Age: Young Adult – Page 9 – Disability Day of Mourning

Nichol Widger

Name: Nichol “Nikki” Widger.
Died: April 1, 2018.
Age at death: 20.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA.
Disability: Unspecified “special needs”.

Details:
Nikki and her mother, Melisa Widger, were shot and killed by her father on Easter Sunday before he committed suicide. Her 18-year-old brother survived to call police.

Case status:
Eric Widger Sr. (Father), deceased.

Source:
Man killed his wife and special needs daughter in murder-suicide on Easter, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office says
Sheriff: Oklahoma Man Killed Wife, Daughter and Himself
Police: 3 dead, 1 hurt in shooting at Tulsa home
Father of 2 Kills His Wife and Daughter and Then Himself in Easter Sunday Murder-Suicide

Portrait photo of Cody Nachtrab, a teenager with dark hair and light skin and a wispy mustache. He is smiling for the camera. He is wearing a pale-green dress shirt. Name: Cody T. Nachtrab.
Died: March 12, 2018.
Age at death: 23.
Cause of death: Smoke inhalation.
Location: Deer Creek, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Developmental disability.

Details:
Cody died of smoke inhalation in a fire set by his sister.

He liked tractors and enjoyed playing with his toy cars. His favorite movie was Shrek. He had a collection of backpacks.

Case status:
Dana L. Nachtrab (Sister), convicted of homicide by negligent handling of fire and arson; sentenced to seven years in prison followed by five years on extended supervision.

Source:
Woman faces homicide charges following brother’s death in house fire
Clintonville woman charged with starting fire that killed developmentally disabled brother
Woman charged with starting fire that killed developmentally disabled brother
Obituary for Cody T. Nachtrab | Eberhardt-Stevenson Funeral Home & Crematory
Deer Creek fire: Sister sentenced in brother’s arson death

Kaylina Anderson

Name: Kaylina L. Anderson.
Died: March 10, 2018.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Neglect.
Location: Mesa Verde, California, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Kaylina’s mother and stepfather abused and starved her to death. She had been kept locked in a filthy room, and when she died she weighed only 45 pounds.

Case status:
Jill Williams (Mother), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, sentenced to 15 years to life.
Steven Williams (Stepfather), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, sentenced to 15 years to life.

Source:
Couple Murdered Wife’s Mentally Disabled Teen Daughter: 15-to-Life
Mesa Verde Couple Plead Not Guilty in Disabled Daughter’s Death
Autism Memorial: Kaylina Anderson
Justice For Kaylina Anderson
Mother, stepdad reportedly kept autistic, malnourished 18-yr-old daughter confined to a feces-filled room before she died
Mother, stepfather on trial after ‘severely autistic’ girl found dead
Parents accused of keeping malnourished autistic girl locked in feces-filled room
‘Severely autistic’ woman weighed 45 pounds, body found locked in feces-filled room, prosecutor says
Autistic woman weighed just 45 pounds when body found locked in feces-filled room near Blythe, prosecutor says
Young woman with ‘severe autism’ weighed ‘3st when body was found in room’
‘Severely Autistic’ Teen Weighed Just 45 Pounds When She Was Found Dead In Feces-Filled Room, Prosecutors Say
Autism Memorial: Kaylina Anderson

Austin Steele

Portrait photo of Austin Steele, a young man with brown hair and fair skin, wearing a black suit and tie. Name: Austin Steele.
Died: March 1, 2018.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Lancaster, South Carolina, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
After his grandfather died, Austin moved in with a caretaker. At 18, he moved out, though he would often call his caretaker–sometimes in the middle of the night–to ask for a hug.

Austin was an independent young man. He would take weeks-long trips to the beach on his moped. He was enrolled in GED classes, and he wanted to join the military and become an engineer.

Two months after he allowed a man and his wife to move into his mobile home with him, his body was found. Austin may have been killed because he had become involved romantically with one or both of the couple; or the 30-year-old man, who was a registered sex offender, may have been abusing him.

The man had shot him, left him to die overnight, and with the help of his wife, dismembered, burned, and dumped his body.

Case status:
Christopher Allen Holford (Housemate), pleaded guilty to murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, sentenced to 50-60 years.
Brandy Nicole Faye Duncan (Housemate), convicted of accessory after the fact to murder, sentenced to 2-12 years.

Source:
Autistic SC teen who was burned, dismembered ‘knew he was loved’
LANCASTER HOMICIDE: Family seeks justice for teen’s death in Lancaster County
Lancaster autistic teen, killed in ‘haunting’ case, remembered as ‘kind, caring’
‘One of the worst cases’: Body of Lancaster man, 18, burned and dismembered; 2 charged
New details in Austin Steele murder
SC newlyweds charged in connection with murder, dismembering teen’s body
Human remains found as Lancaster Co. deputies investigate homicide
Couple Charged After An 18-Year-Old’s Dismembered Remains Were Found On Lancaster Property
Autism Memorial: Austin Steele

Shain D’Onofrio

No Photo Name: Shain D’Onofrio.
Died: February 24, 2018 (Body found).
Age at death: 24.
Cause of death: Long-term neglect.
Location: Plains Township, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy, autism.

