Type: Fatal Neglect – Page 3 – Disability Day of Mourning

Logan Halstead

Name: Logan Halstead.
Died: October 29, 2023.
Age at death: 19.
Cause of death: Medical neglect.
Location: Headland, Alabama, USA.
Disability: Spina bifida.

Details:
When Logan’s parents moved out, the new tenants who moved in were horrified to discover Logan’s body hidden in an old freezer in the backyard. Over a week earlier, Logan’s father had called police, allegedly confessing to putting the young man’s body there. The police simply looked in the freezer and did not find the body, but did arrest Logan’s father because he hadn’t shown up to court for a domestic violence charge. Only when the new tenants started emptying the freezer was Logan found. Initially arrested just for corpse abuse, Logan’s parents were eventually charged with manslaughter. Prosecutors say they “recklessly and consciously disregarded the treatment of Logan which resulted in his death.”

Case Status:
Michael Halstead (Father), charged with reckless manslaughter and corpse abuse; died before trial.
Karen Halstead (Mother), charged with reckless manslaughter and corpse abuse.

Sources:
Alabama Man, Awaiting Trial for Death of 19-Year-Old Special Needs Son, Found Dead at Home
Investigator believes couple concealed son’s death to continue receiving government benefits
New homeowners discover body of dead special needs teen in a freezer; parents now charged
Parents of disabled Alabama teen found in backyard freezer charged in his death
Couple charged after son’s decomposed body found in broken freezer

Brandon Storie

Name: Brandon Storie.
Died: October 18, 2023.
Age at death: 33.
Cause of death: Unspecified neglect.
Location: Cortland, New York, USA.
Disability: Muscular dystrophy, schizophrenia.

Details:
Brandon was found dead in his bedroom in a filthy house, and his death ruled a homicide following an autopsy. His father and brothers, who served as caregivers, were charged in the case. In court, Brandon’s caregivers said that he did not want them to keep him or his room clean, that his health had been declining over the course of the last two years, and that he had become unable to shower or keep himself clean and eventually unable to leave his bed. A social worker who offered to help was turned down, and the family refused to call emergency services until Brandon died.

Brandon loved working on computers and playing with RC cars.

Case Status:
David H. Storie (Father), charged with manslaughter and endangering the welfare of an incompetent/physically disabled person; pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
Michael S. Storie (Brother), pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of an incompetent/physically disabled person, sentenced to 1 year probation.
and Nicholas A. Storie (Brother), pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of an incompetent/physically disabled person, sentenced to 1 year probation.

Sources:
County Court: Brothers receive probation in connection to death of family member
Father pleads guilty in case involving death of disabled son
Suspicious Death Ruled a Homicide in Cortland – Three Arrested and Charged
Obituary of Brandon Storie
Father, brothers accused of allowing disabled Cortland man to die through extreme neglect
Individual accused of manslaughter released
Central NY father charged with causing son’s death; 2 siblings also arrested

Ethan Ruiz

No Photo Name: Ethan Ortiz Ruiz.
Died: October 14, 2023.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Drowning.
Location: Sanford, Florida, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Ethan went missing and was found later that day drowned in a pond; he was rushed to the hospital, but could not be resuscitated. At first this was thought to be an unforeseeable accident, since young children, especially those who are autistic, often love water and do not understand the danger of drowning. However, when police investigated, they found that Ethan’s parents had known that he was completely capable of leaving the house unsupervised. He had been lost three times before he died, and no precautions had been taken to prevent it from happening again. His parents were under the influence of marijuana when Ethan left the house for the final time.

Case Status:
Barbara Ruiz (Mother), charged with aggravated manslaughter.
Lester Ortiz (Father), charged with aggravated manslaughter.

Sources:
Autism Memorial: Ethan Ruiz
Toddler wanders from apartment and drowns in pond, Florida cops say. Parents charged
Police: Parents facing charges after 3-year-old found in Sanford pond dies
Florida Parents Arrested After 3-Year-Old Toddler with Autism Drowns in Pond
Autistic toddler drowns while weed-smoking parents were inside apartment

Michael Parks Jr.

No Photo Name: Michael Steven Parks Jr.
Died: September 17, 2023.
Age at death: 29.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome.

Details:
Michael, who lived with his mother, went to bed one night and died in his sleep. At autopsy, examiners took note of his extremely low body mass index and declared that he had died from malnutrition due to neglect.

Case Status:
Pamela Parks (Mother), charged with involuntary manslaughter and neglect of a disabled adult in a domestic setting causing serious injury.

Sources:
A Winston-Salem woman faces a manslaughter charge after her disabled son’s death in 2023
Autopsy reveals a man died from malnutrition in his mother’s care
Disabled man found dead inside Triad home, woman charged with involuntary manslaughter, officials say
Autopsy reveals Winston-Salem man with Down syndrome died of malnutrition; mother charged with manslaughter

Martha Rutledge

No Photo Name: Martha Rutledge.
Died: August 14, 2023.
Age at death: 99.
Cause of death: Starvation, untended bedsores.
Location: Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA.
Disability: Mobility impaired.

