Remembering the Disabled Murdered by Caregivers
Fatal abuse.
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
Name: Markea Blakely-Berry.
Died: June 15, 2012.
Age at death: 16.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.
Details:
Markea was starved to death by her mother.
Case status:
Ebony Berry (Mother), pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter, sentenced to 30 years.
Source:
Girl, 16, dies weighing just 40lb after being ‘starved by her food-obsessed mother’
Name: Howard E. Spracher.
Died: June 5, 2012.
Age at death: 67.
Cause of death: Malnutrition, trauma.
Location: St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Disability: Visually impaired, physical/mental ill health.
Details:
Howard’s girlfriend locked him into a bare room, starved him, and beat him. He died of his injuries.
Howard worked for sixteen years for the city of Omaha as a public events worker.
Case status:
Darlene Coulibaly (Girlfriend/Housemate), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, domestic assault, and elder abuse; sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Source:
Caretaker charged after elderly St. Louis man’s death
St. Louis woman pleads guilty in death of housemate
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
Name: Daniel Pelka.
Died: March 3, 2012.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Coventry, West Midlands, England, UK.
Disability: None. Killer claimed he was autistic.
Details:
Daniel, who was not autistic, died from beatings and starvation by his mother and stepfather, who told a co-worker that Daniel was not worth beating because he was autistic and would not feel pain.
Case status:
Magadelena Luczak (Mother), sentenced to 30 years to life, died in prison.
Mariusz Krezolek (Stepfather); sentenced to 30 years to life, died in prison.
Source:
Autism Memorial: Daniel Pelka
Daniel Pelka’s brutal stepfather refused treatment before death in prison.
PELKA: WHAT THE JUDGE TOLD EVIL CHILDKILLERS
Mom & Boyfriend Jailed for Murdering 4-Year-Old: 5 Fast Facts You Need to know
Daniel Pelka: Professionals failed ‘invisible’ murdered boy, report says
Everyone to blame but no one punished: Teachers, doctors, the police and social workers escape justice after missing 27 chances to save tragic Daniel Pelka
Sibling of four-year-old boy ‘beaten to death by mother and her partner hoarded biscuits and nuts for him because he was left to starve’
Name: Karl Jones.
Died: March 2, 2012.
Age at death: 37.
Cause of death: Blunt-force abdominal injuries.
Location: Ash Vale, Surrey, England, UK.
Disability: Mobility impaired.
Details:
When Karl came home drunk and spilled beer on the carpet, his girlfriend stomped and kicked him to death. She had been known to abuse him in the past, having pushed him down stairs and hit him with his walking stick.
Case Status:
Maxine Oliver (Girlfriend), convicted of murder, sentenced to 17 1/2 years to life; died in prison.
Source:
Murderer Maxine Oliver who killed boyfriend over spilled beer dies in jail
Maxine Oliver guilty of murdering boyfriend Karl Jones
‘Absolute failure’ of police at alleged murder scene
Name: Nubia Barahona.
Died: February 14, 2012.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: West Palm Beach, Florida, USA.
Disability: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia.
Details:
Nubia was allegedly abused by her foster, later adoptive, parents. When she showed up at school thin and ravenously hungry, her parents blamed her condition on her CAH, and the abuse was not investigated. Eventually Nubia was found beaten to death in her adoptive father’s truck.
Nubia is survived by her twin brother, Ivan, who was found in poor condition but recovered.
Case status:
Jorge Barahona (Adoptive father), charged with murder.
Carmen Barahona (Adoptive mother), pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and multiple counts of aggravated child abuse.
Source:
Child Murder Case Still Hasn’t Gone to Trial After More Than a Decade, Here’s Why
Murder of Nubia Barahona
‘Murderer who melted disabled daughter’s body in acid’ is attacked in jail
Before the torture, Nubia Barahona dreamed as a child
Name: Logan Sherwin.
Died: December 29, 2011.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Brain injury.
Location: Crestview, Florida, USA.
Disability: Developmental disability.
Details:
Logan was beaten to death by his father and his father’s girlfriend.
Case status:
Grant Sherwin (Father), murder and child neglect, 20 years.
Nichole Allen (Father’s girlfriend), murder and child neglect, 65 years.
Source:
Custodial dad, gal pal charged in death of his 2-year-old son (Crestview, Florida)
Name: Angela Andrews.
Died: December 6, 2011.
Age at death: 40.
Cause of death: Head trauma.
Location: Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA.
Disability: Unspecified. “Disabled Army veteran”.
Details:
Angela was beaten to death by her boyfriend.
Case status:
Lorenzo Hull (Boyfriend), second-degree murder, sentenced to 33-35 years.
Source:
Hull gets identical sentence after appeal
Beating death conviction upheld, sentence tossed
Hull gets identical sentence after appeal
Warren County Man Charged In Girlfriend’s Death
Name: Joseph Maoping Adams.
Died: December 3, 2011.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Vinegar poisoning.
Location: Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
Disability: Hirschsprung’s disease; colectomy.
Details:
Joseph had eaten some sprinkles, chocolate, and butter, which he was not allowed to have. In an attempt to force Joseph to vomit, his adoptive parents made him drink so much vinegar that he died from vinegar poisoning.
Joseph was born in Hangzhou, China and was an international adoptee.
Case status:
Deah Daniele Adams (Adoptive mother), pleaded guilty to abuse, sentenced to 6 months probation.
Rick Adams (Adoptive father), not charged.
Source:
Sudden death due to forced ingestion of distilled white vinegar
Joseph Maoping Adams
Details emerge in hearing about 2011 death linked to vinegar
Chinese adoptee Joseph Maoping Adams case-Child Death