Type: Fatal Neglect – Page 28 – Disability Day of Mourning

Dorothy Berry

No Photo Name: Dorothy Berry.
Died: May 24, 2015.
Age at death: 77.
Cause of death: Malnutrition, sepsis.
Location: Merritt Island, Florida, USA.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Dorothy’s son and daughter neglected her, keeping her on a wooden bench in the living room and not feeding or cleaning her. She died from malnutrition and infected bedsores.

Case status:
George Mack Berry Jr. (Son), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 5 years probation.
and Susan Dawn Berry (Daughter), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 5 years in prison.

Source:
Supervised Population Information Detail
Inmate Population Information Detail
Merritt Island siblings fight charges in mom’s death

George Philip Carter

Name: George Philip Carter.
Died: May 15, 2015.
Age at death: 59.
Cause of death: Sepsis.
Location: Spanaway, Washington, USA.
Disability: Autism, developmental disability.

Details:
Philip’s caregiver neglected him; he died of infected bedsores because instead of taking him to a doctor, his caregiver stuffed the bedsores with paper towels.

Case status:
Larry John Lee (Unlicensed caregiver), convicted of second-degree murder, sentenced to 18 years.

Source:
Caregiver charged with murder in neglect of vulnerable adult
Caretaker sentenced to 18 years for ‘murder by neglect’
Jury finds Spanaway man guilty in death of adult he cared for
Autism Memorial: George Philip Carter

Black and white photo of Seth Johnson, a small boy wearing glasses and a polo shirt and jacket. Name: Seth Johnson.
Died: March 30, 2015.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Pancreatitis.
Location: Plymouth, Minnesota, USA.
Disability: Fetal alcohol syndrome, reactive attachment disorder; parents unofficially diagnosed him with PTSD and TBI.

Details:
Seth’s adoptive parents claimed he had been diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome and reactive attachment disorder, though no records corroborating this could be found.

When Seth was seven, he became sick. His parents, instead of getting him medical help, did online research and diagnosed him with PTSD and a traumatic brain injury.

Seth died of untreated pancreatitis. When he died, he was badly malnourished and covered with injuries, including bruises and pressure sores. His parents said the bruises came from Seth throwing himself down the stairs, and that they had not gotten him medical care because Seth did not like going to the doctor.

Case status:
Timothy David Johnson (Adoptive father), convicted of child neglect, sentenced to 1 year in the county workhouse.
Sarah Nicole Johnson (Adoptive mother), convicted of child neglect, sentenced to 1 year in the county workhouse.

Source:
Plymouth couple sentenced to 1 year after 7-year-old son’s death
Plymouth parents who left U.S. after suspicious death of son, 7, have returned several years later
Minnesota parents accused of child neglect in death of 7-year-old son flee to New Zealand, miss court date
Do Timothy and Sarah Johnson have blood on their hands? Child dies after parents deny doctor treatment
Plymouth parents charged after allegedly refusing to take 7-year-old, who later died, to doctor
Parents charged with neglect in child’s death
Minn. parents let son, 7, suffer wounds, inflamed pancreas with no medical attention before he died, police say
Plymouth Parents Charged with Neglect after 7-Year-Old Boy Dies
Sick boy died because parents prayed instead of calling 911: prosecutor
Parents accused of letting boy die rather than bring him to doctors
Minnesota parents let son, 7, suffer wounds, inflamed pancreas with no medical attention before he died, police say
Minnesota parents charged with neglect after 7-year-old’s death
Minnesota Couple Allegedly Let 7-Year-Old Son Die of Sepsis Rather Than Bring Him to Doctor
Minnesota couple charged with neglect in 7-year-old son’s death may have fled the country

Izaltina King

Photo Unavailable Name: Izaltina King.
Died: March 19, 2015.
Age at death: 86.
Cause of death: Neglect.
Location: New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; needed 24-hour care.

Details:
Izaltina died when she fell to the floor and was left there for nearly 24 hours. She also had bedsores and two toes that had become necrotic.

Case status:
Steven E. King (Son), charged with neglect.

Source:
New Bedford man charged with neglect in mother’s death

Lori Decker

Name: Lori Decker.
Died: March 7, 2015.
Age at death: 45.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Quincy, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Brain injury from diabetic crisis.

Details:
Lori’s husband neglected her and did not feed her enough; she starved to death.

Lori worked as a housekeeper.

Case status:
Derek Decker (Husband), pleaded guilty to neglect of disabled person, sentenced to 2 1/2 years.

Source:
Quincy man sent to prison in spousal neglect case
Lori Lynn Long Decker

Ellen Jackson

Name: Ellen Jackson.
Died: February 16, 2015.
Age at death: 66.
Cause of death: Hypothermia.
Location: Shamokin, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Blindness, diabetes, heart disease.

Details:
Ellen’s daughter allegedly left her home unheated and left Ellen alone on the floor to freeze to death.

