Remembering the Disabled Murdered by Caregivers
Fatal abuse.
Name: Aliyah Marie Branum.
Died: April 26, 2013.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Blunt force trauma; fractured skull.
Location: Citrus County, Florida, USA.
Disability: Multiple congenital disabilities.
Details:
Aliyah was beaten to death by her mother.
Case status:
Chelsea Huggett (Mother), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and aggravated child abuse; sentenced to 30 years.
Source:
Chelsea HUGGETT
ANGELIZD’s Place – Child Abuse Pages – Aliyah Marie Branum
Name: Terrilynn Destiny Julz Dennis.
Died: April 4, 2013.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Peritonitis.
Location: Newport News, Virginia, USA.
Disability: Spina bifida.
Details:
Terrilynn died of peritonitis from blows to the stomach, complicated by physical and medical neglect. Her parents allegedly waited eight hours after she became unresponsive to take her to the hospital, and she died shortly thereafter.
From her obituary: “Terrilynn had a warm spirit; she enjoyed playing with her sisters and learning about the Bible.”
Case status:
Terri W. Dennis (Adoptive father), charged with murder.
Pamela T. Dennis (Adoptive mother), charged with murder.
Source:
Girl adopted by Terri and Pamela Dennis
Terrilyn Destiny Julz Dennis
Name: Harry Aspley.
Died: April 1, 2013.
Age at death: 23 months.
Cause of death: Head injury; shaken baby.
Location: Stoney Stanton, England, UK.
Disability: Developmental delay; suspected autism.
Details:
Harry was violently shaken by his foster mother. This caused brain injuries which killed him.
Case status:
Wendy Hardy (Foster mother), pleaded guilty to manslaughter, sentenced to six and a half years.
David Hardy, charged with child cruelty.
Source:
Autism Memorial: Harry Aspley
Death of toddler shaken by foster mum “could have been prevented”
Foster mother jailed for killing toddler by violently shaking him
Woman jailed after death of 23-month-old Harry Aspley
Name: Isabella Wiens.
Died: March 16, 2013.
Age at death: 21 months.
Cause of death: Undetermined, in the setting of abuse.
Location: Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
Disability: Developmentally delayed. Removed from her mother absent any evidence of abuse, because her mother is learning disabled.
Details:
Isabella died while in foster care. The autopsy showed evidence of abuse, including a swollen brain and healing fractures, but her cause of death is listed as undetermined.
Case status:
Foster home closed.
Isabella’s mother is suing the province.
Source:
B.C. ministry will review toddler Isabella Wiens’ death in care
B.C. mother sues province after infant daughter dies in foster care
Coroner’s Report
Name: Jamielynn Bleakley.
Died: March 7, 2013.
Age at death: 36.
Cause of death: Head injury, hypothermia.
Location: Denning, New York, USA.
Disability: Multiple sclerosis.
Details:
Jamielynn was beaten, strangled, and left outside in the cold by her fiance. She died of head injuries and exposure.
Before she became disabled, she had been employed in health care; she was a fan of Renegade, NASCAR, and the Yankees.
Case status:
Gerald Babcock (Fiance), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 25 years.
Source:
Appeals court upholds Denning resident’s manslaughter conviction in death of his fiancée
Jamielynn Bleakley Online Obituary, December 29, 1975 – March 7, 2013
Denning woman had reported violence in home prior to being killed, police say; boyfriend charged, held without bail
Babcock convicted of manslaughter in death of girlfriend
Saratoga native, 37, allegedly killed by boyfriend in domestic violence incident
Cause of girlfriend’s death disputed
Savage beating leaves Denning woman dead
Denning man gets 25-year prison term for killing girlfriend
Name: Brandon Leon White.
Died: January 8, 2013.
Age at death: 15.
Cause of death: Asphyxiation.
Location: Denison, Texas, USA.
Disability: Autism, epilepsy, bipolar disorder.
Details:
Brandon had epilepsy and bipolar disorder, but he hadn’t taken his medication for a while–his family said they couldn’t afford it. Instead of getting him the medication, Brandon’s mother’s boyfriend tied him up and gagged him, then put a pillow over his face to make him stop struggling. Brandon died of suffocation.
Case status:
Robert Gray Jr. (Mother’s boyfriend); convicted of murder; sentenced to 45-90 years.
Source:
Autism Memorial: Brandon White
Denison teen dies at home
New details in death of Denison teen
Teen killed in Denison had ties to Jasper
Man arrested for murder in Denison teen’s death
Pennies from Heaven for Brandon
Denison Murder Suspect Testifies He Was Tired During Interrogations
Man sentenced to 90 years for Denison teen’s murder
Name: Melissa Stoddard.
Died: December 17, 2012.
Age at death: 11.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Sarasota, Florida, USA.
Disability: Autism.
Details:
Melissa suffocated in the restraints her family routinely used to tie her to her bed.
Case status:
Misty Stoddard (Stepmother); convicted of first-degree murder; sentenced to life without parole.
Kenneth Stoddard (Father); aggravated manslaughter, aggravated child abuse; sentenced to 65 years.
Source:
Autism Memorial: Melissa Stoddard
Before Melissa Stoddard died here, abuse in North Carolina
Sarasota man Kenneth Stoddard arrested for hog-tying 11-year-old daughter Melissa, who later died
Misty Stoddard arrested for child abuse after death of autistic stepdaughter Melissa Stoddard
Trial set in abuse death of autistic Fla. girl
Woman Guilty of Killing Autistic Stepdaughter
Name: Peyton Rowe.
Died: November 12, 2012.
Age at death: 6 weeks.
Cause of death: Fatal abuse.
Location: Visalia, California, USA.
Disability: Turner syndrome.
Details:
Peyton’s father had been beating her since she was born. At 6 weeks old, she died from her injuries.
Case status:
Aaron Rowe (Father), convicted of second-degree murder, sentenced to 18 years to life.
Courtney Rowe (Mother), pleaded no contest to child abuse, sentenced to 4 years probation.
Source:
Visalia mother Courtney Johnson charged in death of baby daughter gets 4 years’ probation
Visalia man convicted of killing his daughter sentenced to 18 years to life in prison – ABC30 Fresno
Father, 23, could face death penalty for ‘beating his handicapped newborn daughter to death after torturing her for WEEKS’
Name: Hilary Milner.
Died: November 1, 2012.
Age at death: 55
Cause of death: Chest trauma; injury to heart and lungs.
Location: Leeds, England, UK.
Disability: Dementia.
Details:
Hilary died shortly after being beaten by her husband.
Case status:
Trevor Milner (Husband); assault with bodily harm; 4-month suspended sentence.
Source:
Leeds dementia sufferer died hours after attack by husband
Obituary
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