Details:
Martha was found dead at home. Her body was very thin, and she was covered in multiple severe bedsores. Her daughters, with whom she lived, are accused of not providing any medical care to their mother. Martha also had a lot of alcohol and THC in her system when she died; unable to move from her bed, she would not have been able to ingest these on her own. She had not seen a doctor in ten years.

Case Status:
Martha Carroll Rutledge (Daughter), charged with abuse or neglect of a vulnerable person resulting in death.
and Nancy Rutledge (Daughter), charged with abuse or neglect of a vulnerable person resulting in death.

Sources:
Rock Hill sisters granted bond for mother’s death whose body has ‘chronic open wound’
Police: Rock Hill woman died from lack of medical care, 2 daughters charged
Martha Rutledge Obituary (2023) – Rock Hill, SC – The Herald

Skylar Pettit

Name: Skylar Pettit.
Died: July 21, 2023.
Age at death: 24.
Cause of death: Infection secondary to denial of insulin.
Location: Rotterdam, New York, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome, diabetes.

Details:
Skylar’s mother, a nurse, was responsible for helping Skylar with her diabetes; but she allegedly stopped giving Skylar insulin, which weakened the young woman so much that she became bedridden, her health declined, and she died from infection. Skylar’s mother and her mother’s boyfriend concealed Skylar’s body and continued collecting benefits for several months after her death, until a police wellness check uncovered their secret.

Skylar loved to sing, dance, and cook. She liked eating Subway sandwiches and pork rinds.

Case Status:
Amber Geier (Mother), charged with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and concealment of a human corpse.
Ricky Loika (Mother’s boyfriend), charged with hindering prosecution, concealment of a human corpse, and endangering the welfare of an incompetent person.

Sources:
Suspect in death of woman with special needs rejects plea deal
Rotterdam mother charged in disabled daughter’s death
Rotterdam mom, boyfriend, charged in death of disabled daughter
“She just gave up”: mother accused of concealing daughter’s 2023 death in Rotterdam home
Cousin of woman found dead in Rotterdam wants answers
DA: Rotterdam woman didn’t properly care for diabetic daughter, left body in home for months
Skylar Shelby Pettit Obituary (2023) – Ballston Lake, NY

Emma Malone

Name: Emma Grace Malone.
Died: July 19, 2023.
Age at death: 15.
Cause of death: Unspecified neglect.
Location: New Bethel, Alabama, USA.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
Emma was found dead in her parents’ basement. She had not been to the doctor in years, and her autopsy report found “blatant neglect” to be a factor in her death.

Case Status:
Christopher Brent Malone (Father), charged with manslaughter.
Amy Malone (Mother), charged with manslaughter.

Sources:
Tuscumbia parents facing charges in daughter’s death
Tuscumbia parents charged with manslaughter in death of disabled daughter
Emma Grace Malone – Obituary & Service Information

5-year-old boy

Name Unknown.
Died: July 16, 2023.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Starvation/dehydration.
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
This five-year-old boy’s mother was charged with starving him so badly that he weighed only thirteen-and-a-half pounds when he died.

Case Status:
Marcella Montelongo (Mother), charged with child abuse resulting in death, died before trial.

Sources:
Mom charged for starving special needs son to death in Albuquerque
Woman accused of starving special needs child found dead at MDC
Albuquerque mom arrested after special needs son dies
New Mexico mother accused of allowing her 5-year-old son to slowly starve to death
Marcella Montelongo, N.M mom red flags were obvious to see

Alivia Hobbs-Jordan

Photo of a young girl with brown skin and black hair in tight braids. She is wearing a puffy blue jacket. Name: Alivia Hobbs-Jordan.
Died: June 25, 2023.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Abandonment.
Location: Decatur, Georgia, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Alivia’s mother allegedly buckled her into her stroller, rolled her into a closet, and left the apartment, never to return. Alivia’s body was found months later.

Case Status:
Alondra Hobbs (Mother), charged with murder and child cruelty.

Sources:
New details emerge in case where 7-year-old girl with autism was left in closet for so long she became mummified
Mother accused of killing 7-year-old daughter who was found mummified in closet left her there, had ‘no intention of returning’: Warrant
Autism Memorial: Alivia Hobbs-Jordan

3-year-old boy

No Photo Name Unknown.
Died: May 12, 2023.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Bedsores; sepsis.
Location: Bartow, Florida, USA.
Disability: Hypoxic brain injury, ventilator-dependent.

Details:
Although this three-year-old’s parents had nursing assistance and a caregiver allowance to assist them in caring for him, they dismissed the nurses. Some months later, paramedics were called to the house to find the toddler dying from sepsis caused by extreme, untreated pressure sores. He was rushed to the hospital but could not be saved, and his parents were arrested.

Case Status:
Takesha Williams (Mother), charged with aggravated manslaughter.
Efrem Allen (Father), charged with aggravated manslaughter.

Sources:
Bartow Parents Left Disabled 3-Year-Old Child To Rot To Death: Sheriff
Emergency Doctors Say 3-Year-Old Bartow Boy Hadn’t Been Cared For In Months Before He Died
Florida Couple Charged With Manslaughter in Special Needs Child’s Death