Ellen was a good baker; her family especially remembers her coconut cream and chocolate pudding pies. She listened to gospel music and loved her three grandchildren.

Case status:
Mary Ellen Collins (Daughter), pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter.

Source:
Daughter in mom’s fatal hypothermia case pleads no contest
Woman to trial in mom’s alleged neglect, hypothermia death
Family Reacts After Woman Charged with Mother’s Death in Shamokin
Shamokin woman seeks dismissal of charges linked to her mother’s death

Lee Del Ratez

Photo of Lee Del Ratez, a man with dark hair and light tan skin. He is holding his hands in fists just below his chin, and wearing a black and blue T-shirt. Name: Lee W. Del Ratez.
Died: January 8, 2015.
Age at death: 40.
Cause of death: Neglect.
Location: North Adams, Massachusetts, USA.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
Lee died because of his siblings’ negligence when they did not take care of him properly.

Case status:
Heath Del Ratez (Brother), pleaded guilty to permitting abuse on a disabled person, sentenced to two years probation.
Jessica Kemp (Sister), charged with manslaughter by negligence and caretaker abuse of a disabled person.

Source:
North Adams pair charged with manslaughter in connection with death of disabled sibling
North Adams pair charged with manslaughter by negligence in death of disabled man
Lee W. Del Ratez, 40

Ena Lai Dung

No Photo Name: En Lai Dung.
Died: January 16, 2015.
Age at death: 77.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Manurewa, South Auckland, New Zealand.
Disability: Elderly disabled; possibly bulimia.

Details:
Ena Lai lived with her daughter in a rented house. Her daughter refused to take care of her or ask for help; she claimed that Ena Lai had bulimia and refused to eat.

Ena Lai died in her filthy bed, weighing only 29 kg (64 pounds), dehydrated, malnourished, and suffering from infected bedsores. She had fourteen half-healed broken ribs and a broken sternum.

Case status:
Cindy Taylor (Daughter), found guilty of manslaughter, sentenced to 13 years 3 months.
Brian Taylor (Housemate), found guilty of failure to protect a vulnerable adult, sentenced to 6 years.
Luana Taylor (Housemate), found guilty of failure to protect a vulnerable adult, sentenced to 6 years 6 months.

Source:
Woman who let her mother starve to death declined parole
Appeals thrown out over harrowing death of Ena Lai Dung
Daughter on trial for manslaughter of mother
Dead woman had been ‘nibbled’, manslaughter trial hears
Jury to view shocking pics of dead woman
Paramedic overwhelmed by smell when examining malnourished woman’s body
Pathologist details state of dead elderly woman found in own waste
Pathologist: I’ve never seen anything like it
Trial begins over elderly woman’s grim death
Woman found guilty of letting mother starve
Daughter’s ‘cruel’ neglect killed mother
Jail for letting mother starve to death
Daughter jailed for neglect and manslaughter of elderly woman

Cyrus Buskirk

Name: Cyrus Buskirk.
Died: January 12, 2015.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Untreated diabetes.
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Juvenile diabetes.

Details:
When Cyrus’s diabetes made him sick, his mother didn’t get him medical help. She called the doctor, but didn’t follow any of the doctor’s instructions. By the time she called 911, it was too late; Cyrus died of complications of juvenile diabetes.

Cyrus’s obituary says that he “loved school, baseball, the Iron Pigs, karate and being a ninja”.

Case status:
Ashleigh Buskirk (Mother), pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment, sentenced to 16 months to 10 years.

Source:
Cyrus T. Buskirk Obituary (2007 – 2015) Morning Call
Mother sentenced for letting diabetic child die
Allentown mother pleads guilty in death of diabetic son

Caryl Vanzo

A gravestone, reading, "Mother Caryl. 1924-2015." Name: Caryl Vanzo.
Died: January 5, 2015.
Age at death: 90.
Cause of death: Unspecified.
Location: Plymouth, Minnesota, USA.
Disability: Elderly disabled; wheelchair user.

Details:
Caryl was neglected by her son, who stole and spent her retirement funds. When she was dying, or possibly soon after she had died, Caryl’s son put her in a wheelchair and went to the bank to withdraw more money from her account. Her body showed signs of malnutrition and dehydration, and she had severe untreated bedsores.

Case status:
David Vanzo (Son), pleaded guilty to one count of financial exploitation over $35,000; sentenced to 42 months in prison.

Source:
Guilty plea from son who forced mother to make bank withdrawal just before her death
Man Accused of Taking Possibly Dead Mother Into Bank Arrested in Pomona
Guilty plea from son who forced mother to make bank withdrawal just before her death
Twin Cities man accused of financially exploiting mom before her death
Minnesota man suspected of wheeling dead mother into bank
Man Accused of Taking Possibly Dead Mother Into Bank Arrested in Pomona
Man Allegedly Wheeled Dying Mother Into Bank to Withdraw Cash From Her Account
Man accused of taking dead mother into bank to make cash withdrawal