Remembering the Disabled Murdered by Caregivers
Fatal abuse.
Name: Shuji Sugisawa.
Died: July 7, 2021.
Age at death: 93.
Cause of death: Broken neck.
Location: Hekinan, Aichi Prefecture, Japan.
Disability: Wheelchair user.
Details:
Mr. Sugisawa died of a broken neck. Police say his son admitted to them that he had grabbed his father and shaken him violently, and that he had abused his father before by deliberately burning him.
Case Status:
Tatsuya Sugisawa (Son), arrested.
Sources:
Man arrested over death of 93-year-old father in 2021
Name: Zeus Geovani Cox.
Died: July 5, 2021.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma; internal bleeding.
Location: Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
Disability: Suspected autism.
Details:
A month after being returned to his mother and her boyfriend, Zeus was found dead from a severe beating. Prosecutors told the court that Zeus had been beaten by his mother’s boyfriend, then denied medical treatment for his injuries.
His obituary describes him as “very active and full of life”.
Case Status:
Crystal Cox (Mother), convicted of murder, neglect of a dependent resulting in death, aggravated battery resulting in death, and battery resulting in death of a person younger than 14 years old; sentenced to 55 years in prison and 2 years probation.
Jermaine Garnes (Mother’s boyfriend), convicted of murder, neglect of a dependent resulting in death, aggravated battery resulting in death, and battery resulting in death of a person younger than 14; sentenced to 65 years.
Sources:
Michigan man gets 65 years in boy’s Indiana beating death
Garnes receives 65 years for murder of girlfriend’s 3-year-old
Lafayette woman gets 55 years in 3-year-old’s beating death
Lafayette woman gets 55 years in 3-year-old’s beating death
Mom charged with murder called ‘unfit and abusive’
Lafayette couple charged with the murder of a toddler
Zeus Cox Obituary
Lafayette woman found guilty of murdering 3-year-old son
Mom charged with murder is set to stand trial
Mother guilty of murdering and neglecting her 3-year-old son
Autism Memorial: Zeus Cox
Name: Joseph Barney.
Died: June 1, 2021.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Malnutrition, battered child syndrome.
Location: Bronx, New York City, New York, USA.
Disability: Autism.
Details:
Joseph, who lived with his mother and her boyfriend, was brought to the hospital and declared dead there. His body weighed 30 pounds, less than two-thirds of what a child his age should have weighed, and showed signs of battered child syndrome.
Joseph liked watching videos of subway trains. Monkeys were his favorite animal, and his favorite foods were pizza, ice cream, candy, fruit snacks, and Capri Suns.
Case Status:
Michael Ransom (Mother’s boyfriend), charged with murder, and aggravated manslaughter of a person under 11.
Sharay Barney (Mother), charged with murder, and aggravated manslaughter of a person under 11.
Sources:
Autism Memorial: Joseph Barney
Parents Indicted on Murder, Manslaughter Charges in Alleged Starvation Death of NYC Boy
Woman and Boyfriend Charged for Death of 8-year-old Autistic Son
Bronx parents indicted in starvation death of 8-year-old boy
Mom, Boyfriend Charged in Death of 8-Year-Old Autistic Boy in the Bronx
Autism Memorial: Joseph Barney
Parents charged with murder in malnourished 8-year-old son’s death
Death of 8-year-old autistic boy in the Bronx ruled a homicide, cops say
Malnutrition probed in death of 8-year-old Bronx boy
Autistic 8-year-old Bronx boy’s death ruled a homicide, was victim of repeated beatings
Autistic NYC boy, 8, dies — possibly from severe malnutrition
Name: Teru Inaba.
Died: February 2, 2021.
Age at death: 83.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Tokyo, Japan.
Disability: Cognitive impairment; bedridden.
Details:
Ms. Inaba’s adult child allegedly punched her several times in the face, and she died from her injuries. Police said they reported being “tired of caring for her”.
Case status:
Megumi Inaba (Offspring), charged with murder.
Source:
Tokyo: Man, 52, accused in fatal assault of disabled mother
Woman arrested over death of 83-year-old disabled mother
Megumi Inaba’s gender is not consistent in news reports. –Ed.
Name: Hezekiah Pettiford.
Died: January 28, 2021.
Age at death: 15.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Disability: Autism, ADHD.
Details:
Hezekiah was found unresponsive at his home and was taken to the hospital, where he died two days later from a severe head injury. He weighed only 75 pounds, indicative of malnutrition, and his injuries were consistent with chronic child abuse.
Hezekiah loved math, had an extensive vocabulary and enjoyed watching game shows like Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. His favorite movie was Home Alone and he loved eating macaroni and cheese and chicken nuggets.
Case Status:
Stefanie Colon (Aunt), found guilty of first-degree child abuse resulting in severe physical injury and two counts of neglecting a minor; sentenced to 4 years.
Dion Ball Sr. (Uncle), convicted of first-degree murder and first-degree child abuse; sentenced to 25 years to life.
Sources:
Aunt, uncle charged with abuse, manslaughter in teen’s death
Hezekiah Pettiford – Baltimore, Maryland , Brooks Clinton Funeral Service, P.A. – Memories wall
Focus on preventing child abuse after family members charged in 15-year-old’s death
Name: Felicity-May Harvey.
