Age: Young Adult – Page 13 – Disability Day of Mourning

Carmina Brown

Black and white photo of Carmina Brown, a young woman with straight, dark hair and pale skin. She is squinting into the sun. Name: Carmina Brown.
Died: December 11, 2015.
Age at death: 27.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Kennewick, Washington, USA.
Disability: Developmental disability.

Details:
Carmina was shot by her father in a homicide-suicide. He also killed her mother, Elena.

Carmina worked at Goodwill and was on a Special Olympics swim team. She enjoyed cycling and went to camp every summer.

Case status:
Doug Brown (Father), deceased.

Source:
Neighbors, friends reeling after apparent murder-suicide in Kennewick
Carmina, Elena, Douglas Brown Obituary
Non profit honors murder victim
New project honors disabled Tri-Cities woman killed by her father

Vishal Gaikwad

No Photo Name: Vishal Gaikwad.
Died: October 27, 2015.
Age at death: 19.
Cause of death: Traumatic injury.
Location: Pashan, Pune, India.
Disability: Unspecified physical disability.

Details:
Vishal’s father killed him and his mother (Arati Gaikwad, age 35) with an axe before hanging himself.

Case status:
Raju Laxman Gaikwad (Father), deceased.

Source:
Man hacks son, wife to death, then hangs self

Corey Carpenter

No Photo Name: Corey Carpenter.
Died: October 23, 2015.
Age at death: 27.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Blanca, Colorado, USA.
Disability: Fragile X, autism.

Details:
When his father died, Corey inherited his property. His mother sought conservatorship of him and refused all assistance with caring for him.

Corey starved to death when his mother stopped giving him food and water and refused to get him medical help. He weighed only 57 pounds.

Case status:
Carol Carpenter (Mother), convicted of negligence causing death, sentenced to 8 years probation.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Corey Carpenter
Colo. mom arrested after disabled son, 27, dies of malnourishment
Blanca mother resisted getting medical help for son
October trial set in mom charged in son’s death
Starvation death case heads to trial
Mom gets probation in son’s death

Justin Kirby

Photo of Justin Kirby. He is a man with ruddy skin and light brown hair, wearing a white sweatshirt. His hair is cut short; his expression is neutral. Name: Justin Kirby.
Died: September 26, 2015.
Age at death: 26.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Bloomington, Indiana, USA.
Disability: Rod-cone dystrophy; visual impairment.

Details:
Justin was shot by his wife. She claimed self-defense, but the placement of the bullet wounds proved he had been shot while trying to run away.

He was a stay-at-home dad for his three children; he loved the outdoors and riding his horse.

Case status:
Taylor Roxann Kirby (Wife), pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, sentenced to 15-22 years.

Source:
Justin Wayne Kirby – View Obituary & Service Information
Woman who killed husband sentenced to 22 years
Neighbor says children played 20 feet away from dying father

Jessica Hagan

A blonde young woman with Down Syndrome, wearing a fuzzy blue sweater and a medal around her neck. Name: Jessica Hagan.
Died: September 8, 2015.
Age at death: 19.
Cause of death: Poisoning.
Location: Cranston, Alberta, Canada.
Disability: Down syndrome.

Details:
Jessica’s mother allegedly poisoned her with a fatal drug overdose.

Jessica loved the Alberta Ballet and collected Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! cards. Her brother, a bodybuilder, names her as his biggest supporter.

Case status:
Christine Hagan (Mother). Never charged; died months later of natural causes.

Source:
Homicide unit investigating suspicious death in Cranston
Calgary police declare Jessica Hagan’s death a homicide, but no charges

Jody Meyers

Photo of Jody Meyers. She has fair skin and blond hair with darker roots. She is holding a cell phone in a leopard-print cover, and wearing a silver ring and a peach sweater. Name: Jody Meyers.
Died: August 26-28, 2015.
Age at death: 20.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Mannum, South Australia, Australia.
Disability: Partially deaf.

Details:
Jody’s boyfriend strangled her; then he buried her under a concrete slab in the yard, reported her missing, and pretended to help search for her.

Case status:
Neil Archer (Partner), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 22 years to life.

Source:
Vile murderer’s plea for special treatment
Jody’s grieving family: throw the key away
22 years for ultimate act of betrayal

Joyce Taylor

Photo of Joyce Taylor. She is a young woman with long blond hair and glasses, wearing a wide-brimmed black hat. Name: Joyce LaDonna McIntire Keys Taylor.
Died: August 17, 2015.
Age at death: 26.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Amarillo, Texas, USA.
Disability: Unspecified (Mental illness, possibly depression).

Details:
Joyce’s husband suffocated her.

She was pregnant when she died. Her four-month-old fetus, a boy, died with her.

Case status:
Allen Taylor (Husband), convicted of murder, sentenced to 20-40 years.

Source:
Man indicted in killing of pregnant wife
Man Charged with Murdering Pregnant Wife
Obituary | Joyce LaDonna McIntire Keys Taylor | Rector Funeral Home

Thandazile Mpunzi

No Photo Name: Thandazile Mpunzi.
Died: August 1, 2015.
Age at death: 20.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Kwazulu-Natal (Manguzi), South Africa.
Disability: Albinism.

Details:
Believing that albino body parts would make them rich, Thandazile’s boyfriend, a local healer, and two other men decided to kill her. Her boyfriend lured her out to a remote spot, where she was strangled and dismembered.

Case status:
Mandla Mabuza, pleaded guilty to murder, 20 years.
Lindokuhle Khumalo, pleaded guilty to murder, 20 years.
Bhekukufa Gumede (healer), convicted of murder, sentenced to life.
Siyabonga Gwala (Boyfriend), sentenced to 18 years.

Source:
KZN witchdoctor gets life for murder of woman with albinism
Boyfriend jailed for albino muti murder
KZN albino murder: 2 suspects plead guilty
Commission outraged at killing of albino woman

Lala Mardigan

Photo of Lala Mardigan. She is a young woman with dark brown skin, wearing a yellow shirt; she has headphones in her ears. Name: Lala Mardigan.
Died: Late July 2015.
Age at death: 20.
Cause of death: Malnutrition, infection.
Location: Wadeye, Northern Territory, Australia.
Disability: Lupus, intellectual disability.

Details:
Lala lived in a remote part of Australia. She had spent some time in foster care, but returned to her mother at age 18 even though her mother had told the health service she could not care for her. Despite a case worker’s warning that Lala was not being cared for, the health department did not assign her a guardian. At 20, Lala died from malnutrition and infection, a victim of neglect.

Case status:
No charges.

Source:
Twenty-year old’s death highlights the people in remote communities falling through the gaps
Aboriginal woman would be alive ‘if people in power cared’

Matthew Hoag

Name: Matthew Paul Hoag.
Died: June 30, 2015.
Age at death: 21.
Cause of death: Methanol poisoning.
Location: Sylvan Township, Michingan, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
When this young man drank windshield wiper fluid, his mother refused to seek medical treatment for him. He died from poisoning.

Case status:
Paulette Redding (Mother), pleaded no contest to third-degree child abuse, sentenced to 2 years of probation and 50 hours of community service.

Source:
Obituary of Matthew Paul Hoag
Mother charged in death of disabled son who drank windshield wiper fluid
Mother in court in death of disabled son who drank windshield fluid
Michigan Mom Gets Probation In Adult Son’s Wiper Fluid Death