Type: Fatal Neglect – Page 11 – Disability Day of Mourning

Elmer Norris

No Photo Name: Elmer Norris.
Died: November 22, 2019.
Age at death: 91.
Cause of death: Pneumonia, pressure sores.
Location: Pasadena, Maryland, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; needed help with daily life activities.

Details:
Elmer lived with his son, who neglected him. When other family members tried to help him, his son refused to let them see Elmer and even changed the locks on the doors. Elmer died of pneumonia and pressure ulcers from being left alone on his bed with no care.

Case status:
Danny Norris (Son), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, sentenced to 25 years, all but 12 years in prison and 5 years probation suspended.

Source:
Pasadena man pleads guilty to 91-year-old father’s murder
Man arrested on charges including second degree murder, adult abuse of family member

Mildred Costanza

No Photo Name: Mildred Costanza.
Died: October 4, 2019.
Age at death: 78.
Cause of death: Painkiller overdose in the setting of chronic neglect.
Location: Wausau, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Frail elder.

Details:
Mildred’s daughter, who ostensibly cared for her, kept her in deplorable conditions and did not take her to the doctor even when she developed a serious infection. Weakened by hunger and neglect, Mildred died of a Tramadol overdose. She weighed only 75 pounds.

Case status:
Mary Tessmer (Daughter), pleaded guilty to recklessly subjecting an individual at risk to abuse, causing death; sentenced to 2 years in prison and 2 years parole.

Source:
Ringle woman pleads guilty to neglecting 78-year-old mother, causing her death
Woman charged in death of elderly mother who overdosed
Ringle woman accused of chronic neglect in mother’s death
Marathon County woman sentenced in mother’s death

Hector Pizarro

Name: Hector J. Pizarro.
Died: September 4, 2019.
Age at death: 16.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Congenital disability, autism, epilepsy, mobility impaired.

Details:
Hector had been known to child protective services for some time. At one point, he was found to weigh only 60 pounds and monitored by child welfare until he gained weight to 68-70 pounds. But once watchful eyes were averted, Hector was once again neglected.

Hector’s mother brought him to the emergency room, weighing 42 pounds. He died shortly thereafter from malnutrition, with a bedsore covering one side of his body, making it clear that he was neglected to death. Her neighbors had been completely unaware that Hector even lived there.

Case status:
Iraida M. Pizarro-Osorio (Mother), convicted of chronic child neglect resulting in great bodily harm, sentenced to 4 years probation.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Hector Pizarro
Milwaukee woman sentenced to 4 years’ probation in death of son
Autism Memorial: Hector Pizarro
16-year-old Milwaukee boy weighed 42 lbs.; mother charged with his death
Mom charged in death of 16-year-old son who weighed just 42 pounds
Milwaukee mom charged with starving her son to death
16-year-old boy weighs 42 pounds at death, mother charged
Milwaukee mom charged with neglect of teenage son, weighed just 42 pounds at time of death
Mother charged in death of disabled, 42-pound teen

Dinah Durham

No Photo
Name: Dinah Durham.
Died: September 2, 2019.
Age at death: 65.
Cause of death: Sepsis.
Location: Mableton, Georgia, USA.
Disability: ALS.

Details:
Dinah was starved and left alone in her wheelchair until she developed severe pressure sores that quickly became infected. She died from sepsis, weighing only 75 pounds.

Case status:
Christopher Lee Durham (Son), charged with felony murder, neglect, and exploiting an elderly or disabled person
James Stephen Stanfield Jr. (Son), charged with felony murder and neglect.

Source:
Cobb brothers indicted, accused of murder, neglect in disabled mother’s death
They left their mother sitting in her own feces for 2 weeks before she died. Now, they face felony charges
Cobb men charged with murder following disabled mother’s death
Mableton brothers killed elderly mother, police say

Deborah Leitch

Name: Deborah Leitch.
Died: August 29, 2019.
Age at death: 24.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: South Shore, Blackpool, England, UK.
Disability: Down syndrome.

Details:
Deborah’s mother let her die from “severe emaciation and neglect;” Deborah was found starved in her home, with a severe and untreated scabies infection.

She was described by her family as a cheerful girl who was “always smiling.” She loved horses, had a boyfriend, and had attended college and a day-care program.

Case Status:
Elaine Clarke (Mother), pleaded guilty to gross negligence manslaughter, sentenced to 6 to 9 years 7 months.
Robert Bruce (Household member), charged with allowing or causing the death of a vulnerable adult; charges dropped.

Source:
SAR Learning Brief – Jessica “Jessica” is Deborah’s pseudonym.
Debbie Leitch looked ‘like a skeleton’ before neglect death
Mother’s manipulation of social services left vulnerable woman to die of malnutrition in filthy bed
Mum who starved daughter to death will not have sentence increased
Mum who starved disabled daughter to death could see jail sentence increased
My monster ex starved our daughter to death – she’ll be out in just 6 years
Mum who allowed disabled daughter to die in squalor jailed
Mum abandoned daughter who starved to death in infested room
Evil mum starved disabled daughter to death in ‘maggot and faeces’ covered room
My ex starved our daughter to death while taking £215 a week in benefits
Mum left her disabled daughter to starve to death in ‘faeces-laden’ and ‘maggot-infested’ bedroom
My ex-wife starved our disabled daughter to death – I found out on Facebook
Pair appear in court accused of causing the death of ‘vulnerable’ disabled woman in South Shore
Blackpool woman’s death: Pair charged with manslaughter
Two charged with manslaughter over death of emaciated and neglected 24-year-old
Pair face charges over death of woman with Down’s syndrome by neglect
Two face charges after disabled girl was found dead with ‘severe emaciation’

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

Adam Schneider

No Photo Name: Adam Schneider.
Died: August 15, 2019.
Age at death: 39.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Richmond, Indiana, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
After his mother died, Adam moved in with his brother. He was neglected until finally he was brought to the hospital with severe bedsores and malnutrition, and died from the effects of starvation two days later.

