Category: Type: Other Deaths

Someone died because of someone else’s choices, and it doesn’t fit into other categories.

Athena Brownfield

Photo of a small girl with light-brown hair and fair skin, wearing a blue flannel shirt and a giant light-blue bow in her hair.Name: Athena Brownfield.
Died: January 17, 2023 (Body found; died December 25, 2022).
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Cyril, Oklahoma, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Athena and her five-year-old sister lived with a couple who served as their caregivers. On a cold January day, Athena’s sister was found wandering her neighborhood by the mail carrier, but Athena herself was nowhere to be found. Police questioned their caregivers and, after reportedly finding evidence on one of the caregivers’ cell phones, arrested their caregivers. Police believe they have found Athena’s body, but it has not yet been positively identified.

Case Status:
Ivon Adams (Caretaker), charged with first-degree murder and child neglect.
Alysia Adams (Caretaker), charged with first-degree murder and child neglect.

Sources:

Caregiver ‘beat’ 4-year-old Oklahoma girl to death on Christmas, court documents say
Athena Brownfield: Remains found in Oklahoma identified as missing 4-year-old
Body found in search for missing four-year-old Athena Brownfield after caregiver charged with murder
Man Faces Murder Charge In Case Of Missing 4-Year-Old Girl
OSBI, OHP and others searching for missing little girl
Athena Brownfield update: Male caregiver faces murder charge in missing 4-year-old girl, police say
A married couple taking care of a 4-year-old girl is under arrest and face charges in her disappearance, Oklahoma officials say
Second caregiver faces murder charge after disappearance of 4-year-old Oklahoma girl
AZ court docs: Second caregiver of missing Oklahoma child arrested on murder, neglect complaints
Autism Memorial: Athena Brownfield

Kaleb Bogan

Photo of a young boy with dark skin, grinning at the camera, lying back on a pillow, wearing an orange tank top printed with "Let's" (the rest of the message is out of frame).Name: Kaleb Bogan.
Died: January 15, 2023.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma and burns.
Location: Tupelo, Mississippi, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Paramedics were called to Kaleb’s home, where he was unresponsive. They performed CPR but were unable to revive him, and he was pronounced dead at the hospital, where doctors reported that Kaleb’s body was covered in scars and burns. His mother was arrested.

Case Status:
Brianna Young (Mother), charged with murder, child abuse, and child neglect.

Sources:
Tupelo mother held without bond after charges upgraded to capital murder
Tupelo woman charged with child abuse after 5 year old autistic child died over weekend | Tippah News
Tupelo woman charged after five-year-old autistic son dies | DeSoto County News
Tupelo mom charged in death of 5-year-old son
Funeral Expenses for Kaleb Bogan, organized by Leslie Harris
Autism Memorial: Kaleb Bogan

Josiah Green

No PhotoName: Josiah Green.
Died: December 4, 2022.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Burns.
Location: Brooklyn, New York, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
When Josiah’s father called for an ambulance, medics found the teenager dead, with severe burns over 90% of his body. His father allegedly told authorities that Josiah had accidentally fallen into a bathtub full of scalding water two days before, and he had treated the boy with over-the-counter remedies instead of taking him to the hospital. Police say that the extent of the teen’s burns is not consistent with the brief exposure to hot tap water that his father reported.

Case Status:
Josiah’s death has been ruled a homicide. Police are still investigating the possibility that Josiah was accidentally burned, after which medical care was delayed for two days.

Sources:
Death of special needs Brooklyn teen found burned in apartment deemed a homicide, NYPD says
Special needs teen Josiah Green found burned to death in NYC home
Teenager with special needs found burned to death in bathtub
Brooklyn special needs teen’s death from scalding water burns a homicide, NYPD says

Shanice Watts

No PhotoName: Shanice Nicole Watts.
Died: October 5, 2022.
Age at death: 34.
Cause of death: Unspecified.
Location: Laurel, Mississippi, USA.
Disability: Unspecified special needs.

Details:
Shanice’s body was found in her home; she had been dead for six months or more. Her mother was arrested and charged with murder.

Case Status:
Phyllis Watts-Tiller (Mother), charged with murder.

Sources:
Body ID’d as murder suspect’s daughter
Woman’s body found in Laurel identified, mother charged with murder
Police: Victim found in Mississippi house more than six months after she died has been identified. Mother charged with her murder.

