Category: Type: Fatal Abuse

Fatal abuse.

Barbara Walsh

No PhotoName: Barbara Walsh.
Died: August 31, 2019.
Age at death: 85.
Cause of death: Sepsis, pressure sores, bone fractures.
Location: Clinton Township, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Disabled elder.

Details:
Barbara was found on the floor of her apartment by paramedics, where she had been for two days, and died a few weeks later in the hospital. She had been abused and neglected by her daughter, leaving her with multiple bone fractures, many bruises, and a large untreated bedsore, and was bleeding into her brain; the medical examiner concluded that blunt trauma had contributed to her death.

Case Status:
Ann Marie Walsh (Daughter), convicted of first-degree vulnerable-adult abuse; sentenced to 4 years 9 months to 15 years.
Acquitted of murder because the jury could not determine whether she intended to “commit great bodily harm” when she abused her mother.

Sources:
Walsh acquitted in mom murder trial
Experts disagree on what contributed to death of eldelry Clinton Township woman
Clinton Township woman acquitted of murder, convicted of elder abuse in death of mother
Clinton Township woman denies she abused mother in two police interviews
Clinton Township woman bound over on felony murder charge in mother’s death

Sheila Murray

Sepia photo of a middle-aged African-American woman.Name: Sheila June Murray.
Died: August 15, 2019.
Age at death: 68.
Cause of death: Unspecified abuse and neglect.
Location: Johnson City, Tennessee, USA.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
Sheila died from abuse and neglect. Police arrested her son and daughter and charged them with murder.

Sheila’s obituary remembers her as a talkative, outgoing woman who “used her cooking to bless and bring others together”.

Case Status:
Michael Murray (Son), charged with first-degree murder.
Karen Murray (Daughter), charged with first-degree murder.

Source:
TN Brother & Sister Accused Of Killing Disabled Mother
Tennessee Sister and Brother Charged with First-Degree Murder in the Death of Their Disabled Mother
Shelia June Murray – View Obituary & Service Information

Malachi Lawson

A small boy with thick glasses, front teeth missing, hair in cornrows, wearing a soccer shirt. He has dark-brown skin and black hair.Name: Malachi Lawson.
Died: August 4, 2019.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Burns.
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Disability: Walked with a limp; possibly autism

Details:
Malachi’s mother and stepmother initially reported him missing. Police say that, when questioned, they admitted they had burned him by making him sit in a bathtub full of hot water after he had a potty-training accident. Malachi’s body was found in a dumpster.

Malachi loved Paw Patrol and Mickey Mouse. He liked dancing and his favorite color was blue. He had been taken into foster care, but returned to his mother and her partner.

Case status:
Alicia Lawson (Mother), pleaded guilty to neglect resulting in death, sentenced to life with all but 30 years suspended and 5 years probation.
Shatilka Lawson (Stepmother), found guilty of neglect resulting in the death of a minor, first-degree child abuse, reckless endangerment, tampering with evidence and false statement; sentenced to 30 years in prison and 5 years probation.

Source:
Alicia Lawson Pleads Guilty In Death Of 4-Year-Old Son Malachi Lawson
Missing Baltimore 4-Year-Old Found Dead in a Dumpster: Police
‘Remembering Our Superhero’ | 4-Year-Old Malachi Lawson Laid To Rest Tuesday
Family says goodbye to 4-year old Baltimore boy with songs, praise and a comic book in a tearful service
Autism Memorial: Malachi Lawson

Lukas Castillo

Lukas, a child with frizzy brown hair and olive-toned skin, is about to blow into a pink birthday blower tied with pink ribbons. He is wearing a black shirt.Name: Lukas Castillo
Died: July 20, 2019.
Age at death: 6.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Lukas’s stepfather hit him in the head until he was unconscious; hours passed before he was brought to the hospital. On arrival, he was too injured to live. He had his sixth birthday while he was unconscious at the hospital, and died two days later.

Case status:
Carl Bookout (Stepfather), pleaded no contest to first-degree reckless homicide, sentenced to 22 years in prison and 20 years probation.
Edzaida “Selina” Pace (Mother), convicted of failure to act to prevent great bodily harm to a child, sentenced to 1 year in jail and 5 years probation.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Lukas Castillo
Stepfather sentenced: 22 years in death of 6-year-old boy with autism
Waukesha Man Sentenced To 22 Years In Prison For Causing His Stepson’s Death
Waukesha mother faces child neglect charges after 6-year-old son dies
A Waukesha mother has been charged with child neglect after her 5-year-old died from abuse
Autistic 6-year-old brutally beaten by sex offender stepfather suffers skull fracture before bleeding to death
‘Stepdad battered boy, 6, so hard his brain was forced to one side of his skull’
Step-dad arrested in connection with death of his six-year-old stepson
Stepfather faces homicide charge in death of 6-year-old boy with autism who ‘fell down the stairs’

Kushal

No PhotoName: Kushal.
Died: July 4, 2019.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Aswal, Hunsur taluk, Karnataka, India.
Disability: Epilepsy.

Details:
Kushal’s parents tried to conduct an exorcism to cure him of his epilepsy. Police say they beat him severely with a banana stem. He died of severe head injuries.

Case status:
Parimala and Shashikumar (Parents), arrested.

