Type: Fatal Abuse – Page 7 – Disability Day of Mourning

Ishanth

No Photo Name: Ishanth.
Died: January 28, 2020.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Trauma.
Location: Korukkupeet, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Disability: Intellectual disability, mobility impaired, unspecified disorder of the nerves.

Details:
When her son was taken to the hospital, Ishanth’s mother claimed that he had tripped and fallen while playing. He died of his injuries three days later. However, the autopsy and investigation found that he could not have tripped, because he could not walk yet. His mother admitted during questioning that she had beaten him because she did not want a child with a disability.

Case status:
Nadiya (Mother), charged with murder.

Source:
Stressed over son’s learning disability, Chennai mother kills toddler, held after 11 months
Chennai woman admits to murdering 3-year-old son who had disability
Chennai: Mother arrested for special kid’s death after 11 months

Thomas Valva

Name: Thomas Valva.
Died: January 17, 2020.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Hypothermia.
Location: Long Island, New York, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Thomas lived with his father and his father’s fiancee. He and his brother were starved and made to sleep in the unheated garage. One freezing night, Thomas died, and medical examiners determined he had died from hypothermia.

Thomas was a friendly, well-liked second-grader who enjoyed playing outside. When he was two, he spoke his first words–“Ball” and “go”–while playing with a therapist, rolling a ball back and forth. He also liked puzzles.

Case status:
Michael Valva (Father), convicted of second-degree murder and child endangerment, sentenced to 25 years to life.
Angelina Pollana (Father’s girlfriend), convicted of second-degree murder and child endangerment, sentenced to 25 years to life.

Source:
‘Pure Evil’: Angela Pollina Found Guilty In Death Of Thomas Valva, 8
Stepmom Guilty of Murder in 8-Year-Old Long Island Boy’s Freezing Death
Thomas Valva: Ex-Cop’s Former Fiancée GUILTY in Death of His 8-Year-Old Son
Angela Pollina gets 25 years for murder in hypothermia death of 8-year-old autistic boy Thomas Valva
Thomas Valva Froze In Icy Garage ‘For The Sin Of Being Autistic’: ADA
Murder trial of woman accused in 8-year-old Thomas Valva’s hypothermia death begins
Ex-cop Michael Valva, found guilty of killing son with autism, sentenced
‘Truly sorry’: ex-NYPD cop Michael Valva WEEPS after 25-year sentence for killing autistic son Thomas Valva
Ex-cop Michael Valva gets maximum sentence for murder of son, 8, in freezing LI garage
Former New York Police Officer Convicted in Freezing Death of Son
Educators Testify In Trial Of Ex-NYPD Cop Accused Of Son’s Freezing Death: ‘He Told Me His Heart Was Pounding’
Thomas Valva: Detective Says Autopsy Results Changed Case from Non-criminal to Murder for Cop Dad Accused of Killing Autistic Son
Court Denies Immunity To Child Protection Workers Who Allowed An NYPD Officer To Abuse His Son To Death
Judge rules parts of $200M Thomas Valva death lawsuit can go forward
Thomas Valva’s Mother Can Press $200M Wrongful Death Suit
Autism Memorial: Thomas Valva
NYPD Officer Michael Valva, charged with murder after his autistic son froze to death in garage, quits police force
Thomas Valva’s brother details brutal life with NYPD cop dad accused of murder
A Dozen Calls to Child Abuse Hotline Did Not Save 8-Year-Old Boy
House of Horrors Boy ‘Made the Ultimate Sacrifice’
NYPD officer and fiancée charged with murder of cop’s 8-year-old autistic son who froze to death in garage
NYPD Dad Charged In Frigid-Garage Death Of Boy, 8: Cops
NYPD cop Michael Valva abused son Thomas Valva for years before his death, mom claims
‘I’m Not Surprised,’ Nanny Says Of 8-Year-Old’s Horrific Death
Child services ignored complaints about cop before his son died
NYPD officer Michael Valva, fiancée charged with murder in death of cop’s 8-year-old son
Father, His Fiancée Face Murder Charges In Death Of 8-Year-Old Long Island Boy
NYPD Cop & Fiancee Accused of Killing 8-Year-Old Boy

Mohd Amjad

No Photo
Name: Mohd Amjad.
Died: December 22, 2019.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Traumatic injury.
Location: Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
Disability: Physical disability.

