Type: Fatal Abuse – Page 9 – Disability Day of Mourning

Kayla Mirsky

No Photo Name: Kayla Mirsky.
Died: December 12, 2018.
Age at death: 19.
Cause of death: Hypothermia.
Location: Scottsville, Virginia, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Kayla’s mother regularly made her stand in the corner for hours as a punishment. She did this so often that Kayla learned to sleep standing up. But one night, Kayla was unable to stand any longer, so her mother put her outside in the cold. In the morning, Kayla was dead from hypothermia.

Kayla leaves behind 17-year-old and 14-year-old siblings.

Case status:
Suzanne Ruth Mirsky (Mother), pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and two counts of child abuse; sentenced to 16 years.

Source:
Scottsville woman sentenced in death of autistic daughter – Fluvanna Review
Scottsville woman to serve 16 years in prison for death of daughter
Fluvanna Co. Sheriff’s Office makes arrest in connection with 2018 murder
Autism Memorial: Kayla Mirsky

Zamira Domínguez

Name: Zamira Domínguez.
Died: September 29, 2018.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Internal bleeding.
Location: Monte Grande, Argentina.
Disability: Deaf.

Details:
After being beaten by her mother’s boyfriend, Zamira was brought to the hospital, severely injured and bleeding internally, and died shortly afterward. During trial, her mother and stepfather claimed that it was her fault she had been beaten, because she couldn’t tell them she felt pain.

Case Status:
Brenda Fernández (Mother), convicted of neglect of a relative resulting in death, sentenced to 18 years.
Brandon González (Mother’s boyfriend), convicted of murder, sentenced to life in prison.

Sources:
Así fue el calvario de Zami, la niña sordomuda golpeada por sus padres hasta morir
Zamira was 5 years old, she was deaf and dumb and they lived beating her: her mother and stepfather beat her to death
Update on the case of Zamira Dominguez, a deaf and mute girl who was beaten to death by her mother and stepfather

Dante Mullinix

Name: Dante Mullinix.
Died: September 15, 2018.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Head injury, strangulation.
Location: Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Developmental disability, nonverbal, autism.

Details:
Dante was a happy baby. He had a developmental delay, and had difficulty chewing and swallowing. He could say a few words, like “ew” and “yeah”. He was being evaluated for autism.

His aunt called him “Monkey Man” because he had a favorite blanket with a monkey on it which he carried everywhere. Before he went to sleep, he rubbed his face against his blanket.

Dante’s mother left him with her friend; shortly thereafter, Dante was brought to the hospital, unresponsive, with bruises, a compressed neck, and a brain injury, and died a few days later. The babysitter was charged with murder, but acquitted; Dante’s mother, who admitted to not seeking medical care for him, was sentenced to 5 years probation.

Case status:
Leah Mullinix (Mother), pleaded guilty to child endangerment, sentenced to 5 years probation.
Tyree Bowie (Mother’s friend), charged with first- and third-degree murder; acquitted.

Source:
Mother won’t serve jail time for neglecting Dante Mullinix before his death
Autism Memorial: Dante Mullinix
Police charge aunt for sharing documents about abused nephew’s death: ‘I’m exposing the truth’
‘This poor kid was doomed from the beginning:’ The tragic life and death of Dante Mullinix

Bonnie Hanks

Photo of a middle-aged woman with dyed red hair, wearing a black tank top and a gold cross necklace. Her skin is freckled, and she wears sunglasses. Name: Bonnie Hanks.
Died: August 28, 2018.
Age at death: 52.
Cause of death: Multiple injuries from a beating.
Location: Fort Pierce, Florida, USA.
Disability: Multiple sclerosis.

Details:
Bonnie was beaten to death by her boyfriend. He explained the bruises on her body by claiming that she fell down a lot because she had multiple sclerosis.

Bonnie cared about her appearance and never left home without first fixing her hair and doing her make-up. She liked having coffee with friends.

Case status:
Jeffrey Yankowski (Boyfriend), convicted of first-degree murder; automatic life without parole.

Source:
St. Lucie County jury convicts Jeffrey Yankowsi in 2018 beating death of girlfriend Bonnie Hanks
Bonnie Hanks, beaten to death in St. Lucie County, was a ‘good soul’

Abel Leveque-Flett

Name: Abel Joseph Leveque-Flett.
Died: August 23, 2018.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Undetermined; after severe abuse.
Location: Little Grand Rapids, Manitoba, Canada.
Disability: Epilepsy, developmental disability, mobility impairment.

Details:
Abel was dead on arrival to a nursing station. He had seven broken bones, severe bruising, and burns. An autopsy was inconclusive because it could not be determined whether he had died from his disability or from the abuse he had endured, but his caregivers were both convicted of “failing to provide the necessaries of life”.

Case Status:
Houston Bushie (Temporary guardian), pleaded guilty to failing to provide the necessaries of life, sentenced to 3 years.
Alayna Flett (Family member, temporary guardian), pleaded guilty to failing to provide the necessaries of life.

Sources:
Guardian sentenced to 3 years for death of toddler who had ‘profoundly disturbing’ injuries
Mar 2021: First Nation demands justice in boy’s death
Manitoba’s families minister calls for review of boy’s death after caregivers charged
Temporary guardians charged in connection with death of 3-year-old in Little Grand Rapids, Man.

