Ray Crammond

No PhotoName: Ray Crammond.
Died: April 29, 2023.
Age at death: 73.
Cause of death: Pneumonia; bedsores.
Location: Ankeny, Iowa, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; bedridden.

Details:
Medics were called to Ray’s house and found him in a terrible condition, with severe bedsores. Eight days later, he died in the hospital from pneumonia. Court documents say that Ray had been left without food water, baths, or medication.

Ray was a retired agricultural engineer.

Case Status:
Diana Lynn Becker-Abeyta (Unlicensed live-in caretaker), charged with second-degree murder.

Sources:
Live-in caretaker murders bedridden elderly man in Iowa: Police
Ankeny woman charged with murder in death of 73-year-old, bedridden man
Ankeny caretaker charged in death of 73-year-old bedridden man
Ray Crammond Obituary

Juneanne Fannell

Photo of an elderly woman in a red shirt, lying in a hospital bed; she has fair skin and short gray hair. She is wearing an NG tube and looking off to the side.Name: Juneanne Fannell.
Died: April 5, 2023.
Age at death: 82.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Rio Rancho, New Mexico, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; bedridden; hospice patient.

Details:
Juneanne’s caregiver called police to report that she was “out of control” and needed to be removed from her own home. Juneanne, for her part, told police that she felt she was in danger and needed help because there were firearms in the home. Police responded to her address, but they only complimented Juneanne’s caregiver’s “nice guns” and made no attempt to help Juneanne.

On the recording of the visit, officers start to leave, and Juneanne begs them to stay because she is afraid. Her caregiver comments, “You’re fine until I kill you.” Juneanne points this threat out to the police, but her caregiver tells the police to leave, and they do, evidently dismissing her complaints.

Juneanne was fatally shot hours after police left her home.

Case Status:
Henry Cardana (Caretaker), charged with murder.

Sources:
82-year-old killed hours after cops ignored cries for help
Rio Rancho woman killed after police respond to her home
Rio Rancho woman killed after police respond to her home

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

Elenora Bernard

Photo of a woman with brown skin and curly brown hair, wearing a white shirt, leamning against someone off-frame.Name: Elenora Bernard.
Died: July 23, 2022.
Age at death: 77.
Cause of death: Beating.
Location: Brooklyn, New York, New York, USA.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Elenora was getting older and starting to experience memory loss, so she invited a young man to live with her and help her. However, she was beaten to death, and the young man was arrested on suspicion of murder.

She had a pet dog named Baby Girl. A fixture of her neighborhood, she was always out looking for someone to chat with.

Case Status:
Andre Hooper (Tenant; housemate), charged with murder.

Sources:
77-year-old woman found beaten to death in NYC apartment, cops say
Man arrested for fatally beating ‘frail’ 77-year-old NYC granny he lived with
Woman, 77, dies after found bruised and swollen in Brooklyn home
Elderly woman found bruised and dying in her Brooklyn home was suffocated by angry tenant: NYPD

Unknown Boy

No PhotoUnknown Boy.
Died: September 15, 2021.
Age at death: Child.
Cause of death: Acetaminophen/dipenhydramine intoxication.
Location: Weston, Florida, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
This boy, whose name has not been released, was found emaciated, covered in bedsores, and unresponsive, and could not be revived. A post-mortem examination established that he had died from poisoning with over-the-counter medicines. Police believe the boy’s death was a deliberate act.

Case Status:
Lashawn Hampton (Caregiver), charged with first-degree murder.

Sources:
Woman Facing Murder Charge in Boy’s Death at Weston Home: BSO
Weston Woman Charged With First Degree Murder After Bedridden Neglected Juvenile Found Dead
Weston woman arrested months after child found dead in her home, deputies say
Florida Woman from Private Community Accused of Murdering ‘Bedridden’ Boy with Lethal Dose of Over-the-Counter Drugs
WESTON WOMAN ARRESTED FOR FIRST DEGREE MURDER

Jakie Toole

Photo of Jakie Toole, a smiling child in a white tank top. He has short dark brown hair and brown skin. A filter has been applied that adds yellow butterflies around his head.Name: Jakie Toole.
Died: September 11, 2019 (Body found), last seen April 2019.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Meridian, Mississippi, USA.
Disability: Unspecified special needs; mobility and communication impairment.

Details:
Jakie’s mother left him with a family friend to serve as a caregiver. His body was found in a garbage bag in her basement, and an autopsy showed he had died of trauma from a beating. The caregiver had led police to the body and told them she had burned him in a bathtub and beaten him for crying.

Case status:
Celeste Louise Smith (Caregiver), convicted of murder, sentenced to life.

Source:
Missing child’s caretaker charged with capital murder after body found in basement of Meridian home
Capital murder charge filed in Meridian basement body discovery case
Meridian woman charged with capital murder following discovery of a child’s remains
Body of special needs child found in garbage bag was beaten and burned, autopsy confirms
Autopsy: Body of special needs child found in garbage bag was beaten and burned
Body of child found in basement: Autopsy shows beating; chief says he was also burned
Mother of special needs child who was killed, found in bag, faces neglect charges
Mother charged with child neglect in case of missing special needs child

Harry Jones

Photo of a white-haired, fair-skinned elderly man wearing a soft gray sweater and smiling for the camera.Name: Harry Vincent “Frank” Jones.
Died: March 15, 2019.
Age at death: 66.
Cause of death: Blunt-force trauma.
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Disability: Mobility impaired, heart disease.