Details:
Mohd was brought to the hospital and declared dead on arrival. His injuries prompted the police to arrest his mother and her partner, who allegedly beat him to death for “bothering” them.

Case status:
Sultana Begum (Mother), charged with murder.
Ismail (Mother’s partner), charged with murder.

Source:
Woman, partner beat handicapped child to death in Cyberabad

Kyrell Matthews

Name: Kyrell Matthews.
Died: October 20, 2019.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Abdominal trauma, torn liver.
Location: Thornton Heath, London, England, UK.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Kyrell was regularly beaten by his mother and her boyfriend. After a particularly severe beating, emergency services found him dying from internal injuries.

Kyrell’s grandmother remembers him as “the most loving little boy, always smiling”.

Case Status:
Kemar Brown (Mother’s partner), found guilty of murder, sentenced to 25 years.
Phylesia Shirley (Mother), found guilty of manslaughter, sentenced to 13 years.

Sources:
Mum and partner jailed for killing autistic toddler son
Kyrell Matthews: Man found guilty of murdering partner’s two-year-old son who died with 41 rib fractures
Kyrell Matthews: Man jailed for 25 years for murdering partner’s two-year-old son, who was treated ‘like a punchbag’
Mum’s partner jailed for 25 years for horrific killing of her autistic son

Gael Baumea

Name: Gael Francisco Baumea.
Died: September 26, 2019.
Age at death: 6.
Cause of death: Drowned.
Location: Pascua Yaqui, Arizona, USA.
Disability: Unspecified special needs.

Details:
Gael and his mother were members of the Yaqui tribe, though his father was not.

His father, attempting to “perform an exorcism”, allegedly killed the boy by forcing his head under hot water, burning or drowning him. Police say he told them he “saw something evil” inside the boy.

Case status:
Pablo Martinez (Father), charged with first-degree murder.

Source:
Gael Baumea Obituary – Tucson, AZ
Arizona man killed a 6-year-old boy trying to ‘cast the demon out,’ police say
Arizona man charged after 6-year-old son dies during attempted exorcism
Authorities: Tucson man killed son while trying to exorcise demon
Man kills son to ‘cast out demon’
Dad from hell killed six-year-old son by pouring hot water down throat to ‘exorcise demons’

Jakie Toole

Photo of Jakie Toole, a smiling child in a white tank top. He has short dark brown hair and brown skin. A filter has been applied that adds yellow butterflies around his head. Name: Jakie Toole.
Died: September 11, 2019 (Body found), last seen April 2019.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Meridian, Mississippi, USA.
Disability: Unspecified special needs; mobility and communication impairment.

Details:
Jakie’s mother left him with a family friend to serve as a caregiver. His body was found in a garbage bag in her basement, and an autopsy showed he had died of trauma from a beating. The caregiver had led police to the body and told them she had burned him in a bathtub and beaten him for crying.

Case status:
Celeste Louise Smith (Caregiver), convicted of murder, sentenced to life.

Source:
Missing child’s caretaker charged with capital murder after body found in basement of Meridian home
Capital murder charge filed in Meridian basement body discovery case
Meridian woman charged with capital murder following discovery of a child’s remains
Body of special needs child found in garbage bag was beaten and burned, autopsy confirms
Autopsy: Body of special needs child found in garbage bag was beaten and burned
Body of child found in basement: Autopsy shows beating; chief says he was also burned
Mother of special needs child who was killed, found in bag, faces neglect charges
Mother charged with child neglect in case of missing special needs child

Barbara Walsh

No Photo Name: 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

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

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’