Case status:
Henry Lee Andrus III (Brother), charged with neglect of a dependent leading to death and neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury.

Source:
Brother charged with neglect in death of 39-year-old man with cerebral palsy

Cristina Pangalangan

Photo of a young girl sitting in a wheelchair, lips pursed, looking annoyed. She has fair skin and her brown hair is messy. Name: Cristina Pangalangan.
Died: August 5, 2019.
Age at death: 13.
Cause of death: Heat stroke.
Location: Colleton County, South Carolina, USA.
Disability: Developmental disability, wheelchair user.

Details:
Cristina’s mother deliberately left her in the car for five hours on a hot August day. According to investigators, she checked on Cristina twice, once at noon, before continuing to leave her in the car, and then again at 3pm where she claimed to discover the car was locked and she and her boyfriend had to leave to get a spare set of keys. When first responders who received a call about a child in a locked car arrived on the scene, they found that Cristina had died.

Her eighth-grade teachers remember her as a “very motivated student” who smiled at everyone.

Case status:
Rita Pangalangan (Mother), convicted of murder, sentenced to 37 years.
Larry King (mother’s boyfriend), convicted of murder, sentenced to 32 years.

Source:
New bill aims to help get justice for victims of deadly child abuse
SC v. King, Pangalangan: Disabled Teen Death Trial
WATCH LIVE: Couple on trial for developmentally disabled teen’s hot car death
Testimony begins in murder trial of disabled 13-year-old in Colleton Co.
Mother, boyfriend left disabled Lowcountry girl to die in hot car, solicitor says
SC v. King, Pangalangan: Mom, her boyfriend sentenced in teen’s murder
Couple found guilty in death of 13-year-old with cerebral palsy left in car
Sick mum deliberately left disabled daughter to cook to death in baking car
Trial for murder of special needs Walterboro girl will begin in late August
Delayed murder trial painful for loved ones of Walterboro girl left to die in hot car
Department of Social Services facing lawsuit after girl with special needs dies in car
Lowcountry mother charged with murder in teen’s hot car death resigns from teaching job
13-year-old special needs girl found dead in car in SC; 2 people arrested, authorities say
Report: Two charged with murder after deliberately leaving disabled 13-year-old in car for several hours
Man, woman charged with murder in Colleton County after girl’s death in hot car
Teacher, boyfriend charged in 13-year-old’s death
Teacher mum ‘left disabled daughter, 13, to die in roasting hot car for 5 hours’
Colleton girl’s accused killers had multiple brushes with police amid rocky relationship
Authorities identify 13-year-old girl who died after being left in car
Mom, boyfriend left disabled girl in vehicle 5 hours before death, Colleton deputies say
Teacher of the Year ‘left her disabled teenage daughter to die in roasting car’
Cristina Pangalangan hot car death: Rita Pangalangan & Larry King charged w/ murder
Mother, Boyfriend Charged With Murder After 13-Year-Old Girl With Special Needs Dies in Hot Car
Woman leaves kids in hot car week after sister died in their mom’s hot car, SC police say

Kayla Kunkel

No Photo Name: Kayla Kunkel.
Died: June 29, 2019.
Age at death: 23.
Cause of death: Infection from bowel obstruction.
Location: Chenango, New York, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Kayla was found not breathing and could not be revived; she had been left without medical care when her bowel became obstructed. Her death was determined to be the result of “inadequate guardianship” and her parents charged with manslaughter.

Case status:
Renee Kunkel, pleaded guilty to negligent manslaughter, sentenced to 5 years probation.
Edward Kunkel (Father), pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person.

Source:
Mom of 23-year-old woman with autism sentenced for negligent homicide in daughter’s death
Mom of woman with autism, 23, pleads guilty to negligent homicide in her daughter’s death
Town of Chenango residents charged with manslaughter in death of woman with autism
Woman with autism dies, 2 indicted for ‘inadequate guardianship’
Kayla Kunkel Obituary – Port Dickinson, New York
Parents Charged in Death of Chenango Bridge Woman

Darlene Conger

No Photo Name: Darlene Conger.
Died: June 20, 2019.
Age at death: 67.
Cause of death: Neglect.
Location: Zanesville, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Wheelchair user.

Details:
Darlene lived with her caregivers in a home that was in very poor condition. She died from neglect when her live-in caregivers did not care for her.

Case status:
Sheila Allberry (Live-in caregiver), pleaded guilty to felonious assault, sentenced to 6-9 years.
Dustin Burr (Son), convicted of felonious assault and failure to provide care, sentenced to 6-9 years.

Source:
Mom of three asks judge for mercy in neglect case originally charged as manslaughter
Man ‘just trying to honor mom’s wishes’ sentenced in case of severe neglect
Guilty plea entered in case of woman who died after severe neglect in deplorable home
Guilty plea entered in case of woman who died after severe neglect in deplorable home
Two face felony charges in disabled woman’s death
Two charged in death of elderly Zanesville woman living in ‘deplorable conditions’ – Y-City News
Obituary for Darlene (Henry) Conger | Bolin-Dierkes Funeral Home