Age: Young Adult – Page 17 – Disability Day of Mourning

Robin Adams Jr.

No Photo Name: Robin Adams Jr.
Died: February 2012; body found October 12, 2012.
Age at death: 23.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Hephzibah, Georgia, USA.
Disability: Cri du chat syndrome.

Details:
Instead of taking Robin to the doctor to help him stay fed and hydrated, Robin’s mother neglected him and Robin starved to death. His family failed to report his death and kept collecting his disability payments for several months.

Case status:
Angela Mercer (Mother), convicted of murder, sentenced to 30 years to life; released after 6 years.
Deaidra Motley (Sister), charged with concealing a death.

Source:
Coroner calls mummified body case ‘one of the worst ones that we’ve ever seen’
$100,000 bond set for woman accused in disabled son’s death
Augusta mother sentenced to life in prison for death of disabled son

Antonio Mendez

Name: Antonio Mendez.
Died: August 7, 2012.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Trauma, malnutrition.
Location: Palm Springs, California, USA.
Disability: Developmental disability.

Details:
Antonio’s sister and her boyfriend are accused of neglecting, starving, and beating him to death.

Case status:
Ines Patrisia Mendez (Sister), charged with murder and dependent abuse.
Shanen Ryan Riley (Sister’s boyfriend), charged with murder.

Source:
Couple re-enter not guilty pleas to murder of her mentally disabled brother
Death Of Woman’s Developmentally Disabled Twin: Did She Kill Him?
Desert Hot Springs Couple Accused Of Killing Disabled Boy Appear in Court | MyNewsLA.com
Local couple accused of killing disabled twin brother granted continuation due to developments in case
Hearing Pushed Back For Couple Accused Of Killing Disabled Boy In 2012
Hearing Set For Tuesday For Couple Accused Of Killing Disabled Boy
Woman charged in murder of her mentally disabled twin brother who was living in repugnant conditions
COUPLE CHARGED AND ARRESTED IN 2012 DESERT HOT SPRINGS MURDER

Gabriel Philby-Zetzsche

Photo of a round-faced man in a red baseball cap and orange-and-white jersey. He has light skin and is wearing glasses. Name: Gabriel Philby-Zetzsche.
Died: July 26, 2012.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Traumatic injury.
Location: Westerlo, New York, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Gabriel’s mother stabbed and bludgeoned him to death.

Case status:
Tracey Zetzsche (Mother), pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter, sentenced to 20 years.

Source:
Episode 13: Gabriel Philby-Zetsche
Amnesia figures in manslaughter plea for Westerlo woman
Declaring her love, mother given 20 years for killing son

Matthew Graville

Photo of a teenage boy with fair skin and short brown hair, smiling with his lips pressed together. Name: Matthew Graville.
Died: July 1, 2012.
Age at death: 27.
Cause of death: Fatal abuse.
Location: Mazomanie, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Matthew was tortured and beaten to death by his half-brother.

Case status:
Jeffrey Vogelsberg (half-brother); pled no contest to reckless homicide; sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Source:
Jeffrey Vogelsberg gets 15 years for death of autistic half-brother
Autism Memorial: Matthew Graville

James Moore

Potrait photo of a young man with fair skin and straight light-brown hair. Name: James Moore.
Died: June 1, 2012.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Traumatic injury.
Location: Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
James’s sister and her husband beat him, starved him, and neglected his injuries until he died.

Case status:
Carlena Pinkerton (Sister), pleaded guilty to murder and abuse, sentenced to 13 years in prison.
Joshua Pinkerton (Brother-in-law), pleaded guilty to murder and abuse, sentenced to 7 years in prison.

Source:
Phoenix couple sentenced in abuse, death of brother
2 caregivers arrested, charged with murder

George Hodgins

No Photo Name: George Hodgins.
Died: March 6, 2012.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Sunnyvale, California, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
George’s mother killed him, then shot herself.

George communicated by means of a VOCA and often wore headphones, listening to music. He was very active and loved being outdoors, but was frightened of the neighbors’ dogs.

