Type: Fatal Neglect – Page 2 – Disability Day of Mourning

Aston Starkey

No Photo Name: Aston Starkey.
Died: March 2, 2024.
Age at death: 13.
Cause of death: Malnutrition/dehydration.
Location: Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome.

Details:
Aston’s body was found in the motel where he and his mother had been staying. His cause of death was established as malnutrition and dehydration, contributed to by neglect.

Case Status:
Serena Starkey (Mother), wanted on suspicion of murder; found dead a little under 4 months later.

Sources:
Mother sought on Alabama murder charge in death of son with special needs found dead in Texas
Autopsy reveals 13-year-old Birmingham boy with Down Syndrome died of malnutrition and dehydration, mother wanted on murder charges
Media Release 130- Homicide Investigation- Cahaba Park Circle
Hunt for mom after her son, 13, found starved to death in motel
Boy, 13, living in Birmingham motel dies from malnutrition, dehydration; mother sought on murder warrant

No Photo Name: Christiana Blake.
Died: February 21, 2024.
Age at death: 77.
Cause of death: Sepsis, pneumonia; pressure sores.
Location: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Stroke; mobility impaired, nonspeaking.

Details:
Christiana’s daughter allegedly left her home alone repeatedly for long periods of time and neglected her care. Untended pressure sores in Christiana’s legs progressed to the point of requiring amputation, but she went without medical help for several more months until the state finally took over guardianship of Christiana. But it was too late; she was too sick to survive. Christiana died in the hospital from widespread infection.

Case Status:
Yeawah Sanu (Daughter), charged with criminal homicide and neglect of a care-dependent person.
Minkailu Sanu (Son-in-law), wanted on suspicion of homicide and neglect.

Sources:
Harrisburg woman charged with homicide, neglect of care-dependent person after death of her mother
Disabled woman’s legs went black from neglect, disease before she died in homicide: police

Amy Modrow

Name: Amy Lynn Modrow.
Died: February 17, 2024.
Age at death: 9.
Cause of death: Asthma.
Location: Hopkins, Minnesota, USA.
Disability: Asthma.

Details:
Amy was at a sleepover at a friend’s house when she had an asthma attack. She used her inhaler, but the one she had hadn’t been prescribed for her; it was her grandmother’s, and her own inhaler prescription hadn’t been filled. Her friend’s mother called Amy’s mother and offered her to take her to the doctor, but her mother refused and took Amy home.

Amy’s asthma worsened, with her mother refusing to take her to the hospital, until she was blue from lack of air and Amy’s aunt called a family friend, who carried the girl to the parking lot and called 911. When medics arrived, Amy’s heart had stopped, and although they managed to resuscitate her, she was declared brain dead and taken off life support a week later.

Case Status:
Rachel Modrow (Mother) pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter, sentenced to 41 months in prison.

Sources:
Mother pleads guilty to manslaughter in daughter’s asthma death – CBS Minnesota
Mom let 9-year-old daughter die from asthma attack after refusing to take her to hospital
Case Search – Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO)
Amy Lynn Modrow (2014-2024) – Find a Grave Memorial

Jeremiah Moore

No Photo Name: Jeremiah Moore.
Died: February 6, 2024.
Age at death: 16.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Springfield Township, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Jeremiah was found dead in his home. He had been chained to a cot in a basement closet and had no food in his system when he died from malnutrition and dehydration.

Case Status:
Tamara Moore (Adoptive mother), charged with murder, endangering a child, involuntary manslaughter and failure to report a crime.
William Turnage (Adoptive mother’s boyfriend), charged with murder, endangering a child, involuntary manslaughter and failure to report a crime.

Sources:
Man wanted for murder of autistic teen arrested, police say
Autistic teen found starved, chained to cot in Ohio
Autistic teen was treated ‘worse than an animal,’ prosecutor says
Autistic teen found starved, chained to cot, Ohio officials say. Adoptive mom arrested
Police: Springfield Twp. mother arrested in connection to death of teenager with autism
Neighborhood shocked over murder of autistic teenager
Springfield Township woman charged in murder of adopted son, who was autistic
Police: Springfield Township man wanted in murder of autistic child in custody
Mom arrested, murder warrant issued for man in autistic teen’s death: Police
Autistic teen found starved, chained to cot, Ohio officials say. Adoptive mom arrested
Mistreatment of special needs teen leads to murder charges
‘Justice for J.J.’: Adoptive mother and man indicted in 16-year-old’s death

Geanna Bradley

Name: Geanna Bradley.
Died: January 18, 2024.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Starvation, blunt trauma, pneumonia.
Location: Wahiawa, Hawaii, USA.
Disability: ADHD; foster parents suspected schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Details:
Gianna was found dead in her home, the victim of a suspicious death that investigators soon realized had come from repeated abuse. She had died from multiple blunt force injuries, starvation, and pneumonia.

Case Status:
Brandy Blas (Foster mother), charged with endangering the welfare of a minor, second-degree murder, kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment.
Thomas Blas (Foster father), charged with endangering the welfare of a minor, second-degree murder, kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment.