Mavis Long

Photo of a middle-aged woman with brown eyes, red cheeks and short curly brown hair.Name: Mavis Long.
Died: May 10, 2019.
Age at death: 77.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Pennant, Ceredigion, Wales, UK.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
Mavis lived with her husband. After an argument, her husband grabbed and strangled her to death.

Case status:
Frank Long (Husband), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 3 years, 4 months, to be served in care.

Source:
Husband Charged And Sentenced For Killing His Alzheimer’s Suffering Wife
Man, 80, jailed for strangling wife after row
Husband in court on wife murder charge
Husband jailed for more than three years for manslaughter of his wife

Stephanie Packman

No PhotoName: Stephanie Packman.
Died: August 1, 2018.
Age at death: 64.
Cause of death: Throat cut.
Location: Kemsley, Kent, England, UK.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Stephanie had dementia and was living in a care home. When her husband came to get her from the care home, staff became alarmed and called police. But they were too late; Stephanie’s husband had already cut her throat. He attempted suicide himself, but survived.

Stephanie’s husband claims that it had been a suicide pact, but no evidence for this has emerged.

Case status:
Michael Packman (Husband), pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility, given a 2-year suspended sentence.

Source:
Pensioner charged with murdering his wife over ‘failed suicide pact’
Wife killed in ‘failed suicide pact’ named
Sittingbourne man accused of murdering his wife needed hospital treatment too
Murder suspect remanded in custody after death of woman in Sittingbourne
Pensioner who killed wife with dementia in failed suicide pact spared jail
‘Devoted’ husband who fatally cut dementia-stricken wife’s throat is spared jail

Jesse Wilson

Photo of a boy with deep brown eyes, light-brown skin, and short brown hair, wearing a white polo shirt.Name: Jesse Wilson.
Died: March 8, 2018 (Body found; missing July 18, 2016).
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Undetermined.
Location: Buckeye, Arizona, USA.
Disability: Learning disability, developmental disability.

Details:
Jesse disappeared from his mother’s house. Two years later, his remains were found in a drainage ditch.

Case Status:
Death declared homicide, cause undetermined.
Crystal Wilson (Adoptive mother), charged with abandonment or concealment of a body.

Sources:
Crystal Wilson back in Maricopa County to face charges related to death of her son Jesse
Mother Charged in Connection to 2016 Disappearance of Deceased Boy
Arizona police make arrest in case of 10-year-old boy who went missing and was later found dead
True Crime Arizona Podcast: Adoptive mother of Jesse Wilson charged in connection to his death
Remains of 10-year-old boy missing since 2016 found in irrigation ditch

Levi Illingayuk

Photo of Levi Illingayuk, an Inuit man with his head propped on his hand, speaking to someone off-camera.Name: Levi Illingayuk.
Died: February 3, 2018.
Age at death: 66.
Cause of death: Homicide.
Location: Clyde River, Nunavut, Canada.
Disability: COPD.

Details:
Levi’s son smashed in his father’s ribs during a drunken fight. Levi was taken to the hospital but died soon afterward because he could not get enough oxygen.

Levi was Inuit and testified for the Qikiqtani Truth Commission about an incident that happened when he was a child. When he was about 12, some of his family died when their camp fell through the ice into the water. While he and others evacuated from the camp were gone, authorities shot their dogs and bulldozed the camp before the survivors had time to go back and collect their belongings.

Case status:
Christopher Jaypoody (Son), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 4 years in prison minus credit for time served; will serve 698 days in jail.

Source:
Nunavut man jailed for vodka-fuelled attack that hastened father’s death
Levi Illingayuk

Kathleen West

Selfie-style photo of Kathleen West, a woman with fair, slightly tanned and freckled skin and blonde hair. She is wearing a maroon blouse left open to show a little cleavage, and a heart-shaped gold necklace.Name: Kathleen Dawn “Kat” West.
Died: January 13, 2018.
Age at death: 42.
Cause of death: Head trauma.
Location: Calera, Alabama, USA.
Disability: Bipolar disorder.

Details:
Kat’s husband hit her on the head with a bottle, killing her.

She owned an online web site where she worked as an adult model; her mother says she “wanted everyone to think she was beautiful”.