Died: January 11, 2021.
Age at death: 20 days.
Cause of death: Shaken baby.
Location: Heywood, England, UK.
Disability: Cleft lip and palate.
Details:
Felicity-May died from being shaken hard. After her father was arrested on suspicion of murder, the prosecution said he had killed her; but the defense said her mother had done it, because she was growing frustrated with feeding Felicity.
Felicity was a content, alert baby who was known for taking in the world through her big blue eyes.
Case Status:
Darin Harvey (Father), charged with murder.
Sources:
Dad accused of murdering baby daughter denies lying to police
Dad left disabled baby daughter ‘like a rag doll’ after shaking her to death
Defence claim ‘mum killed baby daughter’ after issues with feeding her
Tragic details surrounding death of ‘beautiful’ baby girl emerge at inquest
The family of a two-week-old baby girl who died in Heywood has paid tribute to her
Felicity-May Harvey: Family pay tribute to baby girl after murder arrest
Name Unknown.
Died: December 30, 2020.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Untreated ruptured intestine due to blunt-force trauma.
Location: Kampung Sungai Cincin, Gombek, Malaysia.
Disability: Hydrocephalus, mobility impaired.
Details:
This five-year-old girl’s grandaunt is charged with killing her by kicking her in the stomach repeatedly and causing an intestinal rupture, which, untreated, proved fatal. Her father is charged with neglecting her by not taking her to a doctor when she was clearly severely injured.
Case status:
Ipzuma Ambo (grandaunt), charged with murder.
Roza Iskandar Mardi (Father), charged with child neglect.
Source:
Grandaunt, father of disabled girl charged with murder, neglect
Grandaunt and father of 5-year-old girl charged with murder, neglect [NSTTV]
Father, grandaunt among 6 nabbed over death of 5-year old disabled girl
Abuse suspected in disabled child’s death
5yo Disabled Child Dies From Ruptured Intestines After Alleged Abuse By Grandmother
Kanak-kanak 5 tahun pecah usus disepak nenek saudara [METROTV]
Police arrest six over suspected abuse, death of five-year-old disabled girl | The Star
Name: Saburo Sato.
Died: December 30, 2020.
Age at death: 73.
Cause of death: Injuries from assault.
Location: Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.
Disability: Dementia.
Details:
Mr. Sato’s son is accused of beating him in the head and stomach; police say he admitted to the charge, saying he had “lost patience” with his father due to his dementia. When Mr. Sato lost consciousness, his son called emergency services, but he was declared dead at the hospital.
Case status:
Seiichi Sato (Son), arrested on suspicion of murder.
Source:
Man, 44, accused of fatally assaulting senile father in Yokohama
Man arrested over murder of 73-year-old father
Name: Jamarion Javante Delancy.
Died: November 18, 2020.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Internal injuries.
Location: St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Disability: Blind, developmental disability, used leg braces.
Details:
Jamarion’s mother was at the hospital, having a baby. She left Jamarion and his big sister with her boyfriend. The following day, Jamarion was brought to the hospital, unconscious and bleeding internally, and died hours later. Police arrested Jamarion’s mother’s boyfriend; he is accused of fatally beating Jamarion while his seven-year-old sister watched.
Case status:
Yoshuah Dallas (Mother’s boyfriend), charged with abuse or neglect of a child causing death and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Source:
Mom’s Boyfriend Allegedly Beat Her Blind 5-Year-Old to Death While She Was Giving Birth
Donations as far away as France pile up after blind boy killed in St. Louis County
5-Year-Old Blind Boy Beaten to Death While Mom Gives Birth: Cops
‘She has to bring a baby home from the hospital while planning her son’s funeral’ | St. Louis County police union raising money for victim’s family
As mom gives birth at hospital, boyfriend beats her blind 5-year-old son to death: Police
St. Louis police raising funds to help family of blind boy who was beaten to death
Please help the Delancy family
Name: Sayeed Neilson.
Died: October 23, 2020.
Age at death: 14.
Cause of death: Trauma.
Location: Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Disability: Autism.
Details:
Sayeed’s stepbrother allegedly punched and kicked him in the head; his mother told his stepbrother to stop, but then walked away without actually checking to make sure he had stopped. They told investigators he had fallen in the shower; but police believed his injuries were “inconsistent with a fall” and brought them in for questioning.
Sayeed loved Star Wars and Halloween. He never missed a day walking his dog Chloe, rain or shine.
Case status:
Rebacca Greenwood (Mother), charged with criminal homicide, aggravated child abuse and evidence tampering.
David Matheny (Stepbrother), charged with criminal homicide, aggravated child abuse and evidence tampering.
Source:
Autism Memorial: Sayeed Neilson
Aunt mourns 14-year-old boy with Asperger’s beaten to death in Hermitage home
‘It Was Like Reign Of Terror’: Man Accused Of Beating His Autistic 14-Year-Old Brother To Death
Vigil for teen with Autism killed by family members
‘Reign of terror’: Slaying of Nashville 14-year-old involving brother, mother leaves relatives reeling
Aunt mourns 14-year-old boy with Asperger’s beaten to death in Tennessee home
Mother, stepbrother charged with homicide in death of autistic 14-year-old boy
Tenn. mother, stepbrother charged in death of autistic 14-year-old