Type: Fatal Abuse – Page 10 – Disability Day of Mourning

Kakoli Das

No Photo Name: Kakoli Das.
Died: January 9, 2018.
Age at death: 46.
Cause of death: Abuse.
Location: Behala, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
Disability: Deaf; schizophrenia, physical disability.

Details:
When Kakoli’s niece died of dengue, Kakoli’s sister and her husband blamed her for the death. Neighbors reported that she and her mother, also disabled, were often beaten and starved, until one day Kakoli was found dead.

Case status:
Keya Mullick (Sister) and her husband, detained by neighbors, under investigation.

Source:
Deaf-mute woman killed in ‘assault’ by kin at Behala
Woman death sparks unrest

Sumiko Kobayashi

No Photo Name: Sumiko Kobayashi.
Died: January 6, 2018.
Age at death: 84.
Cause of death: Abuse.
Location: Sakae, Chiba, Japan.
Disability: Disabled elder.

Details:
Sumiko’s son is charged with murder for beating her several times in the last days of her life, until she died. Police say he told them he was tired of her calling out for help at night.

Case status:
Ichiro Kobayashi (Son), arrested on suspicion of murder.

Source:
Man arrested over death of 84-year-old mother

73-year-old woman

No Photo Name Unknown.
Died: Unknown; news report of trial dated November 9, 2018.
Age at death: 73.
Cause of death: Burns.
Location: Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, Russia.
Disability: Unspecified mobility impairment.

Details:
This 73-year-old woman’s daughter-in-law got angry at her, so she allegedly put her in the bath and turned on the hot water. The elderly woman was taken to the hospital and died there of severe burns covering half her body. Her grandchildren, who were too small to help her, had to listen to her cries for help.

Case status:
Her 39-year-old daughter-in-law, charged with causing grave health damage leading to death.

Source:
Woman ‘burned disabled mother-in-law to death in bath of scalding water leaving her to die in agony after row’

Bhram Devi

No Photo Name: Bhram Kaur Devi.
Died: January 2018.
Age at death: 82.
Cause of death: Unspecified homicide.
Location: Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Disability: Stroke; mobility impairment.

Details:
Bhram went missing, and was found dead. Some time later, a video surfaced on social media showing her son beating her. He was arrested on suspicion of causing her death.

Case status:
Jogendra Chaudhary (Son), charged with voluntarily causing hurt, wrongful restraint, assault, and culpable homicide.

Source:
Rajasthan teacher booked for assaulting bedridden mother

Jordan Rodriguez

Name: Jordan Rodriguez.
Died: December 19, 2017 (Body found; last seen July 17, 2017; likely died September 22, 2017).
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Homicide, unspecified.
Location: Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Developmentally disabled, nonverbal.

Details:
Although he obviously needed a hospital, Jordan’s mother did not take him to a doctor. After he died, most likely from abuse, Jordan’s mother and her boyfriend buried him in their backyard.

Case status:
Larissa Rodriguez (Mother), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 25 years.
Christopher Rodriguez (Mother’s boyfriend), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 28 years.

Source:
Mother arrested after body of five-year-old discovered
Cause of death is sought for remains found buried in Cleveland yard
Cleveland police: Charges for murder, felonious assault coming against Larissa Rodriguez
Mom charged with murder after leading police to son’s abused body
Mother charged in death of 5-year-old boy found buried in backyard of Cleveland home
Police: Mother led investigators to child’s remains buried in backyard
Cleveland mother charged in young child’s murder
Larissa Rodriguez Charged With Son’s Death After Remains Found In Backyard
Why? Larissa Rodriguez Cleveland mother arrested after burying disabled son in backyard
Ohio woman charged in son’s death after buried remains found
Resources available for kids with special needs, in light of what happened to Jordan Rodriguez
$1M bond set for Cleveland mother charged with murder in son’s death
Body found in bags in backyard identified as disabled boy
Body found in bags in backyard identified as disabled boy
Woman pleads not guilty in death of son, 5, buried in yard
Boyfriend of mother-of-9 charged with murder after her disabled 5-year-old son was found buried in garden
Man charged in death of 5-year-old in Cleveland
Cleveland police release body cam video of home belonging to mother charged in death of 5-year-old son
Cleveland mom accused of killing, burying 5-year-old in backyard gives birth to 10th child
Couple pleads guilty in death of 5-year-old Cleveland boy
Woman, boyfriend plead guilty in death of her disabled son
Couple pleads guilty in death of 5-year-old Cleveland boy
Judge breaks down while sentencing couple for killing disabled boy
Charity sued in death of abused boy

Kendall Chick

Photo of Kendall Chick, a toddler girl wearing an orange dress. Her pale skin is washed out by sunlight, and she is wearing a hair ribbon with a black flower in her wispy blonde hair. She is smiling. Name: Kendall Chick.
Died: December 8, 2017.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Head and abdominal trauma.
Location: Wicasset, Maine, USA.
Disability: Developmental delay, prenatal drug exposure.

