Category: Type: Fatal Neglect

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

Darnell Hunter Jr.

Black and white photo of an African-American teenage boy with neat, short hair and a light-colored T-shirt, smiling for the camera.Name: Darnell “DJ” Lamount Hunter Jr.
Died: February 20, 2013.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Peoria, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
DJ was neglected and starved to death by his father.

He was a Dragon Ball Z fan who also liked reading, video games, and basketball.

Case status:
Darnell Hunter Sr. (Father); pled guilty to manslaughter and neglect; sentenced to 12 years.

Source:
Darnell Hunter sentenced to 12 years for fatally neglecting his impaired son
Darnell Lamount Hunter Jr. – View Obituary & Service Information

Tia Jones

Photo: A girl with brown skin and black hair in braids, wearing a turquoise long-sleeved shirt, standing in front of a Christmas tree. Name: Tia Ann Jones.
Died: February 18, 2013.
Age at death: 12.
Cause of death: Infection.
Location: Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Autism, ADHD.

Details:
Tia Ann’s parents neglected an infection in her feet until it spread and killed her.

Case status:
Randy D. Jones (Father), found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; sentenced to 10 years.
Carissa Jones (Mother), found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; sentenced to 10 years.

Source:
Tia Jones
Ohio Supreme Court will decide if 10-year prison sentence too long for parents convicted of letting sick child die
10-year prison sentence reinstated for Richmond Heights couple in daughter’s death

Quinten Wood

Photo of a teenage boy with pale skin and messy brown hair; he has his head tilted back. He is wearing a flannel shirt.Name: Quinten “Q-Man” Wood.
Died: January 4, 2013.
Age at death: 15.
Cause of death: Pneumonia.
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.
Disability: Chromosome 9 Ring.

Details:
Quinten’s father neglected him; he died of pneumonia related to starvation.

Quinten was a fan of Star Wars and Daft Punk.

Case status:
Michael Wood (Father), pleaded guilty to neglect, given a suspended sentence and one year of probation.

Source:
Valerie Wood-Harber Got Justice for Her Brother – and Other Disabled Kids
Justice for Quinten
Father, DHS Employees Facing Charges In Quinten Wood Death
How a disabled boy’s heartbreaking story inspired real legislation

Andrea Ruth

Portrait photo of Andrea Ruth, a girl with brown skin and short, curly hair in a hairband.Name: Andrea Ruth.
Died: November 24, 2012.
Age at death: 12.
Cause of death: Sepsis.
Location: Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Disability: Multiple medical problems.

Details:
Andrea had been neglected so badly that her legs were scheduled to be amputated because of gangrene. However, her father did not take her for surgery and did not take her to the doctor. She eventually died of blood poisoning.

Case status:
Errol Johnson (Father), convicted of aggravated child neglect and criminally negligent homicide; sentenced to 22 years in prison.
Raven Ruth (Mother), pleaded guilty to aggravated child abuse and second degree murder; sentenced to 25 years.
Chasara Jones (Health care worker), pleaded guilty to aggravated child abuse, sentenced to 13 years 6 months.

Source:
Home Health Care Worker Sentenced In Death Of Bedridden 12-Year-Old
Father and caregiver of disabled Tenn. girl who died from gangrene, bedsores charged with murder
Mother indicted in 12-year-old daughter’s death

Isaac Brothers-Bartholomew

Photo of Isaac Brothers-Bartholomew, an infant boy swaddled in a floral blanket, with a feeding tube in his nose.Name: Isaac Brothers-Bartholomew.
Died: November 6, 2012.
Age at death: 18 months.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Vermilion, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Tube fed; multiple medical problems.

Details:
Isaac’s parents starved him to death. He and his other disabled siblings were often left in the care of an 11-year-old boy, who could only give them bottles to drink from; but because they could not swallow well, the children starved. After Isaac’s death, his siblings were rescued and placed in foster care.

Case status:
Adrienne Bartholomew (Mother), pleaded guilty to child endangerment and patient endangerment, sentenced to 5 years.
James Brothers (Father), pleaded guilty to child endangerment and patient endangerment, sentenced to 6 years.
Isaac’s estate is suing the state.

Source:
Baby Isaac’s family pleads guilty in malnutrition death
Starved Vermilion boy’s estate, siblings file suit
Parents of malnourished Ohio boy get prison time
Baby Isaac’s family pleads guilty in malnutrition death
‘He’s stiff as a board’: The 18-month-old boy who ‘starved to death’ as mother called 911 to claim he died suddenly… and four of her other children were found malnourished

Herman Ritchey Jr.

