convicted of neglect of a vulnerable person, sentenced to 6 years.

Source:
Roger Carter Killam | High Desert State Prison | Nevada Inmates & Offenders
Woman dies after father leaves her in Laughlin RV with no power
Father held in death of daughter left overnight in sweltering RV in Laughlin

Ruby Knox

Photo of Ruby Knox. She is a young woman with shoulder-length brown hair and pale skin, wearing a black, white, and red shirt. Name: Ruby Isabella Knox.
Died: May 16, 2016.
Age at death: 20.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Blenheim, New Zealand.
Disability: Autism, intellectual disability, spina bifida.

Details:
Weeks before the murder, Ruby Knox’s mother self-published a book about caring for her disabled daughter. In it, she said that she had “thoughts of ‘blowing up the hospital’ or of taking ‘serious violent action’.”

Her mother made good on those statements when she drugged and then smothered Ruby to death.

In her book, Ruby’s mother briefly mentions Ruby playing on the piano.

A review of the services available to Ruby and her mother found they were adequate.

Case status:
Donella Knox (Mother), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 4 years, scheduled to be released after less than two years.

Source:
The one voice that might have saved Ruby Knox
Blenheim mum Donella Knox jailed for murdering autistic daughter Ruby
Mother jailed for murder of autistic daughter
The Big Read: Case of Donella Knox who murdered autistic daughter Ruby a ‘once in a generation case’
Donella Knox published harrowing book a month before murdering autistic daughter
Blenheim woman Donella Knox details the struggles caring for her autistic daughter
Blenheim mother murdered autistic daughter after tolerating years of abuse
Protest for parents of autistic children after Donella Knox sentencing
Supporters plan protest to get Donella Knox out of jail and improve services after she murdered her autistic daughter
Murder of disabled daughter a ‘once in a generation’ case
Outrage as mum who murdered autistic daughter is jailed for four years
Autism Memorial: Ruby Knox
Autistic girl’s murder sparks external review
Blenheim woman Donella Knox shuts down protests, wants to ‘move on’
Donella Knox: A mother forced to fight for too long
Independent review of Donella and Ruby Knox’s treatment set for May
Donella Knox who killed autistic daughter is jailed
Autism NZ calls for respite care overhaul after Donella Knox case
On Donella Knox, her disabled daughter, and the so-called ‘mercy killing’
No Excusing the Murder of Autistics!
Health service review prompted by murder of autistic daughter to begin
Ruby Knox murder case: DHB reveals review details
Review of disability services about to start following Ruby Knox murder
‘Mercy killing’ mother Donella Knox to read review prompted by daughter’s death
Review prompted by Ruby Knox murder blasts NZ’s disability care
Mum who killed autistic daughter to be released from prison

Enelesi Nkhata

No Photo Name: Enelesi Nkhata.
Died: April 14, 2016.
Age at death: 21.
Cause of death: Blood loss.
Location: Kumtumba village, Malawi.
Disability: Albinism.

Details:
Enelesi’s uncle knew that some people would pay a lot of money for the body parts of albinos, and so he made an arrangement with a gang of albino hunters.

Enelesi’s uncle told her that he had found her a job and would find her some sunscreen, both of which can be difficult to get for an albino in Malawi.

Then he lured her to a remote location, where he and his accomplices ambushed and dismembered her. She died of massive blood loss.

Case status:
Gerald Phiri (Uncle), convicted of murder and abduction, sentenced to 17 years.
Other suspects: Medison Madzialenga, Damison Manyoni, Isaac Sambule, Yosofi Samuel, Jazimon Baluwa, Foster Weruzani, Steven Chingombe, and Ronald.

Source:
Albino murders spread to Lilongwe; bones prized for wealth charms
Prejudice against people with albinism in Malawi
Albino murders turn to Dowa

Cynthia Busch

Name: Cynthia Busch.
Died: March 10, 2016.
Age at death: 24.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Fairfield Township, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Developmental disability.

Details:
Cynthia was shot by her mother in a murder-suicide.

Case status:
Barbara Busch (Mother), deceased.

Source:
Fairfield Twp. Police identify mother, daughter found dead in murder-suicide
Mother fatally shoots disabled daughter, self in Fairfield Twp.
Police: Mother Killed Daughter, then Killed Herself
Police: Overwhelmed mother killed developmentally disabled daughter
Cynthia Busch Obituary
autism wars: On The Murder of Cynthia Busch
No Mystery Here: Call a Murderer a Murderer
Cynthia Busch: The Disability Holocaust Continues

Michael Furst

Photo of Michael Furst. He is a young man being held up by someone behind him; he is up to his waist in water and leaning over to look into the water. He has red hair and fair skin; his arms are curled over his chest because of spasticity. He wears a blue T-shirt. Name: Michael Furst.
Died: March 6, 2016 (Body found; died February 2016).
Age at death: 24.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Peshtigo, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Michael died of starvation because his mother, though she was paid a government stipend to care for him, did not feed him. When he was found dead, his body weighed only 36 pounds.

Case status:
Renee Furst (Mother), died of a drug overdose several days after Michael died.

Source:
Peshtigo man with cerebral palsy starved to death by mother — also dead
Peshtigo starvation death investigation complete

Rebecca Cutler

Name: Rebecca Cutler.
Died: February 10, 2016.
Age at death: 26.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Willowbrook, New York, USA.
Disability: Bipolar disorder, postpartum depression.

Details:
Rebecca and her three children were stabbed by her boyfriend. Rebecca and her two children, Maiyah and Ziana, died; her third child survived. Her boyfriend tried to claim that because she was bipolar, Rebecca had killed her children and he killed her in self-defense.

Case status:
Michael Sykes (Boyfriend), convicted of second-degree murder of Rebecca Cutler and first-degree murder of Maiyah and Ziana; sentenced to life without parole.

Source:
Monster who murdered two babies and their mom in Staten Island Ramada Inn massacre gets life without parole – New York Daily News
Mom killed the 2 kids, not me, testifies defendant in Ramada Inn massacre
Jury selected in hotel massacre murder trial
Man stabbed girlfriend, babies 69 times in S.I. slays: DA
Staten Island stabbing suspect arraigned on 3 counts of murder
Man Convicted of Killing Girlfriend in Hotel Room, But Not Her 2 Kids
Wake To Be Held For Mother, Children Killed In Staten Island Stabbing
New trial, new lawyer for defendant in Ramada Inn massacre

Digby Dowdle

Name: Digby Dowdle.
Died: January 23, 2016.
Age at death: 26.
Cause of death: Poisoning, asphyxiation.
Location: Wadalba, New South Wales, Australia.
Disability: TBI due to car accident.

Details:
Digby’s mother sedated him and then suffocated him with a plastic bag.

Digby was often seen walking his greyhound Lucy.

Case Status:
Susan Marie Dowdle (Mother), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 2 years; released on time served.

Sources:
CENTRAL COAST MOTHER WHO KILLED SON RELEASED FROM PRISON | NBN News
In loving Memory Of my friend Digby Dowdle 1989 – 2016
’Kind’ mum charged with son’s murder
Digby Dowdle (26) Allegedly suffocated by his mother
R v Susan Dowdle