Details:
Kendall was abused by her grandmother, who was taking care of her after her parents lost custody. She died of a traumatic injury to her abdomen and blunt force head trauma.

Case status:
Shawna Gatto (Grandfather’s fiance), convicted of murder, sentenced to 50 years in prison.

Source:
Carer who tortured disabled girl, 4, to death fails in bid to be freed from jail
Kendall Chick’s caseworker had license revoked
How Maine child welfare officials assess the handling of the Kendall Chick case
Defense in murder trial points to grandfather as suspect in 4-year-old’s death
Kendall Chick’s short life began with neglect and ended with abuse. She left hardly a trace.
Kendall Chick died from child abuse, Maine’s medical examiner says
Judge to deliver verdict in murder trial of Maine woman accused of killing 4-year-old
Monster carer battered girl, 4, to death after months of ‘revolting and brutal’ abuse while tot’s mum battled addiction
Woman convicted of murder in abuse case that spurred state to reform its child protection system

Dylan Davis

Photo of Dylan Davis, a boy with short brown hair and fair skin, photographed outdoors. He is grinning at the camera. Name: Dylan Martin Davis.
Died: November 17, 2017.
Age at death: 11.
Cause of death: Positional asphyxia.
Location: Georgetown, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
When Dylan had a meltdown, his step-grandfather–a very large man–sat on him to restrain him and suffocated him to death.

Case status:
Donald Martin Jr. (Step-grandfather), pleaded guilty to reckless homicide, but was then allowed to withdraw his plea; found innocent because the court decided he had not known his actions would be fatal.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Dylan Davis
Police arrest and charge 400-pound man in death of 11-year-old autistic step-grandson
28-stone man ‘killed his ‘autistic’ step grandson, 11, by SITTING ON HIM’
400-pound man pleads guilty in step-grandson’s pinning death
Ohio boy crushed by 28-stone grandad
400-pound Ohio man pleads guilty to accidentally smothering step-grandson
400-pound man admits accidentally crushing step-grandson, 11, to death
400 lb grandpa pleads guilty to suffocating 11 year old autistic boy
Ohio granddad pleaded guilty in pinning death of grandson. Then a judge cleared his name
400-Pound Man Who Crushed Grandson To Death Found Not Guilty

Charity Depina

Photo of Charity Depina, a young woman with curly black hair and tan skin, wearing a blue fairy costume with wings showing behind her back. Name: Charity Depina.
Died: November 10, 2017.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Head, chest, and abdominal trauma.
Location: Fresno, California, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Charity DePina was a polite, high-spirited young woman who attended Bible study and other church services three times a week.

She loved listening to music, watching comedies and eating burgers and fries at Burger King and Mexican pizzas at Taco Bell. Her hair was a big deal. She was always getting it done in braids and she liked to change the color once a month. Her favorite colors were red and blue.
–Sacramento Bee

Charity was studying to become a teacher’s aide.

Charity’s boyfriend, who had a history of violently assaulting her, beat her to death with a curtain rod.

Case status:
Gabriel Salinas (Boyfriend), pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and torture, sentenced to 22 years to life.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Charity Depina
Jealous of cousin, murder suspect’s own words build criminal case in brutal beating
Fresno man who fatally beat, tortured woman he met online agrees to plea deal
Man confesses to beating girlfriend to death with closet rod, police say
Man takes blame for girlfriend’s death in Fresno
She wanted ‘love and attention.’ Her boyfriend is charged with torturing and killing her

James Chewning

Name: James Chewning.
Died: November 1, 2017.
Age at death: 79.
Cause of death: Blunt force trauma, sepsis.
Location: Saluda, South Carolina, USA.
Disability: Stroke.

Details:
James’s stepson, who had financial power of attorney over him, took him out of the retirement home where he had lived since his stroke. To access his money, his stepson tied him to the bed and gagged him, refusing him medical care and beating him while he drained James’s bank account. James died from abuse and neglect.

