Category: Type: Fatal Neglect

Medical neglect, lack of care, failure to provide necessities of life.

Colton Johnson

Photo of a toddler boy with a halo of blond hair, pursing his lips at the camera.Name: Colton Johnson.
Died: June 17, 2017.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Cardiac arrest due to untreated infection.
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Short bowel syndrome.

Details:
Colton’s mother took him to the emergency room because his feeding tube had come out; when doctors there examined him, they realized that the feeding tube was leaking, and Colton had a blood infection and was in critical condition. They immediately decided to admit him into the ICU.

But Colton’s mother, instead of allowing the doctors to treat her son, despite being warned that he could die, took him home from the hospital against medical advice. Early the next morning, Colton’s heart stopped and he could not be revived.

Case status:
Robyn Johnson (Mother), pleaded guilty to neglect of a dependent resulting in death, sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Source:
Mother Who Refused Medical Care for Son Sentenced in His Death
Woman charged with neglect in child’s death here

Brianna Gussert

Photo of Brianna Gussert, a teenage girl with pale skin and brown hair, wearing a red shirt. She has the characteristic wide nasal bridge of Wolff-Hirschhorn syndrome.Name: Brianna Gussert.
Died: May 29, 2017.
Age at death: 13.
Cause of death: Sepsis.
Location: Appleton, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome.

Details:
Brianna was neglected by her mother, who declined help whenever she was offered it. She was kept in a filthy room, and her mother didn’t let her go to school, feed her, or change her diaper. She died from sepsis due to neglect, and her death wasn’t reported for five days. She weighed only 33 pounds, down from her normal weight of 50 pounds.

She was a sports fan who played baseball in a special-needs league. She enjoyed watching the Packers and the Badgers play football, and the Brewers play baseball.

Case status:
Nicole Gussert (Mother), convicted of child neglect resulting in death, sentenced to 17 years.

Source:
Wisconsin mom sentenced in disabled daughter’s neglect death
Mom left disabled daughter, 13, in a feces-filled diaper before sepsis death
Obituary for BRIANNA L. GUSSERT – Menasha, WI
Mother arrested in death of special needs daughter
An Appleton woman arrested for the death of her 13-year-old special needs daughter
Appleton Police arrest mom for death of special needs daughter
Appleton woman arrested in death of teenage daughter
Woman Faces Neglect Causing Death Charge
Wisconsin mother charged in horrific “slow death” of disabled daughter
Brianna Gussert: Heartbreak at every turn in Appleton girl’s death
No help came: Heartbreak at every turn in death of 13-year-old Brianna Gussert
Wisconsin mother charged in death of disabled daughter
Shocking case of alleged neglect: US mother charged over death of disabled daughter who ‘suffered immensely’
WATCH: Disabled girl in soiled diaper died ‘slow death’ due to neglect
Disabled teenage daughter found in soiled nappy dies in house smelling of ‘rotten food, human waste and death’
A Wisconsin Woman Allegedly Allowed Her Disabled Daughter To Die Slowly In Horrific Conditions
Girl in Appleton neglect case absent from school 162 days in final year before she died
Investigators: Appleton home smelled of “death”
Appleton mother charged in death of disabled daughter
Girl died of sepsis after mother left her sitting in excrement-filled diaper
Disabled teen neglected by mother and left to die
Teen Girl with Disabilities Suffered a ‘Slow Death’ from Her Mother’s Neglect, Authorities Allege
‘Smell In The Air Of Rotten Food, Human Waste And Death’ — Wisconsin Mom Accused Of Starving And Neglecting Daughter
Court records show 13-year-old Brianna Gussert’s decline over nearly 6 months
Wisconsin teen with disabilities suffered ‘slow death’ due to mother’s neglect, authorities say
As Jessica’s dad, I’m shocked by horrific death of girl with disabilities, but not surprised

83-year-old woman

No PhotoName Unknown.
Died: May 16, 2017.
Age at death: 83.
Cause of death: Dehydration/malnutrition.
Location: Milford, Connecticut, USA.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
This 83-year-old woman’s grandmother visited her and saw her chapped, bleeding lips, and called the police to ask for a welfare check. When the police arrived, they found the woman dead, and a medical examiner determined that she had died from dehydration and malnutrition. She had also been drugged with antidepressants.