Details:
Harry, called Frank by his friends, was living in a hotel with another man who helped him by shopping for him. His roommate allegedly cleaned up the hotel room, told the manager “I was never here”, and left. Police arrived to find Harry dead, with multiple broken bones, having been beaten to death. Harry’s roommate was found, arrested, and charged with manslaughter.

Case Status:
Dale Topalinski (Roommate), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 9 years.

Sources:
‘A difficult life’: Victim of fatal motel beating was taking break from homelessness
Calgary police identify 66-year-old man as victim in suspicious death at northwest hotel
Frail senior was beaten to death in northwest Calgary motel, prosecutor tells manslaughter trial
Killer handed nine-year prison term for violent beating death of frail Calgary man in his hotel room

Florence Girard

Name: Florence Girard.Photo of an older woman with short gray hair, wearing a blue sweater and smiling for the camera.
Died: October 13, 2018.
Age at death: 54.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Disability: Down syndrome.

Details:
In the care of a woman who neglected her, Florence grew steadily thinner until she finally starved to death, weighing only 56 pounds.

Florence was silly, boy-crazy, and liked having her picture taken. She competed in the 1993 Special Olympics. She was one of 14 siblings.

Case status:
Astrid Charlotte Dahl (Paid caregiver with Kinsight), convicted of failing to provide the necessaries of life, sentenced to 100 hours of community service and 12 months of probation. Sentence later increased to 15 months in jail, after Dahl had served 10 months of her conditional sentence and would have been released on good behavior anyway.

Source:
High court replaces conditional sentence with jail term for B.C. caregiver in disabled woman’s death
Caregiver convicted in starving death of woman with Down syndrome avoids jail
Trial underway for B.C. caregiver charged with criminal negligence in woman’s death
Charge stayed against Coquitlam non-profit in starving death of disabled woman
UPDATE: Coquitlam non-profit, caregiver charged in starvation death of disabled woman
Charges laid after woman with disability found dead in B.C. caregiver’s home
Criminal neglect alleged after B.C. woman with developmental disability dies in care
Three charges, including criminal negligence causing death, laid in 2018 alleged starvation of Florence Girard
‘Unforgiveable’: Caregiver charged with criminal negligence, accused of starving woman to death
B.C. caregiver charged with criminal negligence has history of financial troubles

Abel Leveque-Flett

Photo of a toddler boy with pale skin and shaggy black hair, wearing a blue striped tank top; he has two fingers in his mouth.Name: Abel Joseph Leveque-Flett.
Died: August 23, 2018.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Undetermined; after severe abuse.
Location: Little Grand Rapids, Manitoba, Canada.
Disability: Epilepsy, developmental disability, mobility impairment.

Details:
Abel was dead on arrival to a nursing station. He had seven broken bones, severe bruising, and burns. An autopsy was inconclusive because it could not be determined whether he had died from his disability or from the abuse he had endured, but his caregivers were both convicted of “failing to provide the necessaries of life”.

Case Status:
Houston Bushie (Temporary guardian), pleaded guilty to failing to provide the necessaries of life, sentenced to 3 years.
Alayna Flett (Family member, temporary guardian), pleaded guilty to failing to provide the necessaries of life.

Sources:
Guardian sentenced to 3 years for death of toddler who had ‘profoundly disturbing’ injuries
Mar 2021: First Nation demands justice in boy’s death
Manitoba’s families minister calls for review of boy’s death after caregivers charged
Temporary guardians charged in connection with death of 3-year-old in Little Grand Rapids, Man.

Jada Wright

Photo of Jada Wright, a girl with short black hair and brown skin. She is wearing a coral-colored dress.Name: Jada Wright.
Died: February 15, 2018.
Age at death: 14.
Cause of death: Head trauma.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
After Jada’s parents died, she stayed with an aunt until her aunt’s medical problems kept her from caring for Jada. After that, she moved in with her legal guardian, and her legal guardian’s son became her caregiver.

Jada was beaten to death by her caregiver. She died days after her 14th birthday.

Case status:
Christopher Ward (Caregiver; son of her legal guardian), pleaded guilty to child neglect resulting in death, sentenced to 9 years in prison.

Source:
‘She could light up a room:’ Girl, 14, found beaten to death on Milwaukee’s north side
‘Why?’ Aunt of girl with cerebral palsy, beaten to death days after her birthday, is heartbroken
Caretaker charged in death of disabled girl in Milwaukee | Reading Eagle – AP
Caretaker charged in blunt force trauma death of 14-year-old Milwaukee girl with cerebral palsy
Christopher Ward charged in death of 14-year-old girl; ‘admitted to becoming frustrated,’ striking her
Man charged in beating death of 14-year-old girl
Man charged in death of Milwaukee girl with cerebral palsy gets 9 years in prison