Category: Age: Young Adult

Age 19-29

Michael Parks Jr.

No PhotoName: Michael Steven Parks Jr.
Died: September 17, 2023.
Age at death: 29.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome.

Details:
Michael, who lived with his mother, went to bed one night and died in his sleep. At autopsy, examiners took note of his extremely low body mass index and declared that he had died from malnutrition due to neglect.

Case Status:
Pamela Parks (Mother), charged with involuntary manslaughter and neglect of a disabled adult in a domestic setting causing serious injury.

Sources:
A Winston-Salem woman faces a manslaughter charge after her disabled son’s death in 2023
Autopsy reveals a man died from malnutrition in his mother’s care
Disabled man found dead inside Triad home, woman charged with involuntary manslaughter, officials say
Autopsy reveals Winston-Salem man with Down syndrome died of malnutrition; mother charged with manslaughter

JMGC

No PhotoName: “JMGC”.
Died: September 1, 2023.
Age at death: 25.
Cause of death: Poisoning.
Location: Valencia, Spain.
Disability: Down syndrome.

Details:
This young man’s mother took him to a hotel room, where she poisoned him and then herself. Police say she had become ill and was convinced no one would be able to take care of her son like she could.

Case Status:
LMC (Mother), deceased.

Sources:
Woman takes her life after killing her disabled son
Una mujer mata a su hijo discapacitado y después se quita la vida en un hotel de València

Skylar Pettit

Photo of a girl with pale skin and straight auburn hair. She has Down syndrome. She is smiling broadly.Name: Skylar Pettit.
Died: July 21, 2023.
Age at death: 24.
Cause of death: Infection secondary to denial of insulin.
Location: Rotterdam, New York, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome, diabetes.

Details:
Skylar’s mother, a nurse, was responsible for helping Skylar with her diabetes; but she allegedly stopped giving Skylar insulin, which weakened the young woman so much that she became bedridden, her health declined, and she died from infection. Skylar’s mother and her mother’s boyfriend concealed Skylar’s body and continued collecting benefits for several months after her death, until a police wellness check uncovered their secret.

Skylar loved to sing, dance, and cook. She liked eating Subway sandwiches and pork rinds.

Case Status:
Amber Geier (Mother), charged with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and concealment of a human corpse; died before trial.
Ricky Loika (Mother’s boyfriend), charged with hindering prosecution, concealment of a human corpse, and endangering the welfare of an incompetent person.

Sources:
Rotterdam mother dies while facing felonies in disabled daughter’s death
Suspect in death of woman with special needs rejects plea deal
Rotterdam mother charged in disabled daughter’s death
Rotterdam mom, boyfriend, charged in death of disabled daughter
“She just gave up”: mother accused of concealing daughter’s 2023 death in Rotterdam home
Cousin of woman found dead in Rotterdam wants answers
DA: Rotterdam woman didn’t properly care for diabetic daughter, left body in home for months
Skylar Shelby Pettit Obituary (2023) – Ballston Lake, NY

Omri Blum

Photo of a young man with short black hair, small mustache, and light-brown skin. He is wearing wire-rimmed glasses and a black and white shirt. He has his hand to his mouth; there is a silver ring on his second finger. He is smiling slightly. Name: Omri Blum.
Died: July 14, 2023.
Age at death: 23.
Cause of death: Shooting, stabbing.
Location: Modi’in-Maccabim-Re’ut, Israel.
Disability: Autism, fetal alcohol syndrome.

Details:
Omri, who lived at a hostel for disabled people, had left the hostel with some friends; but when their car broke down, police brought Omri back to his adoptive parents, who were still his legal guardians. Initially reluctant to take Omri in, they eventually agreed, but that night, Omri and his father went out to the nearby woods, and there Omri’s father allegedly shot him nine times and stabbed him in the heart, killing him.

Case Status:
Shai Blum (Adoptive father), charged with murder.

Sources:
Man indicted for murder of autistic adopted son
Man indicted for shooting adopted son nine times, stabbing twice
Omri’s Murder by his Adoptive Father Shakes Hearts
9 shots and a knife in the chest: indictment filed against Shai Blum – for murdering his adopted son
Autism Memorial: Omri Blum

Abhijit Jaybhay

No PhotoName: Abhijit Jaybhay.
Died: April 13, 2023.
Age at death: 27.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Hadapsar, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
Disability: Accidental head injury; bedridden.

Details:
Abhijit’s father allegedly strangled him because of the medical expenses involved in caring for him.

Before his injury, Abhijit was a laborer like his father.

Case Status:
Baburao Dinkar Jaybhay (Father), charged with murder.

Sources:
‘Not able to bear medical expenses’, labourer kills bedridden son
Man Arrested On Charge Of Murdering Son

Megan Frix

Photo of a young woman with fair skin and short brown hair, laughing; she is wearing a black and white blouse.Name: Megan Frix.
Died: January 8, 2023.
Age at death: 26.
Cause of death: Unspecified homicide.
Location: Cumming, Georgia, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Megan was killed by her father in a homicide-suicide.

Case Status:
Jerry Frix (Father), deceased.

Sources:
Days after alleged murder-suicide of father and disabled daughter, FoCo service group sheds light on larger issue
Ga. Father Murdered Adult Daughter with Special Needs Before Killing Himself
Forsyth County father and daughter dead in murder-suicide, deputies say
Adult with special needs allegedly killed by father in murder-suicide in Forsyth County
Megan Frix Obituary
Autism Memorial: Megan Frix

Cora Laszkiewicz

Photo of a teenage girl with pale skin and brown hair pulled back into a ponytail. She is wearing a tie-dyed T-shirt. She is smiling for the camera, mouth open in amusement. Name: Cora Laszkiewicz.
Died: January 4, 2023.
Age at death: 23.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Cora died of malnutrition under the care of her mother.

