Category: Type: Other Deaths

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

Terrance Cottrell, Jr.

School photo of a young boy with brown skin and short, curly black hair, wearing a black and white checked shirt.Name: Terrance Cottrell, Jr.
Died: Aug. 25, 2003.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Positional asphyxia.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Terrance’s mother took him to church for an exorcism, hoping to cure his autism. The boy was pinned to the ground by several adults, and died of suffocation while his mother watched.

Case status:
Patricia Cooper (Mother); not charged.
Ray Hemphill (Pastor); convicted of child abuse; sentenced to 2-and-a-half years.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Terrance Cottrell Jr.
Hemphill Sentenced Over Boy’s “Exorcism” Death
Minister Charged In Exorcism Death
Faith Healing Death
Exorcism Death Sparks Debate

Stephanie Ramos

No PhotoName: Stephanie Ramos.
Died: July 9, 2003.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Undetermined.
Location: Queens, New York, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability, blindness, cerebral palsy, diabetes.

Details:
Stephanie’s body was found in a garbage truck. Her foster mother had thrown the body in the trash and reported her missing.

Stephanie’s cause of death could not be exactly determined because the garbage truck crushed her body before it could be found. Because of the lack of evidence and Stephanie’s profound disabilities, her death was ruled natural and her mother was only charged with dumping the body. Stephanie’s foster home was filthy, and Stephanie herself weighed only 23 pounds at death. The most likely scenario is that Stephanie died of illness because her foster mother did not want anyone to know how dirty her house was, and so left the illness untreated.

Case status:
Renee Johnson (Foster mother), 60 days in jail for improper disposal of a body.

Source:
Girl Found in Trash Truck Lived in Filth, Officials Say

Christian Ferguson

Photo of a small boy with a buzz cut, wearing a basketball sweatshirt.Name: Christian Ferguson.
Died: June 11, 2003.
Age at death: 9.
Cause of death: Missing, presumed dead.
Location: St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Disability: Citrullinemia, brain damage.

Details:
In 2003, Christian’s father reported that his car had been stolen with Christian inside. Christian, who was unable to survive without his medication, was declared dead, though his body was never found. Sixteen years later, new information came to light and his father was arrested for murder. How Christian died is unknown, but in the two years leading up to his death, he was allegedly neglected by his father, who did not provide him with proper medication or food. It is known that Christian would not have survived 72 hours without his medication.

Case status:
Dawan Ferguson (Father), convicted of first-degree murder, sentenced to life without parole.

Source:
Byers’ Beat: What’s next for Christian Ferguson’s mother
Dawan Ferguson: Life sentence in murder of STL son
St. Louis County man convicted of killing disabled son now found guilty of molesting children
‘This Child’s Life was Punishment’: Dad of Missing Disabled Boy Convicted of Murder, Abuse
Nearly 20 years later, father convicted in death of boy
Closing arguments in Dawan Ferguson murder trial
Sibling of missing boy with special needs testifies during father’s murder trial
Murder trial begins for father of missing 9-year-old Christian Ferguson
Murder trial to begin for father of St. Louis County boy missing since 2003
19 years later, father of missing North County disabled boy heading to trial
Vanishing Act: Six Years After The Fact, The Disappearance Of Nine-Year-Old Christian Ferguson Remains A Mystery
Christian Ferguson case: Father’s murder charge dismissed but later refiled
Child abuse charge added against St. Louis County man accused of killing disabled son
St. Louis County prosecutor drops then refiles murder charge in death of 9-year-old boy
Bench trial granted for St. Louis County man accused of killing disabled son
Murder trial set for St. Louis County man accused of killing disabled son
Father accused of killing 9-year-old son backs down from speedy trial request
Father charged with son’s murder now facing child sex crime charges
St. Louis County man accused of killing disabled son in 2003 stays in jail; prosecutors plan more charges
Birthday memorial for missing, murdered Christian Ferguson
Disabled boy went missing 16 years ago, now father is charged with his murder
Missouri father charged with murder 16 years after disabled 9-year-old son disappeared
Disabled boy went missing 16 years ago, now father is charged with his murder
‘Justice for Christian’: 16 years later, police charge father for the murder of disabled little boy [Reports]
Man Charged With Son’s Death From 2003
Missouri father charged with murder of disabled boy who went missing 16 years ago

Shane Graham

No PhotoName: Shane “Moo” Graham.
Died: July 2000.
Age at death: About 10.
Cause of death: Missing, presumed dead.
Location: Florida, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome, autism, sickle-cell anemia.

Details:
Shane was one of eleven children adopted by the same family. When Shane’s siblings were discovered, badly neglected and abused, they told police that Shane had died and their adoptive mother had taken him away. Shane’s body has not been found, but he is presumed dead.

Shane was called “Moo” because it was a sound he often made.

Case status:
Judith Leekin (Adoptive mother) was charged for child abuse for Shane’s siblings, but since Shane’s body was never found, she has not been charged for his death. Her fraud and abuse charges netted her twenty years in prison.

Source:
Eight in Adoption Abuse Case Agree to $17.5 Million Settlement With Foster Agencies
Autism Memorial: Shane Graham
Shane Graham and 10 Siblings
Children adopted by Judith Leekin

Cecil Brush

No PhotoName: Cecil Brush.
Died: August 18, 1994.
Age at death: 81.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease, blindness.

Details:
Cecil was stabbed to death by his wife, who called it a mercy killing and said Cecil wanted to die. There was no proof that Cecil was suicidal or that he wanted to die.

Case status:
Jean Brush (Wife), pleaded guilty to manslaughter, given a suspended sentence and 18 months of probation.

Source:
History of euthanasia in Canada
Woman Sentenced in Mercy Killing
Of Life and Death – Appendices D-L
Regina v. Brush: March 2, 1995