Relationship: Other Relative – Page 7 – Disability Day of Mourning

Joel Parks

Photo of Joel Parks, a young man with short dark hair and pale skin, smiling for the camera, wearing a navy blue jacket. Name: Joel “Bubby” Parks.
Died: September 22, 2019.
Age at death: 30.
Cause of death: Medication overdose.
Location: Bradenton, Florida, USA.
Disability: Autism, developmental delay from injury as an infant.

Details:
Joel took part in an Easter Seals day program. He played baseball on the Miracle League and was called “Home Run Joel” for his love of the sport.

Joel lived in a group home most of the week, but visited his grandmother on the weekends. His family called him “Bubby”. Although his grandmother told police she thought no one would care for him after she died, Joel’s mother and sister both say they were perfectly willing to step in; in fact, his sister was visiting when he died. Had that failed, Joel had state funding set aside to ensure his care continued if his grandmother died.

Joel’s grandmother allegedly killed him with an overdose of medication.

Case status:
Lillian Parks (Grandmother), charged with second-degree murder.

Source:
Florida Woman Charged With Killing Disabled Grandson By Drug Overdose
Autism Memorial: Joel Parks
Bradenton woman wanted disabled grandson with her in heaven. She ‘put him to sleep,’ cops say
Police: Bradenton woman purposely gave grandson drugs to overdose, charged with second-degree murder
Family speaks out after police say Bradenton man with disabilities was murdered by grandmother
Family speaks out after 87-year-old grandma is accused of killing autistic grandson
87-Year-Old Killed Her Disabled Grandson With Overdose, Police Say – The New York Times
Not A Unique Case: 87-Year-Old Murdered Disabled Grandson With Overdose
Miracle League baseball community mourns one of its own
Warrant charges woman with killing disabled grandson. There is a lot police don’t know
Grandmother admits to killing disabled grandson with drug overdose: cops
Florida woman says she killed disabled grandson by overdose, fearing no one would care for him after she died
87-year-old Florida grandma overdoses disabled grandson fearing no one would care for him after she dies
Bradenton grandmother accused of killing disabled grandson, fearing no one would care for him after she died
Family questions grandmother’s supposed motive for overdosing grandson

Amzin Shaw

Name: Amzin “Bibi Jasmin” Shaw.
Died: September 3, 2019.
Age at death: 63.
Cause of death: Smoke inhalation.
Location: Queens, New York, USA.
Disability: Stroke.

Details:
Bibi Jasmin died in a fire allegedly set by her niece’s boyfriend, who was staying rent-free with her and her niece. She had recently had a stroke, and used a cane and sometimes a wheelchair, and was unable to get out of the house. Apparently, she had attempted to evict the couple because they did not help her pay for rent or utilities and, when asked, her niece’s boyfriend threatened to kill her.

Bibi Jasmin was one of 17 siblings and had several grandchildren.

Case status:
Rampersaud Persaud (Boyfriend of niece), charged with murder and arson.

Source:
Murder charge in Queens Village fire
Queens Village Man Charged in Death of Wheelchair-bound Property Owner who Evicted Him
Former Tenant Accused Of Setting Deadly Fire Due In Court On Murder, Arson Charges
Man Charged With Murder As Woman Dies in Queens Fire: NYPD
Man charged with murder in Queens fire that killed woman: police
Ungrateful tenant charged in deadly arson that killed Queens homeowner: ‘Her kindness got her killed’

Polly Bahadoor

Name: Polly Kunti “Mama” Bahadoor.
Died: August 25, 2019.
Age at death: 83.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Charlieville, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago.
Disability: Arthritis; wheelchair user.

Details:
Polly was bludgeoned to death.

She was a quiet, helpful woman who made and sold food to the neighbors. Energetic and “always moving”, she liked to have her nails painted and “pretty up”.

Case status:
Devanand Bahadur (Grandson), charged with murder.

Source:
Teen charged with killing his enfeebled grandma
Wheelchair granny, 85, beaten to death
83-year-old woman murdered in Charlieville
Trinidad: ‘Quiet’ granny’s murder stuns family
Relatives in shock

Desmond Wooding

Name: Desmond Wooding.
Died: June 24, 2019.
Age at death: 80.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Droitwich, Worcestershire, England, UK.
Disability: Mobility impaired.

Details:
Desmond’s grand-nephew stabbed him to death with a knife.

He was a sociable man who often stopped to chat with neighbors when he rode his red mobility scooter around town.

Case status:
Adam Mason (grand-nephew), convicted of murder, sentenced to 20 years to life.
Mark Mason (Adam’s uncle), convicted of assisting an offender, sentenced to 2 years.

Source:
Man jailed for murdering great uncle aged 80 in Droitwich
Murder suspect, 32, is arrested over killing of disabled pensioner, 80
‘Well known’ pensioner, 80, was stabbed to death in his own home
Man, 80, ‘last seen on mobility scooter’ found stabbed to death in own home
Disabled pensioner, 80, is stabbed to death in his own home as cops launch murder probe
Man ‘stabbed disabled great-uncle, 80, to death and left him in pool of blood’
Man jailed for brutal murder of 80-year-old great-uncle

Esther Wavinya

No Photo Name: Esther Wavinya (aka Esther Wavinya Mwathi, aka Esther Kavinya).
Died: May 15, 2019.
Age at death: 37.
Cause of death: Homicide.
Location: Kalama, Machakos County, Kenya.
Disability: Unspecified; used crutches.

Details:
Esther, who lived in her own apartment in a compound with her relatives, was allegedly raped and murdered by four of her relatives. She may have been murdered because of a dispute between her and her in-laws over some property.

Case status:
Eunice Wambua, Danson Wambua, David Wambua and Sam Mwangangi (Family members), charged with murder.

Source:
Police probe bizarre rape, murder of disabled woman in Machakos – Daily Nation
Two suspects in murder of disabled woman arrested
Disabled woman found murdered, crutches shoved in her genitals
Disabled woman raped, killed in Kalama
Two arrested over murder of disabled woman found with crutches in genitals
Court detains murder suspects
4 relatives facing rape,murder of disabled woman to remain in custody

Duke Flores

Photo of a small boy with tan skin and curly brown hair, grinning at the camera with his eyes nearly shut. Name: Duke Josehyah Flores.
Died: April 25, 2019 (Reported missing; died around April 14th, 2019).
Age at death: 6.
Cause of death: Homicide; body not found.
Location: Apple Valley, California, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
When Duke’s mother reported him missing, the six-year-old had already been missing for two weeks. Soon thereafter, she was arrested for child cruelty; a few days later, she and Duke’s aunt were charged with murder. Police report that in her confession, Duke’s mother said that they strangled him with an electrical cord and buried his body in their backyard; but after the family dogs kept trying to dig up his body, the two women dug him up and put him in a dumpster. His body has still not been found.

Case status:
Jackee Raquel Contreras (Mother), charged with murder.
Jennifer Rachel Contreras (Aunt), charged with murder.

Source:
Community Mourns 6-Year-Old Boy Police Believe Was Murdered
The Charley Project: Duke Josehyah Flores
Apple Valley: Mother, aunt arrested for murder of missing 6-year-old boy, authorities say
Apple Valley Mother, Twin Sister Booked on Suspicion of Murder as Search for Missing Boy Continues
Murder charges filed against mother of missing 6-year-old Duke Flores of Apple Valley
Detectives arrest Jakee Raquel Contreras (mother) and Jennifer Rachel Contreras (aunt) for the…
Apple Valley: Mother, aunt arrested for murder of missing 6-year-old boy Duke Flores
Homicide Detectives Search Victorville Landfill for Body of Missing Boy; Mom, Aunt Charged With Murder
Duke Flores case: Mother, aunt charged in Apple Valley boy’s murder as detectives search landfill
Mother, aunt plead not guilty in murder of missing 6-year-old Apple Valley boy Duke Flores
6-year-old Duke Flores was tied, smothered, buried, dug up, then dumped by mother and aunt
Autism Memorial: Duke Flores

Robbie Ballenger

Name: Robbie Ballenger, also called Robert Williams.
Died: April 15, 2019.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Pneumonia, malnutrition.
Location: Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy, epilepsy.