Case Status:
Amy Laszkiewicz (Mother), pleaded no contest to recklessly subjecting an at-risk individual to abuse causing death; sentenced to 20 years in prison and 15 years probation.

Sources:
Autistic daughter starved to death, Pewaukee woman sentenced
Pewaukee woman sentenced after autistic daughter starved to death
Pewaukee mom sentenced to 20 years for death of autistic daughter
Judge throws book at mom who starved 70-pound adult daughter with ‘severe autism’ to death
Mother enters plea in malnutrition death of autistic daughter
Mom pleads guilty for allowing adult daughter with ‘severe autism’ to starve to death
Pewaukee mother accused of killing autistic daughter enters plea, avoids trial
Mother charged in malnutrition death of autistic daughter
Mother allegedly allowed her daughter with “severe autism” to starve herself to death
Pewaukee woman charged in death of malnourished autistic adult daughter
Autism Memorial: Cora Laszkiewicz

Patrice Johnson

Photo of a young woman with brown skin and dark, short hair. She has large eyes and a square jaw, and is leaning on someone to the right of the photo. A hand supports her chin.Name: Patrice Johnson.
Died: November 18, 2022.
Age at death: 26.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Springfield Gardens, Queens, New York City, New York, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
When Patrice’s aide arrived at her house, they found her dead, along with her aunt and stepmother. Patrice’s nephew was arrested on suspicion of having stabbed all three women to death after an argument.

Police say that Patrice’s stepmother, 65-year-old Hyacinth Brown-Johnson, died trying to protect her. Also killed was Latoya Gordon, 47, Hycainth’s daughter.

Case Status:
Jabari Burrell (Nephew), charged with three counts of first-degree and second-degree murder, grand larceny, and criminal possession of a weapon.

Sources:
Brooklyn Man Charged In Triple Homicide
Suspect arrested in fatal stabbings of grandmother, 2 aunts: sources
Queens killer fatally stabs three relatives in Springfield Gardens home; cops seek fugitive family member
Queens triple murder: Mom, daughter and disabled stepdaughter stabbed to death, hunt on for family member
Suspect in Queens triple homicide reveals grisly details on slays: sources
UPDATE: Relative arrested in Friday triple killing
Family member of Queens murder victims charged in their deaths: Police
Queens man wanted for fatally stabbing family members arrested in Virginia covered in blood
Gran shielded stepdaughter as nephew allegedly stabbed pair to death
Relative arrested in Friday triple killing

Hayden Garreffa

Photo of a young man with short brown hair and fair skin, wearing a gray sweater, holding a large, fluffy tabby cat.Name: Hayden Robert Garreffa.
Died: October 22, 2022.
Age at death: 19.
Cause of death: Stabbing.
Location: Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Hayden went missing and, two days later, was found dead in a wooded area near his home. Court documents state that he had gotten into a fight with his cousin over his cousin’s girlfriend, and his cousin told his sister that Hayden would be dead by the end of the day. Then, his cousin and eight other people allegedly kidnapped Hayden, took him to the woods, and beat and stabbed him to death.

Case Status:
Isaac Joel Buchkoski (Cousin), charged with conspiracy to commit kidnapping and first-degree kidnapping.
Summer Isabella Settlemyer, charged with conspiracy to commit kidnapping and first-degree kidnapping.
Mia Shai Catalfano, charged with first-degree kidnapping.
Taylyn Nashell Edwards, pleaded guilty but mentally ill to first-degree kidnapping.
Thomas Alan Rivera, charged with first-degree kidnapping.
Jesse Lee Wadsworth, charged with first-degree kidnapping.
Desean Garcia Alvarez, charged with first-degree kidnapping.
Unnamed 14-year-old girl, charged with first-degree kidnapping.

Sources:
Woman Pleads ‘Guilty But Mentally Ill’ To Kidnapping, Killing Autistic Teen
Defendant Pleads Guilty but Mentally Ill for Murder, Kidnapping in Indiana County
Eight individuals – 7 from Johnstown – to stand trial in Indiana County killing of teen
8 People Facing Homicide Charges
Eight people – 7 from Johnstown – accused of kidnapping, killing teenager over ‘personal grievance,’ police say
Eight charged in teenager’s killing
Police: 7 adults, 1 youth arrested in connection with Indiana County teen’s kidnapping, homicide
Missing 19-year-old man killed and left in woods, Pennsylvania cops say. Seven charged
Investigators working to sort out what happened before Ebensburg man’s stabbing death; 8 facing charges
8 charged in kidnapping of Pa. man found dead: ‘You won’t have to worry about him again’ – pennlive.com
Eight charged in teenager’s killing
Autism Memorial: Hayden Garreffa
Fundraiser for a memorial and funeral, organized by Helen Reed

Joshua Djuric

No PhotoName: Joshua Djuric.
Died: September 26, 2022.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Yagoona, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Joshua’s body was found in his home. He had not been taken to the doctor despite his declining health, and his mother said she had given him only bread and soft drinks to eat. Joshua had been kept in the house, with the windows covered, and had not been allowed to attend school.

Case Status:
Keti Jovanovska (Mother), charged with manslaughter.

Sources:
Yagoona mother charged with manslaughter after death of her autistic son
Mom who killed her starving autistic teen son by feeding him just bread and soft drinks charged | MEAWW
Mother charged with manslaughter after son starved to death
Autism Memorial: Joshua Djuric