Type: Fatal Abuse – Page 3 – Disability Day of Mourning

Timothy Ferguson

Name: Timothy Ferguson.
Died: July 6, 2022.
Age at death: 15.
Cause of death: Malnutrition, hypothermia.
Location: Norton Shores, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Autism with speech and motor impairment.

Details:
Timothy died from a combination of starvation and hypothermia. His mother had been feeding him very little, often just bread soaked in hot sauce, and had been forcing him to take ice baths. His mother insisted that he was “faking” his disability.

Case Status:
Shanda Vander Ark (Mother), convicted of murder and first-degree child abuse; sentenced to 50-100 years for child abuse and life without parole for murder.
Paul Ferguson (Brother), pleaded guilty to first-degree child abuse, sentenced to 30-100 years.

Sources:
Man who helped mum torture disabled brother to death begs mercy at sentencing
Killer jailed for disabled younger brother’s death after tearful ‘mercy’ plea
Michigan man faces up to 100 years in jail for torturing and starving autistic brother to death
Muskegon Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Starvation Death of Disabled Brother in Michigan
3 things to know before mom is sentenced for torturing son to death
Michigan law clerk is jailed for life for torturing her disabled son
Mum who tortured and starved disabled son expressionless as jailed for life
Michigan woman sentenced to life in prison in starvation death of 15-year-old son – CBS Detroit
‘We know who you are’: Judge and victim’s siblings call out mom who fatally tortured son
MI v. Shanda Vander Ark: Tortured Son Murder Trial
Tortured Son Murder Trial: Shanda Vander Ark Cross-Examination
Testimony begins in trial of Norton Shores mom accused of killing her teen with special needs
Hot sauce, ice baths, motion sensors | What prosecutors accuse a Norton Shores mom of doing to slain son
Michigan mom found guilty of starving her disabled son to death
Michigan woman found guilty of murder and child abuse in starvation death of son
Michigan mother found guilty of murder in starvation death of her disabled 15-year-old son – CBS News
Norton Shores mother heads to trial for murder, child abuse of teenage son
Norton Shores mom accused of torturing, killing son faced ‘similar allegations’ in custody case
Woman charged with homicide, child abuse of teenage son in Norton Shores
43-year-old woman arrested for open murder of teen in Norton Shores
Woman charged with murder, abuse in death of underfed teen
MI Woman Charged After Son Dies, Tortured With Ice Baths and More
A mother charged with the death of her child
Autism Memorial: Timothy Ferguson
‘Sadistic’: Mother charged with abuse, murder of teen

Katherine Sokolich

No Photo Name: Katherine Sokolich.
Died: July 3, 2022.
Age at death: 63.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Ballwin, Missouri, USA.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
Katherine’s brother, who was her court-appointed guardian and responsible for taking care of her, beat her because he was frustrated with taking care of her. After he called 911 and reported that she was injured, Katherine was hospitalized, but later died of a brain bleed due to head trauma.

Case Status:
Anthony Sokolich (Brother, guardian), pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, sentenced to probation.

Sources:
Police say 70-year-old Missouri man killed disabled sister
Man accused of beating disabled sister to death
70-Year-Old Missouri Man Beat His Disabled Sister to Death: Authorities
Disabled woman dies after attack by ‘frustrated’ caretaker brother near Ballwin, police say

Luis Benítez

No Photo Name: Luis Benítez.
Died: June 12, 2022.
Age at death: 38.
Cause of death: Head trauma.
Location: Posadas, Misiones, Argentina.
Disability: Schizophrenia, anemia, breathing problems.

Details:
Luis lived with his sister and her husband, who did not want him to leave the house. One night, when he tried to do so, his brother-in-law allegedly slammed his head against the doorway. Luis was found dead in his home the next day.

Case Status:
Pedro Walter E. (Brother-in-law), arrested on suspicion of murder.

Sources:
From natural death to homicide after autopsy
De muerte natural a homicidio luego de la autopsia

Sara McKeddie

Name: Sara McKeddie.
Died: January 22, 2022.
Age at death: 32.
Cause of death: Brain injury.
Location: Arnprior, Ontario, Canada.
Disability: Injuries from car accident; required caregiver.

Details:
Sara was badly beaten by her husband, suffering broken ribs, internal injuries, and a brain injury that would lead to her death about a month later.

Her two boys, ages 5 and 3 when she died, are being raised by her sister.

Case Status:
David Michael Dubois (Husband), pleaded guilty to manslaughter, sentenced to 12 years minus time served.

Sources:
David Dubois to serve almost 10 years for manslaughter near Arnprior
McNab/Braeside man charged with murder 9 months after woman’s death
Obituary of Sara Jean McKeddie

Paramjeet Singh

No Photo Name: Paramjeet Singh.
Died: January 9, 2022.
Age at death: 30.
Cause of death: Beaten.
Location: Bharat Nagar, Delhi, India.
Disability: Quadriplegic after injury in traffic accident.

Details:
Paramjeet’s family came home to find him injured and brought him to the hospital, but it was too late, and he died. They told police that Paramjeet’s father had come home drunk and beaten him with a wooden rod.

Case Status:
Ajmer Singh (Father), charged with murder.

Sources:
Paralysed man beaten to death by drunk father in Delhi
Delhi: 30-year-old paralysed man beaten to death by father

William Fitzhugh

Photo of an older man with light skin, white hair, and mustache and short chinstrap beard, wearing black-rimmed glasses. Name: William Fitzhugh.
Died: December 12, 2021.
Age at death: 82.
Cause of death: Multiple injuries, malnutrition, neglect.
Location: Pullman, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Frail elder; kidney cancer.

