Death Type – Page 28 – Disability Day of Mourning

M. E.

No Photo Name: M. E. (Initials; full name unknown).
Died: May 3, 2022.
Age at death: 16.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; blind, non-verbal.

Details:
This 16-year-old girl, known only by her initials as “ME”, was brought to the hospital in full cardiac arrest, very underweight and poorly cared-for. Police say her mother had been leaving her in the case of minor siblings, and that she had died from medical neglect and malnutrition.

Case Status:
Doraelia Loera Espinoza (Mother), charged with reckless child abuse.

Sources:
EDITORIAL: CYFD absent, again, in gruesome death of disabled child
CYFD investigated mother before daughter’s death
Mother arrested in teenage daughter’s death
BCSO: Teen that died lived in ‘shocking conditions’

Jaxson Morrow

Photo of a toddler with fine, straight brown hair, dark-brown eyes, and light skin, smiling. He is wearing a green T-shirt that reads, Kiss me, I'm Irish. Name: Jaxson Morrow.
Died: May 2, 2022.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Unspecified neglect.
Location: St. Joseph, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Jaxson was found dead on his family’s couch, weighing 31 pounds. His parents are accused of neglecting him for a long time; he had been locked in his room, where he had broken the bottom of the door so he could stick his hand out.

Case Status:
Brian Morrow (Father), pleaded no contest to second-degree murder, sentenced to 22-50 years.
Mia Morrow (Mother), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 25-50 years.

Sources:
Dad who was ‘sick of’ school calling CPS joins wife in prison for starving 8-year-old son to death
St. Joseph man sentenced to 22-50 years for 8-year-old son’s death
Mom who was ‘sick’ of being reported to CPS sentenced to prison for killing 8-year-old with autism who weighed only 31 pounds
Mother sentenced to 25 to 50 years for son’s death
St. Joseph man charged in death of 8-year-old son takes plea deal
Report: St. Joseph parents had eight CPS visits prior to son’s death
Autism Memorial: Jackson Morrow
Mother of 8-year-old boy pleads guilty to murder
Berrien County woman pleads guilty in death of her 8-year-old son
Berrien County man pleads not guilty in death of his 8-year-old son
LOGAN releases statement on death of Berrien County boy
Parents accused of murdering their son, 8, were ‘sick of having CPS’ called on them
Michigan Parents Who Were Allegedly ‘Sick of’ Being Reported to CPS Are Now Charged with Murdering 8-Year-Old Autistic Son
West MI parents charged with murder after 8-year-old son with autism found dead on family couch

Braelyn’ Hines

Photo: Toddler girl with wispy blond hair and pale skin, sticking out her tongue at the camera. A filter has been applied, giving her sparkly freckles across the brdige of her nose and cheeks. Name: Braelyn’ Hines.
Died: May 1, 2022.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Untreated cystic fibrosis.
Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA.
Disability: Cystic fibrosis.

Details:
Braelyn’ was found dead by paramedics called to her parents’ home, where Braelyn’ and her siblings had been living in poor conditions. Braelyn’ had not been getting treatment for her cystic fibrosis; without treatment, she had been found unconscious on the floor and could not be revived. The family was known to children’s services, and had received instructions on how to properly care for Braelyn’.

Braelyn’ liked to play with her siblings and watch Cocomelon and Super Jojo, and her favorite foods were pizza and Starbucks. Her cousin was her best friend; she loved her two kittens, Yoda and Lucy.

Case Status:
Madyson Conley (Mother), charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death, neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury, and neglect of a dependent.
Byron Hynes (Father), charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death, neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury, and neglect of a dependent.

Sources:
Fort Wayne woman charged with neglect, causing death
Man, woman charged with neglect in child’s death
Court docs: Couple charged with neglect in child’s death at filthy home
Infant Braelyn’ Nicole Hynes

Nosipho Mfana

No Photo Name: Nosipho Mfana.
Died: April 30, 2022.
Age at death: 15.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape, South Africa.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Prosecutors say that Nosipho, who had been adopted at age 13 because her own mother was also intellectually disabled, was sleeping in her home when two men forced open the door and shot her 15 times, killing her. Police became suspicious because the men had used a flashlight to identify and target Nosipho specifically, hurting no one else and stealing nothing; and Nosipho’s father had taken out a large life insurance policy on her. After hearing testimony from one of the alleged hitmen, they believe that Nosipho’s father and his nephew had conspired with two other men to kill her for the insurance payout.

Case Status:
Mboneleli Msila (Adoptive father), charged with conspiracy to commit murder, murder, illegal possession of a firearm and illegal possession of ammunition.
Mbulelo Jack (Adoptive father’s nephew), arrested.
Lungisile Lucas, arrested.
Monde Tshemese, arrested.