Kat was the mother of one daughter, who is now living with her grandparents.

Case status:
William Jeffrey West (Husband), convicted of reckless manslaughter, sentenced to 16 years.

Source:
Kat West’s husband, Jeff West, sentenced to 16 years in wife’s death
Alabama husband pleads not guilty in death of exhibitionist wife
Bond cut denied for man accused of killing exhibitionist wife: report
Kat West’s mother says Jeff West not guilty of murder; bond reduction denied
Few answers in Calera mother’s mysterious murder
Kat West’s Mom Defends Husband Accused Of Exhibitionist’s Murder, Says It Was An Accident
Ex-cop pleads not guilty in death of exhibitionist wife
Ala. Husband Is Accused of Killing Wife Found Partially Naked Outside Home — But Victim’s Mom Defends Him
Kat West trial: Jeff West found guilty of reckless manslaughter

Jocelyne Lizotte

Photo of Jocelyne Lizotte, a middle-aged woman with graying light-brown hair cut to chin length. She is leaning her head against her hand, smiling, and wearing a flower-print shirt.Name: Jocelyne Lizotte.
Died: February 20, 2017.
Age at death: 60.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease, mobility impairment (Wheelchair user).

Details:
Jocelyne’s husband had applied for her to have euthanasia. However, because she had dementia and was not competent to make that decision, they were denied. Undeterred, Jocelyne’s husband killed Jocelyne–who was claustrophobic–by smothering her with a pillow.

Case status:
Michael Cadotte (Husband), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to two years less a day in prison, three years of probation and 240 hours of community service; arrested for violating parole.

Source:
Michel Cadotte faces new charge while serving manslaughter sentence
Man who killed his Alzheimer’s-stricken wife is back in prison
Montreal man who killed wife in late stages of Alzheimer’s gets parole
Cadotte won’t appeal sentence in death of wife with Alzheimer’s
Judge hears from families at Michel Cadotte sentencing arguments
Sentencing man who killed wife with Alzheimer’s will be a challenge, judge admits
Victim’s sons tell court that killing of ailing mother was no act of compassion
Jocelyne Lizotte’s sons tell court killing of their ailing mother was no act of compassion
‘She died in dignity,’ man accused of killing his ailing wife tells bail hearing
Alleged murder of woman with Alzheimer’s leads to demand for more euthanasia
Man Kills His Wife Because They Were Refused an Assisted Suicide
BioEdge: Should Quebec’s Alzheimer’s patients be eligible for euthanasia?
Slaying of nursing-home patient renews questions about medical assistance in dying
Death of dementia patient revives debate over assisted suicide
Renewed calls to review assisted death rules after Montreal man charged with murdering wife
Man charged with nursing home murder made cryptic Facebook post
Man arrested in death of woman at seniors’ residence
‘No murder in empathy and compassion,’ Michel Cadotte’s lawyer argues
Suspect in controversial murder of Alzheimer’s patient seeks bail
Montreal man accused in death of wife with Alzheimer’s disease granted bail
A murder case over assisted dying divides Quebec
Man charged in death of woman with Alzheimer’s will stand trial
Jury selection begins Monday in trial of man accused of killing ailing wife
Crown outlines case against Quebec man charged with suffocating ailing wife
Orderly testifies victim in Alzheimer’s slaying required constant care
Accused in slaying of wife at long-term care centre told nurse he was responsible
Murder trial hears that woman with Alzheimer’s was not at end of life
Michel Cadotte caressed his wife’s hair and kissed her before arrest
Crown closes its evidence in Michel Cadotte murder case
Man on trial for killing wife with Alzheimer’s was ‘pushed beyond his limits,’ defence says
‘I loved her’: Montreal man on trial for murder of ailing wife testifies about her death
Montreal man charged with ailing wife’s death recounts how he smothered her /A>
‘Suffering too much’: Montreal man admits to smothering ailing wife with pillow
Expert says man accused of killing ailing wife had disturbed state of mind
Man accused of killing ailing wife wasn’t suffering from major depression: expert
Jurors deliberate in case of Montreal man charged with killing ailing wife
Montreal man found guilty of manslaughter in compassion killing of ailing wife with Alzheimer’s disease
Cadotte case could rekindle compassion killing debate ahead of sentencing