James was a retired Methodist minister. He is remembered as “a man of God”, mentor to his community, kind and caring.

Case status:
Donald Chewning (Stepson), pleaded guilty to abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult resulting in death, sentenced to 22 years.
Kathy Laine Chewning (Daughter-in-law), convicted of neglect of a vulnerable adult resulting in death, sentenced to 14 years.
Amber Nicole Trent (Granddaughter), charged with abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult resulting in death.
Nicole Krystyn Chewning (Granddaughter), charged with abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult resulting in death.

Source:
Man gets 22 years for abusing elderly SC Methodist minister to death
Saluda man handed 22-year sentence after stepfather died of neglect
Fourth arrest made in case of former reverend found dead and bound to bed

Sherin Mathews

Name: Sherin Mathews.
Died: October 22, 2017 (Body found); died October 7, 2017.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Choked.
Location: Dallas, Texas, USA.
Disability: Developmental disability, failure to thrive.

Details:
Sherin’s adoptive father claimed she had been adopted from India with developmental delays, malnutrition, and an “eating disorder”. When he brought her to the hospital with broken bones, he claimed that she had brittle bones from being malnourished at the orphanage.

Her adoptive father was trying to force her to drink milk at 3 a.m., and choked her to death doing it. He then dumped her body and pretended she had gone missing, before eventually confessing to the killing. The autopsy confirmed that Sherin’s cause of death was “homicidal violence”.

Later, the orphanage came forward and reported that Sherin had not had trouble eating. Her “eating disorder” may have been a fabrication to cover up her murder. She was merely small for her age, a condition called “failure to thrive” which is common in children with difficult backgrounds. The broken bones she had suffered months before her death had nothing to do with malnutrition and everything to do with child abuse.

Case status:
Wesley Mathews (Adoptive father), pleaded guilty to injury to a child by omission, sentenced to 30 years to life.

Source:
Wesley Mathews, Accused of Killing Girl, 3, Pleads Guilty to Lesser Charge
Sherin Mathews death: Foster dad pleads guilty to lesser charge
Man gets life sentence in 3-year-old daughter’s death
Capital murder trial set to begin for ‘dad’ who claimed he locked slain tot outside at 3 a.m. for not drinking her milk
Sherin Mathews abandoned in India before alley abandonment that may have led to death
A father reported his 3-year-old missing. Then he told police he’d watched her die.
Texas dad admits disposing of child’s body, affidavit says
Father of Sherin Mathews says he watched as his 3 year old child choked on milk and died
‘Sherin Mathews didn’t have developmental disability’; foster father on suicide watch in jail
Mother Of Girl Who Allegedly Died Drinking Milk Arrested For Leaving Her Alone And Going Out To Dinner
Sherin Mathews Was Being Abused Months Before Her Death, Pediatrician Told Child Protective Services
Autopsy Reveals 3-Year-Old Sherin Mathews Died from ‘Homicidal Violence’
Sherin Mathews Update: Slain AMBER Alert toddler died from ‘homicidal violence’
Sherin Mathews died from ‘homicidal violence,’ autopsy finds
U.S. Adoption Agency Banned from India Following Death of Toddler Sherin
Father charged with murder in death of 3-year-old Indian girl
Texas father charged with murder in death of Indian orphan
Father Charged in Murder of 3-Year-Old Adopted Orphan Sherin Mathews
TX dad charged with capital murder in death of 3-year-old
Who Is Wesley Mathews? Sherin Mathews’ Father Charged With Missing Texas Toddler’s Murder
BREAKING: Death Penalty for Sherin Mathews’ Father? Wesley Mathews Indicted on Capital Murder Charge
Wesley Mathews charged with CAPITAL MURDER in death of adopted toddler, Sherin Mathews
Texas father charged with murder in death of Indian orphan
Sherin Mathews case: Father who claimed girl choked on milk charged with murder
Texas father charged with murder in death of daughter adopted from Indian orphanage
Wesley Mathews Allegedly Used ‘Deadly Weapon’ to Kill Daughter Sherin Mathews
New Texas Law Inspired by Three-year-old Toddler Sherin Mathews’ Death
Bond reduced for Richardson man accused in death of his adopted daughter
In Sherin Mathews’ Death Case, Foster Parents To Be Tried Separately