Sources:
Plett father ‘masterminded’ hit on disabled daughter for R200 000 life policy
Man arrested for hiring hitman to kill crippled adoptive child
Plett man allegedly arranged hit on disabled adopted daughter

Steven Earle

No Photo Name: Steven Earle.
Died: April 27, 2022.
Age at death: 59.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: South Bend Township, Minnesota, USA.
Disability: Unspecified disability.

Details:
Steven called police, asking for help because his son had a knife and was becoming violent. When police arrived, they found that he had been stabbed multiple times, but was still conscious and able to tell them that his son had stabbed him. He was rushed to the hospital, but died during surgery. The morning before the attack, he had texted a friend, saying that his son was becoming more controlling and was taking his phones away.

Case Status:
Travis R. Earle (Son), charged with second-degree murder; declared incompetent to stand trial, hospitalized (civil commitment). Can be tried if competency is restored.

Sources:
Man charged with murder after fatally stabbing father making 911 call
Mankato Stabbing Victim Died During Surgery in Rochester
UPDATE: Civil commitment ordered for son accused of murdering father

Baili Cowell

No Photo Name: Baili Cowell.
Died: April 24, 2022.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Unspecified caretaker neglect.
Location: Toledo, Ohio, USA.
Disability: “Functionally impaired”.

Details:
Baili was found dead in her home. Police, who arrested her mother, say she had been left immobile, allowing pressure sores to develop, that she was dehydrated, and that she had not been taken to medical appointments.

Case Status:
Shelly Gantka (Mother), pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, sentenced to 6 months in jail and 5 years probation.

Sources:
Woman who neglected bedridden daughter gets jail time, 5 years’ probation for death
Toledo woman sentenced to probation in connection to her daughter’s death
Mother charged in April death of daughter in Toledo
Mother arrested, charged with involuntary manslaughter in death of her teenage child
Woman pleads not guilty to involuntary manslaughter of daughter

Girija

No Photo Name: Girija.
Died: April 21, 2022.
Age at death: 68.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Melamcode, Kerala, India.
Disability: Unspecified; bedridden.

Details:
Girija was found dead by her son; she had been strangled. Police arrested her husband, whom they suspect of killing her before injuring himself non-fatally.

Case Status:
Sadasivan Nair (Husband), hospitalized; will be arrested when his injuries are treated.

Sources:
Woman’s death turns out to be murder

Tiffani Scholten

Name: Tiffani Scholten.
Died: April 18, 2022.
Age at death: 12.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
Disability: Rett syndrome.

Details:
Tiffani was found dead in her home, her body “extremely emaciated”. Child protection detectives said that “the care for [Tiffani] was insufficient and directly related to her death”. Because of Tiffani’s multiple medical conditions, it took more than two years of investigation before her parents were charged with murder.

Case Status:
Carrissa Scholten (Mother), charged with murder.
Aaron Paul Richardson (Mother’s partner), charged with murder.

Sources:
How a glamorous mum was charged with her ’emaciated’ child’s murder
Gold Coast mother, stepfather charged with murder of 12-year-old daughter
‘Heart-wrenching’: Man, woman charged with 2022 murder of 12-year-old Gold Coast girl
Care of 12yo ‘insufficient’ before death: cops

Cameron Forrest

Photo of a young man with pale skin and dark-brown hair, a wispy mustache on his upper lip, smiling. He is wearing a flannel shirt over a black T-shirt. Name: Cameron Paul Forrest.
Died: April 16, 2022.
Age at death: 24.
Cause of death: Traumatic injury.
Location: Gladstone, Queensland, Australia.
Disability: Autism, OCD.

Details:
Cameron’s mother and brother allegedly conspired to kill him–first by medication overdose, then by stabbing him with a knife. Cameron died from his injuries. After being treated for self-inflicted injuries and discharged from the hospital, Cameron’s mother and brother were arrested. Police say Cameron’s brother said Cameron would be better off dead because the family’s financial hardships were insurmountable.

Case Status:
Lee-Ann Rae Forrest (Mother), charged with murder.
Alex William Forrest (Brother), charged with murder.

Sources:
Disturbing details emerge of ‘horrific’ Gladstone death after murder charges laid against mother and son
Mother and brother charged over man’s stabbing murder

Richard Rutherford

Name: Richard Judson Rutherford.
Died: April 15, 2022.
Age at death: 87.
Cause of death: Unspecified homicide.
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Disability: Mobility impaired, cognitive decline.

Details:
Richard died the victim of homicide; his husband was arrested and charged with his murder, which is being called a “mercy killing”.

Richard was a former principal dancer in the Royal Winnipeg Ballet who worked with the Canada Council for the Arts after he retired as a dancer. In his elder years, he tended his garden and watched the birds and chipmunks that came to his feeder.

Case Status:
Philippe Hébert (Husband), charged with second-degree murder.

Sources:
The ‘tragic and profoundly human’ story of Richard Rutherford and Philippe Hébert
Bail granted to Ottawa man charged with second-degree murder in the death of his spouse
Ottawa man charged with murder after elderly man found dead on Good Friday
Richard RUTHERFORD Obituary (1935 – 2022)