Christopher Pratt

Name: Christopher Pratt.
Died: August 17, 2018.
Age at death: 6.
Cause of death: Head injury, malnutrition.
Location: Lansing, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Chromosome 10 disease, autism, epilepsy.

Details:
Christopher died from a head injury, having lost nearly half his body weight while in the care of his aunt.

Christopher lost his mother when he was five years old. Before he went to stay with his aunt, Christopher was a happy boy who used to greet his cousin by grabbing her face to show affection.

Case Status:
Jessica Bice (Aunt), convicted of second-degree murder and first-degree child abuse, sentenced to 33 years.

Sources:
‘Christopher felt safe here’: New bench memorializes Lansing area boy who died in 2018
Aunt sentenced to prison for death of Lansing boy with special-needs
Woman responsible for death of autistic 6-year-old sentenced
Lansing woman found guilty of homicide in death of boy with special needs
Lansing woman convicted of murder, child abuse in death of 6-year-old nephew
Lansing woman convicted of murder in death of 6-year-old nephew with special needs
Jurors weigh fate of aunt charged with murder, child abuse in 6-year-old’s death
Autism Memorial: Christopher Pratt
Trial begins for aunt in 2018 death of disabled, ’emaciated’ Lansing boy
Testimony continues in child abuse, murder case
Family wants justice following death of young boy
Aunt charged with murder, child abuse in death of a Lansing 6-year-old
Family of the woman accused of killing her 6-year-old nephew speaks out
Family demands justice for Lansing boy who was killed

Emma Bingaman

Name: Emma Rose Bingaman.
Died: July 30, 2018.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Mt. Morris, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Developmental delay, seizures; prematurity.

Details:
Emma was abused by her parents for most of her life. She died from a beating aged 2, weighing less than ten pounds.

Case status:
George Bingaman (Father), convicted of felony murder, first-degree child abuse, torture and two counts of child abuse in the presence of another child; sentenced to 10-30 years.
Destiny Bingaman (Mother), convicted of felony murder, first-degree child abuse, torture and two counts of child abuse in the presence of another child; sentenced to 13 1/2 to 30 years.

Source:
Two mid-Michigan parents sentenced in death of 3-year-old
Toddler’s alleged abuse ‘one of the worst cases’ doctor ever saw
Officials investigating if others knew of alleged abuse that killed 2-year-old
Parents of Mt. Morris Township 3-year-old officially charged with murder
Flint-area parents charged in death of 2-year-old daughter
Charges announced against parents in 3-year-old girl’s death
Emma Rose Bingaman
Parents heading to trial in death of 3-year-old
Parents bound over in beating death of 2-year-old daughter

Comfort Thompson-Pene

No Photo Name: Comfort Jay Thompson-Pene.
Died: July 24, 2018.
Age at death: 18 months.
Cause of death: Blunt head trauma.
Location: Tirau, North Island, New Zealand.
Disability: Birth defect.

Details:
Comfort died from head trauma after long-term child abuse and neglect.

She had spent her first few months of her life in the hospital.

Case Status:
Southern Thompson (Mother), convicted of murder, child abuse, injury with intent, and failing to seek medical care; sentenced to 17 years to life.

Sources:
Named: Woman who abused, neglected and bashed her child to death
Mum who abused, neglected then murdered her own daughter can now be named
Southern Thompson Name Suppression Lift A Reminder Of NZ’s Atrocious Child Abuse Statistics

Gwenn Michelin

No Photo Name: Gwenn Michelin.
Died: June 8, 2018.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Head injury, drowning.
Location: Vivoin, France.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Gwenn, his mother, her partner, and his little brother were camping when his mother’s partner got drunk and got angry at him. Gwenn was badly beaten and thrown into the water even though his assailant knew he couldn’t swim. His family, terrified because of Gwenn’s stepfather’s history of violence and domestic abuse, didn’t feel free to come forward and tell the authorities what had happened to Gwenn until after the killer had been arrested.

Case Status:
Rémy Pichot (Mother’s partner), convicted of murder of a vulnerable person, sentenced to 30 years.

Sources:
Sarthe – Meurtre d’un jeune autiste à Vivoin : le beau-père condamné à 30 ans de réclusion criminelle – France Bleu
Un Sarthois jugé aux assises pour le meurtre de son beau-fils, un autiste de 22 ans, en 2018 – France Bleu
Il déboule au camping et tue son beau-fils infirme
Procès du meurtre de Vivoin : placé face à ses contradictions, l’accusé se mure dans le silence – France Bleu
Sarthe. Mis en examen pour avoir tué son beau-fils autiste
Sarthe. Mis en examen pour avoir tué son beau-fils autiste
Exclusif. Vivoin : mis en examen pour le meurtre de son beau-fils autiste
Sarthe. Trente ans de réclusion criminelle pour le meurtre d’un jeune autiste

Sumitra

No Photo Name: Sumitra.
Died: May 29, 2018.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Head trauma.
Location: Vajra Karur, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Disability: Physical disability.

Details:
Sumitra’s father was frustrated over her and her brother’s disabilities. He came home drunk, demanded she stand and walk, and when she could not do so, allegedly beat her to death.

Case status:
Yerriswamy (Father), arrested on a complaint of murder.

Source:
Father beat physically-disabled daughter to death – Times of India
Anantapur: Drunk father beats physically challenged daughter to death