Source:
Kid beaten to death by parents in exorcism

Noah Tomlin

Photo: A toddler boy sits with a bowl of popcorn in his lap, holding a piece in one hand. He has fair skin and brown hair, and is wearing a blue T-shirt. He is smiling for the camera.Name: Noah Tomlin.
Died: July 3, 2019.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Blunt head trauma, battered child syndrome.
Location: Hampton, Virginia, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Noah’s mother initially reported him missing; but his body was found and his death determined to be murder. Noah had been abused for some time before dying from a head injury.

Case Status:
Julia Tomlin (Mother), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, sentenced to 55 years.

Sources:
Hampton mom to serve 55 years on murder, abuse charges in son’s death
Mom pleads guilty to murdering two-year-old son who has autism
The autopsy of 2-year-old Noah Tomlin was released: His mother is now charged with murder
Body believed to be missing Virginia 2-year-old found
Autism Memorial: Noah Tomlin

Penny Clark

Photo: A woman with fair skin and blond hair pulled back in a ponytail, sitting at a desk, smiling for the camera. She is wearing a blue T-shirt, and leaning her head in one hand.Name: Penny Laine Clark.
Died: May 20, 2019.
Age at death: 45.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Biloxi, Mississippi, USA.
Disability: Epilepsy, mental illness.

Details:
Penny’s boyfriend beat and strangled her, then called police saying she “needed help”; police arrived to find her dead. Her boyfriend’s sister told police that Penny’s boyfriend had a history of abusing her, and that she had been beaten up in the past.

Case Status:
Gary Wayne Wallace (Boyfriend), convicted of first-degree murder, sentenced to life.

Sources:
Biloxi man gets life in prison for girlfriend’s murder in 2019
Arrest warrant reveals disturbing, bloody details in murder of Biloxi woman
“His face was black and blue.” Coast murder trial testimony reveals history of domestic abuse

Steven May

Blurry photo of a young man with tanned skin and dark brown hair.Name: Steven May.
Died: May 20, 2019.
Age at death: 50.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma, broken ribs.
Location: Deepdale, Preston, England, UK.
Disability: Epilepsy, COPD, alcoholism.

Details:
Steven lived with a lodger, whom he told his family was there for company and prepared some meals for him. The lodger abused him, and eventually beat him to death.

Case status:
Darren Taylor (Lodger), convicted of murder, sentenced to 20 years to life.

Source:
Lodger jailed for life for murder of his vulnerable friend Steven May in Deepdale
Preston man Darren Taylor found guilty of murdering vulnerable Steven May
MURDER INVESTIGATION: Neighbours are ‘shocked and saddened’ over death of 50-year-old man
Preston dad Steven May had suffered 76 rib fractures in the weeks before he died, murder trial told

Andrew Freund Jr.

Photo of a small boy in a big blue baseball cap and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles T-shirt. He has pale skin and his ears stick out, and he is smiling, showing he still has all his baby teeth.Name: Andrew “AJ” Freund Jr.
Died: April 24, 2019.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Woodstock, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Parents claimed he had oppositional defiant disorder to justify abuse. Whether AJ had a disability is unknown.

Details:
AJ spent some time in a foster home before being returned to his parents. His foster parents and one of his grandmothers released a statement that said, “This smart little boy loved having books read to him, doing puzzles, his Thomas the Train, playing with his fire trucks, bulldozers, cement mixer and Ninja Turtles. He was very curious and always wanted to learn about everything.”

AJ was regularly abused by his parents. He died of head injuries after having been forced to take a cold shower and beaten because he had lied about having dirty underwear.

Case status:
Joann Cunningham (Mother), pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, sentenced to 35 years with no parole.
Andrew Freund Sr. (Father), pleaded guilty to aggravated battery to a child, involuntary manslaughter, and concealing a homicidal death; sentenced to 30 years.

Source:
AJ Freund’s mother sentenced to 35 years in his beating, cold shower murder
A.J. Freund’s Mom Allegedly Had Video of Beaten Kid on Her Phone, Which Helped Solve Case: Docs
Warrant: AJ’s father says his mother killed the boy
Newly released documents reveal graphic details about AJ Freund case
Video of beaten 5-year-old AJ Freund on mom’s phone helped crack case, search was made for ‘child cpr,’ authorities say
Andrew ‘AJ’ Freund’s foster family releases statement: ‘AJ was loved by us’
Photos of AJ Freund’s Crystal Lake home reveal filthy living conditions
Cell phone video led to father’s confession in the killing of 5-year-old AJ Freund, police say
Grand jury indicts parents of slain Crystal Lake 5-year-old AJ Freund; court hearing scheduled for Friday morning

42-year-old woman

No PhotoName Unknown.
Died: April 10, 2019.
Age at death: 42.
Cause of death: Beaten.
Location: Puerto Rico, Mogan, Spain.
Disability: Mobility impaired.

Details:
This woman was beaten to death, and her partner is accused of the murder. The crime is considered particularly severe because the woman was unable to defend herself, as she was both mobility-impaired and intoxicated at the time. In the weeks before she died, she had been injured twice–both explained away by her partner as falls due to her disability.

Case Status:
Lars E.A. (Partner), charged with murder, aggravated by kinship, gender violence, and cruelty.

Sources:
Swedish man faces up to 29 years, on trail, suspected of killing his partner in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria