Relationship: Other household member – Disability Day of Mourning

Arthur Stanton

No Photo Name: Arthur Kenneth Stanton.
Died: December 28, 2023.
Age at death: 63.
Cause of death: Negligent care.
Location: Watkinsville, Georgia, USA.
Disability: Unspecified/care-dependent.

Details:
Arthur was found in poor condition in his home, where he had been left in filth, uncared-for. He was taken to the hospital, but died the next day.

Case Status:
Daivid Allen Stanton (Son), charged with felony murder, reckless conduct, and neglect of a disabled or elderly person.
Sandra Dee Bass (Housemate), charged with neglect of a disabled or elderly person.

Sources:
Second suspect charged in Oconee Co death
Son arrested in connection to death of father found in ‘extreme medical distress,’ Ga. deputies say
Oconee County man arrested for neglect, murder of 63-year-old father
Man arrested for the murder of his father

Eli Riggan

Name: Eli Ezekiel Riggan.
Died: November 25, 2023.
Age at death: 11.
Cause of death: Pressure sores, sepsis, kidney failure.
Location: Tucson, Arizona, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, epilepsy.

Details:
Emergency services were summoned to Eli’s home on a call for an unresponsive child, but they found him dead. An autopsy report showed that he had been neglected; the medical examiner found multiple pressure sores that had become septic, causing kidney failure and killing Eli.

Case Status:
Ariel Lea Horn (Mother), pleaded guilty to child abuse, sentenced to 7 years.
Charles Jackson McClellan Jr. (Mother’s boyfriend), pleaded guilty to child abuse, sentenced to 3 years.

Sources:
Man, woman sentenced in death of special needs boy in Tucson
Tucson mom, boyfriend arrested in death of disabled boy, 11
Police: Special needs boy dies from neglect in Tucson
Media Release: Child Abuse Homicide Arrest – 900 Block of E. Limberlost Dr.
Gofundme: 11 year old Eli Riggan’s Funeral Expenses

Cheryl Mansoff

Name: Cheryl Lee Mansoff.
Died: September 2, 2023.
Age at death: 63.
Cause of death: Beaten.
Location: Brandon, Manitoba, Canada.
Disability: Leg amputee, diabetes.

Details:
Cheryl lived with a man who helped her by doing errands and yardwork. When police were called to their home, they found her dead; she had been violently assaulted.

Cheryl was an avid reader. She leaves behind three children and three grandchildren.

Case Status:
Stephen Teetaert (Caregiver, tenant), charged with second-degree murder.

Sources:
Neighbours, uncle talk about homicide
Obituary of Cheryl Lee Mansoff | Brockie Donovan Funeral & Cremation Services

Skylar Pettit

Name: Skylar Pettit.
Died: July 21, 2023.
Age at death: 24.
Cause of death: Infection secondary to denial of insulin.
Location: Rotterdam, New York, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome, diabetes.

Details:
Skylar’s mother, a nurse, was responsible for helping Skylar with her diabetes; but she allegedly stopped giving Skylar insulin, which weakened the young woman so much that she became bedridden, her health declined, and she died from infection. Skylar’s mother and her mother’s boyfriend concealed Skylar’s body and continued collecting benefits for several months after her death, until a police wellness check uncovered their secret.

Skylar loved to sing, dance, and cook. She liked eating Subway sandwiches and pork rinds.

Case Status:
Amber Geier (Mother), charged with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and concealment of a human corpse.
Ricky Loika (Mother’s boyfriend), charged with hindering prosecution, concealment of a human corpse, and endangering the welfare of an incompetent person.

Sources:
Suspect in death of woman with special needs rejects plea deal
Rotterdam mother charged in disabled daughter’s death
Rotterdam mom, boyfriend, charged in death of disabled daughter
“She just gave up”: mother accused of concealing daughter’s 2023 death in Rotterdam home
Cousin of woman found dead in Rotterdam wants answers
DA: Rotterdam woman didn’t properly care for diabetic daughter, left body in home for months
Skylar Shelby Pettit Obituary (2023) – Ballston Lake, NY

George Singleton

Photo of an African American man sitting in a chair, his head down, looking at his hands, which are folded in his lap. His skin is medium-brown and he has short, very curly dark hair. His lower lip is stuck out, and his forehead is wrinkled. Name: George Singleton.
Died: February 18, 2023.
Age at death: 32.
Cause of death: Blood loss.
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
Disability: Autism, physical and mental disability, seizure disorder.

Details:
George had been living with his brother’s girlfriend for four months when someone called emergency services to report his death. Responders found George curled up on the floor dead from blood loss through a stab wound that had reached his femoral artery. His caregivers reported that he had accidentally stabbed himself trying to open a can of food.

On further investigation, police say, they realized that George’s caregivers had been starving him–his body showed signs of malnutrition and abuse. They also say that George’s caregivers waited more than six hours to call for help after he was injured, and that, if they had called sooner, George would have survived.

Case Status:
Kyana Traylor (Brother’s girlfriend), charged with manslaughter.

Sources:
New Orleans woman charged with manslaughter in disabled man’s death
New Orleans woman accused of starving, beating disabled man before he died of blood loss
New Orleans Woman Arrested, Accused of Abuse of Disabled Man
Autism Memorial: George Singleton

Stephen Kershaw

Name: Stephen Kershaw.
Died: September 16, 2022.
Age at death: 65.
Cause of death: Smothered.
Location: Bradford, England, UK.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Stephen lived with his stepson and his stepson’s girlfriend. The two regularly abused and harassed him for money. Stephen’s stepson eventually smothered him, and the pair tried to hide his body for a few days before they were found out.

Case Status:
Ian Mitchell (Stepson), pleaded guilty to murder and fraud, sentenced to 22 years to life.
Sarah Pearson (Stepson’s girlfriend), pleaded guilty to murder and fraud, sentenced to 19 years to life.

Sources:
Woman handed prison sentence after making confession to stranger on one night stand
Woman and her fiance who murdered his vulnerable stepfather, 65…

Elenora Bernard

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

Edward Kessler

No Photo Name: Edward Kessler.
Died: February 7, 2022.
Age at death: 64.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Elizaville, New York, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; vulnerable elder.

Details:
Ed had been living with a couple for more than twenty years when he was found dead. Police suspect the couple of abusing him, stealing from him, and ultimately causing his death by strangulation.

Case Status:
Cassandra Fischer (Housemate), pleaded guilty to attempted murder and grand larceny; sentenced to 15 years.
Ryan Woods (Housemate), pleaded guilty to attempted murder, sentenced to 15 years.

Sources:
Two Columbia County residents admit to strangling man to steal his money
Elizaville couple charged in death of elderly housemate
2 Elizaville residents plead not guilty to murder charges
Edward Kessler’s mysterious death in Columbia County is a homicide, official says
State police continue investigating February Columbia County death

Frederick Johnson

Name: Frederick Johnson.
Died: June 25, 2020.
Age at death: 43.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Schizoaffective disorder, epilepsy.

Details:
Frederick lived with a couple who were supposed to care for him in exchange for his disability payments. His caregivers allegedly abused him, beating him and forcing him to do exercises for hours. Police suspect them of beating him to death, then paying a friend to help hide the body.

Case status:
Santino Carter (Caregiver), charged with first-degree murder.
Dominique Beck (Caregiver), charged with first-degree murder and neglect as a caregiver.
Brian Gray, charged with first-degree murder.

Source:
3 Charged With Torturing, Beating Schizophrenic Man to Death
Englewood couple tortured to death a disabled man who paid them to help him, prosecutors say
Caretakers Among 3 Charged In Mentally Ill Man’s Murder

James and Janet Samuels and Lachesta Childs

Photo of an older African American man wearing a gray tuxedo and glasses. He is smiling for the camera. His hair is a short fringe on the sides of his head. — James Samuels

Name: James Samuels.
Age at death: 69.
Disability: Leg amputee.

Name: Janet Samuels.
Age at death: 67.
Disability: Unspecified disability.

Name: Lachesta “Shasta” Childs.
Age at death: 47.
Disability: Autism.

Janet Samuels

Died: March 31, 2020.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Macon, Georgia, USA.

Details:
After Janet’s sister’s boyfriend assaulted her sister and Janet tried to intervene, James, Janet, and Shasta were shot by the boyfriend of Janet’s sister, who then proceeded to kidnap his two-year-old son. Janet’s sister escaped to safety; the toddler was rescued unhurt after a police standoff ended in the killer’s arrest.

Janet leaves behind a twin sister; her sister remembers that the two were inseparable until Janet’s death.

Case Status:
Caesar Crockett (Sister’s boyfriend), convicted of three counts of murder and kidnapping, sentenced to life without parole.

Sources:
‘You need to die in the penitentiary’: Macon man convicted of triple murder and kidnapping
Autism Memorial: Lachesta Childs