Details:
Shain’s bones were found in a burning shed, and his mother was the prime suspect in his death; however, it took five years of investigation to determine that Shain had died from long-term neglect.

Case Status:
Linasheri D’Onofrio (Mother), charged with neglect of a care-dependent person and reckless burning or exploding.

Sources:
Prosecutors seek to add murder charge against mother in disabled son’s death
Woman charged for death of disabled son
Woman charged in death of disabled son found in burning shed
Plains shed body was male; disabled man, mom, focus of questions
Autism Memorial: Shain D’Onofrio

Tial Melvin

No Photo Name: Tial La’Chella Melvin.
Died: February 3, 2018.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Starvation, hypothermia.
Location: Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy, physically and mentally disabled.

Details:
Tial died from starvation and hypothermia, weighing fifty pounds despite being 5’1″ tall. Her sister had also been neglected.

Case status:
Bertha Brewington Melvin (Adoptive mother), charged with first-degree murder and two counts of domestic abuse, neglect, and exploitation of disabled or elderly adults; died before trial.

Source:
Fayetteville woman charged with murdering disabled daughter
Fayetteville mom charged with starving disabled daughter to death :
Fayetteville mom charged with murder, neglect of disabled daughter
Fayetteville woman starved her mentally disabled daughter to death, police say
N. Carolina mom charged in daughter’s malnourishment death
Mom charged with starving disabled daughter to death
Fayetteville mom charged with starving daughter to death
Disabled Fayetteville woman died weighing 50 lbs, autopsy says
Mom starves mentally disabled 55-pound adult daughter to death: Police
Fayetteville woman dies after being charged with killing disabled daughter

Cristina Prodan

Photo of Cristina Prodan, a young woman with long straight brown hair, heavy-lidded brown eyes, and pale skin, smiling enigmatically. Name: Cristina Prodan.
Died: January 6, 2018.
Age at death: 27.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Edina, Minnesota, USA.
Disability: Epilepsy.

Details:
Cristina’s epilepsy made her vulnerable to long-term domestic abuse by her boyfriend. He beat her to the point that she had a miscarriage, and even hit her service dog. Cristina got a restraining order, but he came back to her apartment and choked her to death.

Case status:
Joseph Porter (Boyfriend), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 20 years.

Source:
Man gets 20-year sentence after admitting to killing Edina girlfriend, burning body in New Orleans
Charges: Ex-boyfriend killed Edina woman in Minnesota, burned body in New Orleans

Johnny McFadden

No Photo Name: Johnny McFadden.
Died: December 23, 2017.
Age at death: 19.
Cause of death: Medical complications of cerebral palsy.
Location: Augusta, Georgia, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Johnny was neglected by his caregivers. When he died his body showed evidence of malnutrition and severe bedsores.

Case status:
Carlissa Malone (Mother), pleaded no contest to neglect of a disabled adult, sentenced to time served plus five years probation.
Roger Malone (Stepfather), pleaded no contest to neglect of a disabled adult, sentenced to time served plus five years probation.

Source:
Augusta woman sentenced in son’s death
Augusta man guilty of neglect in death of disabled stepson
Couple jailed on neglect charge in disabled man’s death

Michael Shearin

No Photo Name: Michael Anton Shearin.
Died: December 20, 2017.
Age at death: 25.
Cause of death: Sepsis, pneumonia, dehydration.
Location: Gaston, South Carolina, USA.
Disability: Muscular dystrophy.

Details:
Michael was allegedly neglected by his mother and sister. He died from a septic pressure ulcer, pneumonia, and dehydration.

Case status:
Candie McKay Shearin (Mother), charged with abuse or neglect resulting in death to a vulnerable adult.
Tara Nerys Shearin (Sister), charged with abuse or neglect resulting in death to a vulnerable adult.

Source:
Mom, Daughter Get $50,000 Bond in Disabled Son’s Death
Bond granted to Midlands mother, daughter charged in death of disabled family member
Mother, Daughter Charged in Death of Disabled Man
Disabled man found dead, mother and sister charged, Lexington County sheriff says
Mother, Daughter Charged in Death of Disabled Family Member
LCSD: mother, sister neglected disabled man, caused his death
Bond set at 50K for women accused of neglecting disabled family member

Malu Devi

No Photo Name: Malu Devi.
Died: December 19, 2017.
Age at death: 26.
Cause of death: Fire.
Location: Chitalwana, Rajasthan, India.
Disability: Mental illness or developmental disability.

Details:
Because of Malu’s disability, her husband was given permission to marry again. Together, Malu and her fellow wife, 22-year-old Dariya, had three children.

Their husband, dissatisfied with his wives, allegedly locked Malu and Dariya in his car and set the car on fire. They burned to death; their children survived.

Case status:
Deepa Ram Prajapati (Husband), arrested.

Source:
Husband accused of murdering his two wives by burning them to death in car
Rajasthan: Man held for burning to death two wives in car, showing it as mishap
Man locks 2 wives in car and sets it afire, says they didn’t keep mother happy
Husband burns his two wives to death in car
Rajasthan Man Locks Wives In Car, Sets It On Fire For Keeping Mother Unhappy
Man in Rajasthan burns two wives to death in car, held
Rajasthan: Running car caches fire, two women burnt alive in Jalore