Case status:
Elizabeth Hodgins (Mother), deceased.

Source:
Autism Memorial: George Hodgins
Guest opinion: Death by Legislature
Sunnyvale police: Mother killed 22-year-old autistic son, then herself
Parents of autistic children speak out on Sunnyvale murder-suicide
The Murder of George Hodgins
Sunnyvale mom kills autistic son, self, police say
Murder of George Hodgins
Sunnyvale police: Mother killed 22-year-old autistic son, then herself
Sunnyvale Killings Called Murder-Suicide: Neighbor
The After-Effects of a Mother’s Murder/Suicide
Autistic support group to host Sunnyvale vigil for George Hodgins, killed in murder-suicide

Michael Elkins

Photo of Michael Elkins, a young man with brown hair and a short beard; he is wearing a black hoodie with the hood up. Name: Michael Elkins.
Died: January 4, 2012.
Age at death: 25.
Cause of death: Pneumonia, malnutrition, sepsis.
Location: Waynetown, Indiana, USA.
Disability: Spinal cord injury, quadriplegia.

Details:
Michael fell off his bike and broke his neck when he was 13 years old. When he was 21, his mother was arrested for neglecting his care and he spent a year away from her. But he was returned to her custody, and at age 25, he died of pneumonia, malnutrition, and blood poisoning from infected bedsores.

Michael watched cartoons with his small nieces and nephews. He liked to go camping.

Case status:
Tammy S. Elkins (Mother), pleaded guilty to neglect of a dependent resulting in death, sentenced to 6 years of house arrest.

Source:
Michael Elkins Obituary
Woman faces felony neglect charge
Elkins pleads guilty to neglect
Elkins sentenced in neglect case

Chad Jackson

Name: Chad Jackson.
Died: July 2, 2011.
Age at death: 25.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Grand Junction, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Chad’s mother starved him to death.

Case status:
Yodi Jackson (Mother), pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, sentenced to 6 months in jail.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Chad Jackson
Mom sentenced in death of autistic son
Autopsy: Adult son with autism starved
Van Buren County man with autism was starved to death by his mother, police say
Mom charged in death of son with autism

Christina Harms

Photo of Christina Harms, a young blonde woman wearing glasses and smiling broadly. Name: Christina “Nina” Harms.
Died: March 25, 2011.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Dehydration.
Location: Kearns, Utah, USA.
Disability: Fetal alcohol syndrome.

Details:
Christina’s abusive caregivers routinely beat her and tied her to a metal rod in a closet. She died of dehydration combined with an overdose of Benadryl.

Christina wanted to go to college.

Case status:
Cassandra Sheppard (Legal guardian), pleaded guilty to abuse and manslaughter, sentenced to 5 years to life.
Sherrie Beckering (Sheppard’s mother), convicted of aggravated abuse, sentenced to 5 years to life.
Dale Beckering (Sheppard’s stepfather), convicted of second-degree aggravated abuse, sentenced to 1-15 years.

Source:
Kearns man sent to prison for ignoring fatal abuse
Caretaker of abused Utah woman gets prison for her death
Guardian of abused woman kept in closet sent to prison for her death

Kyla Puhle

No Photo Name: Kyla Puhle.
Died: March 19, 2011.
Age at death: 27.
Cause of death: Pneumonia.
Location: North Brighton, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Six months before Kyla died, her parents stopped taking her to her day program and instead left her lying, alone, on a bean bag while they went to work. Gradually they fed Kyla less and less, until Kyla died of malnutrition and pneumonia, weighing only 12 kilos.

Case status:
Harry Puhle (Father), died by suicide before he could be tried.
Angela Puhle (Mother), pleaded guilty to manslaughter, freed with five-year suspended sentence.

Source:
Disability is no justification for murder
Mercy urged for mum who starved daughter
Angela Puhle, Former Principal, Admits To Starving Disabled Daughter To Death: A Burden Too Great?
Adelaide mother spared jail over malnutrition manslaughter of disabled daughter
Former school principal Angela Puhle receives suspended sentence for manslaughter of disabled daughter