No PhotoName: Herman Ritchey Jr.
Died: October 24, 2012.
Age at death: 70.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Mio, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease.

Details:
Herman’s daughter and son-in-law took his social security payments while they left Herman locked in his bedroom and denied him the medication and care he needed. He eventually died from starvation.

Case status:
Rachel Bruce (Daughter), convicted of felony murder and vulnerable adult abuse and sentenced to life without parole.
Carl Bruce (Son-in-law), convicted of felony murder and vulnerable adult abuse and sentenced to life without parole.

Source:
Oscoda County woman charged alongside husband with murder in father’s death
Herman Ray Ritchey, Jr ( – 2012) – Find A Grave Memorial
Couple charged with murdering woman’s father through abuse and neglect
Mio couple sentenced to life in prison after murder conviction
Mio Michigan Couple Charged with Relatives Murder
Couple Arrested in Oscoda County for Elderly Father’s Death
Couple convicted of killing parent to face new trial after appeal

Yolanda Reese-Brooks

Photo of Yolanda Brooks, an African-American woman. The photo is very blurry.Name: Yolanda Reese-Brooks.
Died: October 22, 2012.
Age at death: 40.
Cause of death: Obesity and “unspecified injuries”.
Location: Warren, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Injuries from car accident; obesity.

Details:
In 2011, Yolanda had been in a car accident that crushed her pelvis and ruptured her bladder, and was thereafter unable to leave her bed.

Her husband did not keep her clean or care for her, and by the time he called the hospital for help, she was already dying.

Yolanda was the mother of four children, who were two to thirteen years old when she died.

Case status:
Michael Brooks (Husband), pleaded guilty to neglect, sentenced to 2 years probation.

Source:
Man pleads guilty to neglect in death of obese wife
Michigan man charged with abusing his bedridden 400-pound wife and letting her rot in squalor until she died
Michael Brooks, Husband Of Obese Woman Yolanda Reese-Brooks, Avoids Jail Time In Wife’s Death

Robin Adams Jr.

No PhotoName: Robin Adams Jr.
Died: February 2012; body found October 12, 2012.
Age at death: 23.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Hephzibah, Georgia, USA.
Disability: Cri du chat syndrome.

Details:
Instead of taking Robin to the doctor to help him stay fed and hydrated, Robin’s mother neglected him and Robin starved to death. His family failed to report his death and kept collecting his disability payments for several months.

Case status:
Angela Mercer (Mother), convicted of murder, sentenced to 30 years to life; released after 6 years.
Deaidra Motley (Sister), charged with concealing a death.

Source:
Coroner calls mummified body case ‘one of the worst ones that we’ve ever seen’
$100,000 bond set for woman accused in disabled son’s death
Augusta mother sentenced to life in prison for death of disabled son

Antonio Mendez

Blurry, black and white photo of a young man with dark hair and light skin.Name: Antonio Mendez.
Died: August 7, 2012.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Trauma, malnutrition.
Location: Palm Springs, California, USA.
Disability: Developmental disability.

Details:
Antonio’s sister and her boyfriend are accused of neglecting, starving, and beating him to death.

Case status:
Ines Patrisia Mendez (Sister), charged with murder and dependent abuse.
Shanen Ryan Riley (Sister’s boyfriend), charged with murder.

Source:
Couple re-enter not guilty pleas to murder of her mentally disabled brother
Death Of Woman’s Developmentally Disabled Twin: Did She Kill Him?
Desert Hot Springs Couple Accused Of Killing Disabled Boy Appear in Court | MyNewsLA.com
Local couple accused of killing disabled twin brother granted continuation due to developments in case
Hearing Pushed Back For Couple Accused Of Killing Disabled Boy In 2012
Hearing Set For Tuesday For Couple Accused Of Killing Disabled Boy
Woman charged in murder of her mentally disabled twin brother who was living in repugnant conditions
COUPLE CHARGED AND ARRESTED IN 2012 DESERT HOT SPRINGS MURDER

Stephanie Torres

Photo of Stephanie Torres, a little girl with fine brown hair and pale skin, sitting in a pink plastic chair.Name: Stephanie Torres.
Died: July 16, 2012.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Dehydration/malnutrition.
Location: Turlock, Stanislaus County, California, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Stephanie’s mother left her alone in a room for nearly three days. When she returned, Stephanie was dead.

Case status:
Brandy Lee Rose Devine (Mother), convicted of second-degree murder, sentenced to 15 years to life.

Source:
Brandy Lee Rose DEVINE
Parole denied for Turlock mother in prison for death of toddler