Type: Fatal Abuse – Page 26 – Disability Day of Mourning

Kevin Johnson

Name: Kevin Johnson.
Died: July 20, 2008.
Age at death: 12.
Cause of death: Fatal abuse.
Location: Crete, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Kevin’s foster father physically abused him, and eventually beat him so badly that he was taken to the hospital, unconscious, and died two days later.

His favorite hymn was the gospel song “I Need You To Survive.”

Case Status:
Fred D. Johnson II (Foster father), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, sentenced to 5-17 years.

Source:
Man charged with beating disabled foster child
Crete murderer seeks reduced sentence
Kevin Johnson
Family mourns loss of Crete boy

Photo of Lavender Banks, a little girl in a pink dress and pink hair ribbons. She has a cleft lip. Name: Lavender Banks.
Died: May 2, 2008.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Asphyxia, blunt trauma.
Location: Elk Grove, California, USA.
Disability: Cleft lip/palate.

Details:
Lavender was beaten and smothered by her adoptive mother.

She was an international adoptee from China.

Case status:
Sabrina Banks (Adoptive mother), pleaded no contest to second-degree murder, sentenced to 15 years to life.

Source:
Lavender Banks

Sonya Todd

Name: Sonya Todd.
Died: March 23, 2008.
Age at death: 21.
Cause of death: Traumatic injury and diabetic crisis.
Location: Methil, Fife, Scotland, UK.
Disability: Diabetes, asthma.

Details:
Sonya’s boyfriend beat her during a diabetic episode; the injuries he inflicted on her, in addition to the diabetic crisis, were enough to kill.

She was an academically talented young woman who liked doing volunteer work. She left behind a six-year-old daughter.

Case status:
David Craige (Partner), pleaded guilty to culpable homicide, sentenced to 6 years. Released; now dating another woman with a disability.

Source:
Killer who beat mum to death with dog chain free and has ‘vulnerable’ girlfriend
Horror find at Methil flat
Man jailed for dog chain killing
Jealous Fife man jailed for killing girlfriend
Grieving dad’s anger as daughter’s killer gets six years

Nicolai Emelyantsev

Photo of Nicolai Emelyantsev, a solemn infant in pajamas; he has a wisp of blond hair and a round face with very pale skin. Name: Nicolai Emelyantsev.
Died: March 7, 2008.
Age at death: 14 months.
Cause of death: Skull fracture.
Location: Tooele, Utah, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome.

Details:
Nicolai’s adoptive mother killed him by deliberately slamming him against the floor, causing a skull fracture.

Case status:
Kimberly Emelyantsev (Adoptive mother), pleaded guilty to child-abuse homicide, sentenced to 1-15 years.

Source:
Kimberly Emelyantsev | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers
Nicolai Emelyantsev

Cheyenne Wolf

Photo of a teen girl with wavy strawberry-blond hair in a half-ponytail; she is smiling for the camera, wearing a pink shirt with black stripes. Name: Cheyenne Wolf.
Died: March or April 2008.
Age at death: 12.
Cause of death: Homicide.
Location: Durant, Oklahoma, USA.
Disability: Spina bifida.

Details:
Cheyenne’s stepmother tied her to a chair and beat her. When she died, her father helped hide the body.

Case status:
Denise Wolf (Stepmother); convicted of child abuse, child abuse by neglect, and unlawful removal of a dead body; sentenced to 5 consecutive life terms.
Able Wolf (Father), pleaded guilty to child abuse, child abuse by neglect, and unlawful removal of a dead body; sentenced to 3 concurrent life terms.

Source:
Sisters testify they saw Cheyenne Wolf abused before she died
Cheyenne Noell Wolf
Bryan County judge sentences stepmother for abuse, calls her ‘unfit for society’

Calista Springer

Portrait photo of a teenage girl with shoulder-length dark auburn hair and pale skin, smiling, wearing a pink polka-dotted turtleneck. Name: Calista Springer.
Died: February 27, 2008.
Age at death: 16.
Cause of death: Fire.
Location: Centreville, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Calista’s parents tied her to her bed with zip ties and a dog collar, and when the house caught fire, her entire family left the house; none of them stopped to release her. She died in the fire.

Case status:
Anthony Springer (Father), child abuse and torture, 25-50 years.
Marsha Springer (Stepmother), child abuse and torture, 8-19 years.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Calista Springer
Calista Springer
Calista Springer: Adoption, abuse, neglect and murder
Calista Springer
Protective services workers can’t be sued in Calista Springer case, U.S. Court of Appeals affirms
Unforgotten Angels: Calista Springer

Erianna Beltran

Photo of Erianna Beltran, a toddler girl. Name: Erianna Beltran.
Died: January 27, 2008.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Fresno, California, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Erianna was admitted to the hospital, covered in bruises. She died two days later.

Case status:
Unsolved. Erianna’s mother, Erin Skinner, and her mother’s boyfriend, Mack Lucas, were both arrested because they were the ones in whose custody Erianna had been in; but charges were dropped because of a lack of evidence.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Erianna Beltran
Three-Year-Old Girl Died of Blunt Force Trauma
Charges Dismissed Against Accused Killer
Prosecutors drop charges in autistic girl’s death

Maxwell Eyer

Portrait photo of Maxwell Eyer, a toddler sitting in front of a backdrop and holding a large number 1. He has olive skin, black hair, and is wearing a checked shirt and navy pants. Name: Maxwell Eyer.
Died: December 28, 2007.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Alton, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Deaf.

Details:
Maxwell’s father slammed his head against the floor repeatedly as a punishment for eating chips in bed; then his mother ignored his obvious brain injury and seizures and let him die.

Case status:
Johnny Garcia (Father), murder, 44 years.
Linsey Eyer (Mother), child endangerment, 5 years.

Source:
2 Year Old Deaf and Disabled Maxwell Eyer, Beaten to Death by his Father for Eating Chips in Bed

Raelynn Mascal

Photo of Raelynn Mascal, a girl with messy brown hair cut in bangs, fair skin, and blue eyes; she is smiling, wearing a pink sweater. Name: Raelynn Tiana Mascal.
Died: May 18, 2007.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma, shaken baby.
Location: Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.
Disability: Speech and motor skills delays.

Details:
Raelynn was beaten to death by her mother.

Case status:
Michelle Lepowski (Mother), involuntary manslaughter, sentenced to 12 years.

Source:
Mom gets 12 years for killing child; Prosecutor sought longer sentence for ‘monster’ who beat 2-year-old
Case goes to jury in woman’s murder trial
Mom gets 12 years for killing child; Prosecutor sought longer sentence for ‘monster’ who beat 2-year-old

Janine Brockie

No Photo Name: Janine Penelope Brockie.
Died: May 10, 2007.
Age at death: 42.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Ringwood, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Disability: Stroke, TBI.

Details:
Janine was likely being physically abused by her partner in the year before her death. After one beating, in which Janine was punched and kicked, and then left in her bed for most of the next day without medical care, Janine died from a severe head injury.

Case Status:
Brian Robert Andrew (Partner), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 7-10 years in prison.

Sources:
R v Andrew [2008] VSC 138 (1 May 2008)
Man faces court over partner’s death
Bash killer gets 10 years