Details:
Robbie lived, along with his twin brother and six other children, with his grandmother and five other adults. The children didn’t go to school or get medical care.

Robbie’s grandmother neglected him. He was not fed enough, and at the age of 8, he died of pneumonia secondary to starvation, weighing only 18 pounds.

Case status:
Geneen Romalia Ballenger (Grandmother), pleaded guilty to child abuse and reckless disregard for human life, sentenced to 10-21 months in prison, suspended, and 18 months probation.

Source:
Fayetteville grandmother pleads guilty in death of disabled 8-year-old grandson
DA: Fayetteville grandma faces 2 years max after child starved to death
Fayetteville boy who starved to death in grandmother’s care had cerebral palsy, weighed 18 pounds :
Fayetteville grandmother faces 2 years max for starving disabled child to death
Disabled boy, 8, ‘was so badly starved by granny his corpse looked like a baby’

Jaden and Jorden Webb

Name: Jaden Webb.
Name: Jorden Webb.
Died: April 4, 2019.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Tucson, Arizona, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Jaden and Jorden, twin brothers, were shot dead by their grandmother.

Case status:
Dorothy Flood (Grandmother), pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter, sentenced to 21 years.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Jaden and Jordan Webb
Tucson grandma sentenced to 21 years for killing grandsons with autism
Grandmother pleads guilty to murdering autistic grandsons
Arizona Woman Indicted in Deaths of Twin Grandsons
Grandmother arrested in deaths of 8-year-old Tucson twins
Grandmother charged with murdering autistic grandsons
Tucson woman admits to shooting her twin autistic grandsons
Arizona woman shot dead her orphaned, autistic 8-year-old twin grandsons, then tried to kill herself by overdosing
Twin Boys With Autism Fatally Shot by Arizona Grandmother, Who Tried to Kill Herself: Court Docs
Court documents: Tucson woman admits to shooting, killing twin grandsons
Police: Woman admitted to killing special needs grandsons
Ariz. woman charged with killing 2 grandchildren with autism
Court documents offer background on killing of twin grandsons
Arizona woman indicted in deaths of twin grandsons

Vivek Kakadiya

No Photo Name: Vivek Kakadiya.
Died: March 28, 2019.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Strangulation.
Location: Khijaria village, Visavadar taluka, Junagadh district, Gujarat, India.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Vivek’s sister-in-law allegedly strangled him because she believed he was “a burden… she would have to carry for the rest of her life”.

Case status:
Daya Kakadiya (Sister-in-law), charged with murder.

Source:
Gujarat: Woman held for killing brother-in-law with learning disability

Mary Fitzgerald

Name: Mary E. Fitzgerald.
Died: February 17, 2019.
Age at death: 85.
Cause of death: Malnutrition, pressure sores.
Location: Rutland City, New York, USA.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Mary had been living under the care of her daughter and grandson. When she was brought to the hospital, she was very thin and badly injured, already dying. To make things even worse, she had to die without pain medication, allegedly because a nurse at the nursing home where she spent her last days stole her morphine.

Mary had worked at a delicatessen and bakery. She had three grandchildren.

Case status:
Marie E. Fitzgerald (Daughter), charged with murder and neglect of a vulnerable adult.
Christopher Preedom (Grandson), charged with murder and neglect of a vulnerable adult.
Dermot J. Hanna (Nurse), charged for fraud and exploitation of a vulnerable adult.

Source:
Daughter and grandson charged with second-degree murder in death of 85-year-old
Mother and son charged with murder of grandmother
Woman and son may face homicide charge for grandmother’s death
Mary E. Fitzgerald