Case Status:
Michael O’Connell (Son), pleaded no contest to negligent cruelty; given a 9-month suspended jail sentence and 2 years probation.

Sources:
Milford man pleads no contest to negligent cruelty charge in mother’s 2017 death
Milford man pleads no contest to negligent cruelty charge in mother’s 2017 death

Sabrina Ray

Photo of Sabrina Ray. She is a thin girl with pale skin and dark brown hair in a boy cut. Her expression is solemn.Name: Sabrina Ray.
Died: May 12, 2017.
Age at death: 16.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Perry, Iowa, USA.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
Sabrina was tortured and starved by her family. When she died at age 16 after being drop-kicked down the stairs by her adoptive brother and subsequently starving to death, she weighed 56 pounds and looked like an eight-year-old child.

Her death may have saved the lives of her two adopted sisters, who were also abused and were rescued from the home and taken to the hospital when Sabrina was found dead.

Case status:
Marc Ray (Adoptive father), pleaded guilty to child endangerment and kidnapping, sentenced to 35 years in prison.
Misty Ray (Adoptive mother), charged with child endangerment, child neglect, criminal conduct, theft, and fraud, sentenced to life in prison.
Carla Bousman (Adoptive grandmother), pleaded guilty to two counts of false imprisonment, two counts of child endangerment, on count of neglect of a dependent person, one count of accessory after the fact, and one count of obstructing prosecution, sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Josie Raye Bousman (Niece), pleaded guilty to neglect of a dependeent and child endangerment, sentenced to 14 years in prison.
Justin Dale Ray (Adoptive brother), pleaded guilty to two counts of willful injury, sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Source:
Starved teen looked like she was an ‘8-year-old,’ say day care visitors
Disabled Teen Drop-Kicked Down A Flight Of Stairs, Then Held Captive And Starved By Family, Including Grandma
Defenseless Adopted Teen Girl, 16, Drop-Kicked & Starved To Death In Iowa Home
Police: Brother ‘drop-kicked’ starved Iowa girl, grandmother helped in torture
Community mourns Sabrina’s death, plans grief services
A Voice for Sabrina Ray
More Change of Venue Motions Filed in Sabrina Ray Case
New Charges Leveled at Marc and Misty Ray
Perry Fire Department Hopes Justice Is Served For Sabrina Rays’ Death
Sabrina Ray case comes to a close as final family member is sentenced

Yoshiaki Tamekiyo

No PhotoName: Yoshiaki Tamekiyo.
Died: May 6, 2017.
Age at death: 76.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Takatsuki, Osaka Prefecture, Japan.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Yoshiaki’s wife allegedly stopped feeding him, and he died of starvation.

Case staus:
Nobuko Tamekiyo (Wife), arrested.

Source:
Woman arrested for starving to death husband who had dementia

Rollis Bowman

Photo of Rollis Bowman, a balding older man with light skin and gray hair.Name: Rollis Nobel Bowman.
Died: May 4, 2017.
Age at death: 76.
Cause of death: Pneumonia, malnutrition, dehydration.
Location: Newnan, Georgia, USA.
Disability: Frail elder.

Details:
Rollis lived with a young couple who served as his caregivers. However, he did not get the assistance or medical care he needed. He died from a combination of starvation, dehydration, and pneumonia.

Rollis had a college degree in theology.

Case status:
Jonathan Lee Barber (Housemate, caregiver), charged with murder, elder neglect, and elder exploitation.
Tiffany Dawn Fountain (Housemate, caregiver), charged with murder, elder neglect, and elder exploitation.

Source:

‘Caretaker’ couple facing murder charges in death of elderly man
Rollis Nobel Bowman

Davarion Davis

Photo of Davarion Davis, a boy with brown skin and black hair in a buzz cut, photographed outdoors, smiling at the camera. He is wearing a pink sweatshirt with a logo printed on the front.Name: Davarion Davis.
Died: May 4, 2017.
Age at death: 12.
Cause of death: Infection secondary to kidney disease.
Location: Gary, Indiana, USA.
Disability: Nephrotic syndrome.

Details:
Davarion’s nephrotic syndrome, a kidney disease, should have been easily treatable with medication; but his mother neglected his medical care, often forgetting to give him medication and eventually taking him off medication entirely. He died of an infection related to his untreated nephrotic syndrome.