Sources:
Legal Guardians Accused Of ‘Prolonged Abuse’ In 10-Year-Old’s Death
Birth father of Geanna Bradley shares his final memories of his daughter

Arthur Stanton

No Photo Name: Arthur Kenneth Stanton.
Died: December 28, 2023.
Age at death: 63.
Cause of death: Negligent care.
Location: Watkinsville, Georgia, USA.
Disability: Unspecified/care-dependent.

Details:
Arthur was found in poor condition in his home, where he had been left in filth, uncared-for. He was taken to the hospital, but died the next day.

Case Status:
Daivid Allen Stanton (Son), charged with felony murder, reckless conduct, and neglect of a disabled or elderly person.
Sandra Dee Bass (Housemate), charged with neglect of a disabled or elderly person.

Sources:
Second suspect charged in Oconee Co death
Son arrested in connection to death of father found in ‘extreme medical distress,’ Ga. deputies say
Oconee County man arrested for neglect, murder of 63-year-old father
Man arrested for the murder of his father

Deonte Atwell

Name: Deonte Atwell.
Died: December 25, 2023.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.
Disability: Spina bifida, hydrocephalus.

Details:
On Christmas day, paramedics responded to Deonte’s home to find him unresponsive; he was declared dead at the hospital. His tiny body weighed only seven pounds, and police who searched the home say they found more than two hundred unopened bottles of the formula Deonte was supposed to get. Deonte’s parents are also charged with neglecting his siblings, ages nine and sixteen.

Case Status:
Michelle Doe (Mother), charged with first-degree murder, manslaughter and child neglect.
Tyreck Irvin (Brother), charged with first-degree murder, manslaughter and child neglect.
James Graham (Grandfather), charged with aggravated manslaughter, child neglect and failure to report child abuse.
Mirlande Ameda (professional caregiver), charged with third-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter and child neglect.
Cassandre Lassegue (nurse), charged with first-degree murder, manslaughter and child neglect.

Sources:
Disabled boy, 7, found starved to death on Christmas as food remained unopened
Disabled Florida boy, 7, found starved to death on Christmas – while food remained unopened
Disabled boy, 7, starved to death in horror abuse as mom and family arrested
5 arrested for starving disabled 7-year-old to death in Florida: BSAO
Mom, brother, grandfather and caregivers are charged with starving 7-year-old disabled boy to death
South Florida mother accused of starving her 7-year-old child to death is denied bond
5 adults charged with starving 7-year-old disabled boy to death in Fort Lauderdale
Murder Charges Following Starvation Death Of Disabled Ft Lauderdale Boy
No bail for mom accused of ‘willful torture’ in starvation death of 7-year-old underweight disabled boy

Eli Riggan

Name: Eli Ezekiel Riggan.
Died: November 25, 2023.
Age at death: 11.
Cause of death: Pressure sores, sepsis, kidney failure.
Location: Tucson, Arizona, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; mobility impaired.

Details:
Emergency services were summoned to Eli’s home on a call for an unresponsive child, but they found him dead. An autopsy report showed that he had been neglected; the medical examiner found multiple pressure sores that had become septic, causing kidney failure and killing Eli.

Case Status:
Ariel Lea Horn (Mother), charged with first-degree murder and child abuse.
Charles Jackson McClellan Jr. (Mother’s boyfriend), charged with first-degree murder and child abuse.

Sources:
Tucson mom, boyfriend arrested in death of disabled boy, 11
Police: Special needs boy dies from neglect in Tucson
Media Release: Child Abuse Homicide Arrest – 900 Block of E. Limberlost Dr.
Gofundme: 11 year old Eli Riggan’s Funeral Expenses

Elizabeth Clay

Name: Elizabeth Derozan Clay.
Died: November 24, 2023.
Age at death: 93.
Cause of death: Burns.
Location: Vidalia, Louisiana, USA.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Elizabeth, who could not be safely left alone, was allegedly left alone in her home by her son. She tried to use the stove and burned herself severely with cooking oil; five days later she died from second- and third-degree burns.

Case Status:
Junior Derozan (Son), charged with abuse, cruelty to the infirm, abuse and neglect, and negligent homicide.

Sources:
Caregiver’s charges upgraded to negligent homicide after elderly burn patient dies
Elizabeth Derozan Clay

18-month-old boy

No Photo Name Unknown.
Died: November 22, 2023.
Age at death: 18 months.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Horton, Alabama, USA.
Disability: Multiple congenital conditions.

Details:
Since he was three months old, this child had been living with foster parents. He did well there until he was taken to a children’s hospital for tests, where he was diagnosed with “multiple congenital conditions”. His foster parents, who had been asked to take him to a follow-up appointment in a month’s time, did not appear for the appointment or return phone calls.

Two months later, they appeared at the hospital, carrying the child’s body. In those two months, he had lost a third of his body weight and ultimately died from malnutrition. His foster parents stand accused of deliberately denying him medical care and nourishment, resulting in his death from willful abuse.

Case Status:
Mason Grimes (Foster parent), charged with capital murder of a child under 15, intentional murder, felony murder, and aggravated child abuse.
Brooklyn Grimes (Foster parent), charged with capital murder of a child under 15, intentional murder, murder, and aggravated child abuse.

Sources:
Blount County foster parents charged with capital murder of emaciated 18-month-old: ‘This child deserved to be loved’
2 charged with abuse, murder of 18-month-old foster child in Blount County
Court documents reveal severe neglect and abuse led to child’s death under couple’s care