Details:
William, who lived with his grandsons, was brought into the hospital with broken bones and malnutrition. His injuries were too severe to recover from, and made his kidney cancer impossible to treat. William died in hospice care. Before his death, he told authorities that his grandsons had been beating him.

Case Status:
Cory Nethery (Grandson), charged with elder abuse, embezzlement, and felony murder.
Christopher Fitzhugh (Grandson), charged with elder abuse, embezzlement, and felony murder.

Sources:
‘The whole system failed my dad’: 82-year-old’s death ruled homicide after years of reported abuse
FOX 17 INVESTIGATES: Allegan Co. men charged with murder in connection to grandfather’s death
2 accused of abuse, murder of grandfather

Kendrick Lee

Name: Kendrick Lee.
Died: October 4, 2021 (Body found; died November 20, 2020).
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Multiple blunt force injuries.
Location: Houston, Texas, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Kendrick lived in an apartment with his siblings, aged 7, 10, and 15, two of whom were also autistic. When his 15-year-old brother called emergency services, begging for help and saying that his brother was dead in the house with him, police arrived to find the children starving, the ten-year-old with broken bones, and Kendrick’s body, which had been there for nearly a year. Neighbors say they had been giving the 15-year-old food, but were not aware that he had apparently been living alone with his siblings. After Kendrick’s brothers told police that his stepfather had beaten Kendrick to death, Kendrick’s parents were arrested.

Case Status:
Brian W. Coulter (Mother’s boyfriend), charged with murder.
Gloria Y. Williams (Mother), charged with injury to a child by omission and tampering with evidence.

Sources:
Horror house investigators vow to get justice for 8-year-old whose skeletal remains were found
Family members said they had no idea children were living in apartment with their brother’s decaying body
Autism Memorial: Kendrick Lee
Houston mom and boyfriend indicted for murder of her 8-year-old son
As partner’s family speaks out, a shackled Brian Coulter is pictured in court after ‘beating autistic youngster to death in hell house.’ » Brinkwire
Gloria Williams silently watched Brian Coulter beat non-verbal, autistic son to death
PHOTOS: Adorable ‘Mostly Non-Verbal’ Boy Found Dead in Apartment with Siblings, Mom’s Boyfriend Charged with Murder
Mother of abandoned kids did not report death because she was afraid, court records say
Felony charges filed against a woman and her boyfriend in the death of the woman’s child
Mom Arrested, Boyfriend Charged With Murder for Abandoned Kids Living With Decomposing Body of 8-year-old Brother

Kyle Tiyo

Name: Kyle Tiyo.
Died: September 22, 2021.
Age at death: 10 months.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Bethelsdorp, South Africa.
Disability: Blind.

Details:
Kyle’s father, who his mother says had never accepted him ever since he learned Kyle had been born disabled, allegedly took him from his mother for the night, and when he gave the boy back, Kyle was limp and bruised all over. Kyle died from his injuries in the hospital.

Case Status:
Jason Mandeka (Father), charged with murder.

Sources:
Father of murdered blind baby appears in court
Baby’s murder, mother’s agony
Mother narrates pain about how her baby daddy brutally beat up her disabled baby – Opera News

Mason Weston

No Photo
Name: Mason Joe Weston.
Died: August 7, 2021.
Age at death: 11.
Cause of death: Homicide; battered child.
Location: Fergus Falls, Minnesota, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
When Mason was taken to the hospital with severe injuries, his attacker initially said he had fallen, but eventually told police that he had slammed Mason’s head against the wall and kicked him. Mason died in the hospital. His killer admitted that he had become angry at the boy for not washing the dishes.

Case Status:
Reggie Bethel (Mother’s boyfriend), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, sentenced to 8 years 4 months to 12 1/2 years.

Source:
Otter Tail County man sentenced for beating death of boy with autism
Mason Joe Weston
Fergus Falls man charged with murdering autistic boy by slamming head into wall numerous times

Harvey Borrington

Photo of small blond boy sitting on a park bench, wearing a pink shirt and shorts, holding a bottle of water. He is smiling. Name: Harvey Borrington.
Died: August 7, 2021.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Skull fracture.
Location: Jacksdale, England, UK.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Harvey was home with his stepmother when she called emergency services, saying he had fallen backward and hit his head. He was taken to the hospital, but the injury proved fatal two days later. Medical examiners found that Harvey had a skull fracture caused by being hit in the head several times. Only weeks before his death, Harvey had suffered a broken arm while in the care of his stepmother.

Harvey was very detail-oriented and enjoyed lining up his toys neatly.

Case Status:
Leila Borringham (Stepmother), convicted of manslaughter, assault, and grievous bodily harm; sentenced to 15 years.

Sources:
Leila Borrington: Woman who filmed stepson, 3, as he lay dying from brain injury jailed for 15 years
Autism Memorial: Harvey Borrington
Leila Borrington: Woman guilty of killing three-year-old stepson
Stepmother convicted of killing three-year-old boy who died from head injury
Woman who videoed 3-year-old stepson dying on floor convicted of manslaughter
Killer stepmum filmed dying toddler on the floor instead of calling 999
Leila Borrington: Murder-accused woman says stepson fell from sofa
Autism Memorial: Harvey Borrington
Stepmother allegedly killed autistic stepson, 3, with ‘multiple’ head slaps
Murder-accused stepmother filmed autistic stepson dying in lounge
Stepmum ‘filmed autistic toddler as he died instead of calling 999’
Stepmum ‘murdered autistic tot, 3, slapping him and inflicting broken skull’