Case status:
Teisha Ellis (Mother), pleaded guilty to neglect of a dependent causing bodily injury, sentenced to 3 years on work release.

Source:
Gary mother faces felony neglect charges after son’s death due to kidney disorder complications
Support Lil D Homegoing Service organized by Stompdown Laydii
Mother sentenced to 3 years in work release for child’s death from chronic medical condition

Walter Brown Jr.

Photo of a young man sitting in a wheelchair. He has short curly black hair and beard.Name: Walter L. Brown Jr.
Died: April 12, 2017.
Age at death: 24.
Cause of death: Sepsis, pneumonia.
Location: Bridgeton, New Jersey, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy, epilepsy.

Details:
Walter died from a combination of malnutrition, pneumonia, and sepsis from pressure sores. He weighed 73 pounds when he died.

Case status:
Cinnamon A. Corley (Mother), convicted of reckless manslaughter, sentenced to 3 years in prison.

Source:
Plea deal in disabled man’s murder not likely, defense says
Millville mother charged with murder in disabled son’s death
Disabled man died emaciated and covered in bed sores. Now his mother is charged with murder
Woman charged in death of disabled, adult son gets closer to trial
Offender Details

Noah Campbell

Name: Noah Campbell.
Died: March 24, 2017.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Carbon monoxide poisoning.
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA.
Disability: Spinal muscular atrophy.

Details:
Noah’s mother left him alone at home with his abusive father, and while she was gone, Noah’s father poisoned him with carbon monoxide from the family car. While Noah died, his father sat in the car, drinking and doing drugs, with the engine running and the door to the house open. The carbon monoxide seeped into the room where his father had left him, and Noah died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Case status:
Noel Cruz (Father), convicted of second-degree murder and possession of methamphetamines; sentenced to 20 years.
Zaneta Campbell (Mother), convicted of child abuse, sentenced to 5 years and released after 1 year.

Source:
Oklahoma father charged in son’s carbon monoxide death
Oklahoma couple arrested following 8-year-old’s carbon monoxide death
Tulsa parents charged in disabled child’s death after carbon monoxide poisoning
Tulsa man charged in son’s carbon monoxide death
Father charged with murder in carbon monoxide death of disabled son
Parents To Stand Trial In CO Death Of Disabled Tulsa Boy
Tulsa Parents Set For Trial In Disabled Son’s Death
Jury finds Tulsa man guilty of killing disabled son with carbon monoxide
Tulsa Father Convicted In Disabled Son’s Carbon Monoxide Death

Troymaine Johnson

Photo of Troymaine Johnson, an African-American man wearing a navy windbreaker and blue knit cap.Name: Troymaine Deanthonies Johnson.
Died: March 17, 2017.
Age at death: 33.
Cause of death: Hypothermia.
Location: Fort Valley, Georgia, USA.
Disability: Paraplegic.

Details:
Troymaine’s ex-girlfriend picked him up in her car, leaving his wheelchair behind, then abandoned him in the woods. He was found dead from hypothermia four days later.

Troymaine had a passion for rap music.

Case status:
Ruby Kate Coursey (Ex-girlfriend), pleaded guilty to felony murder, sentenced to life without parole.

Source:
Woman Accused Of Killing Paraplegic Ex-Boyfriend By ‘Cruelly’ Dumping Him In Forest
Woman accused of pushing paraplegic man out of her car, letting him die in woods
Authorities say woman left paraplegic Fort Valley man in woods to die
Fort Valley parapalegic man found dead in woods
Troymaine Johnson Obituary – Macon, GA
Family remembers paraplegic man as a talented rapper and loving soul
Body of Fort Valley man found in Upson County hunting camp
Body found at Upson deer camp
Troymaine Deanthonies Johnson (1983 – 2017)
Woman left paraplegic ex-boyfriend to die in cold, police say
Cops: Georgia woman left paraplegic ex-boyfriend in woods to die
Ruby Kate Coursey: How I left my paraplegic ex boyfriend to die in the cold
Georgia Woman Allegedly Kills Paraplegic Ex-Boyfriend By Stranding Him in the Woods
Woman pleads guilty in murder of paraplegic Fort Valley man left in woods
Woman pleads guilty to felony murder in death of paraplegic Fort Valley man