Relationship: Other Relative – Page 8 – Disability Day of Mourning

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

Ben Thompson

Name: Ben Edward Thompson.
Died: November 3, 2019.
Age at death: 72.
Cause of death: House fire.
Location: Watertown, Tennessee, USA.
Disability: Wheelchair user.

Details:
Ben died in a house fire, unable to escape the house because of his mobility impairment. Authorities suspect his nephew of setting the fire.

Case status:
Christophe Sean Tillison (Nephew), charged with reckless homicide.

Source:
Tennessee man charged in 72-year-old uncle’s fire death
TBI: Nephew charged in fatal fire that killed wheelchair-bound uncle in Wilson County

Aiko Matsubara

No Photo Name: Aiko Matsubara.
Died: October 9, 2019.
Age at death: 90.
Cause of death: Suffocation.
Location: Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan.
Disability: Unspecified; disabled elder.

Details:
Police received a phone call from Ms. Matsubara’s granddaughter, saying she had killed her grandmother. When they arrived at her house, they found her dead, killed by having a towel stuffed into her mouth until she suffocated.

Case status:
Akane Matsubara (Granddaughter), charged with murder.

Source:
Woman arrested after stuffing towel into 90-year-old grandmother’s mouth, killing her

Ana Vasquez-Rodriguez

Photo of a middle-aged woman with light-brown skin and straight, brown, shoulder-length hair. Her skin is wrinkled and freckled. The straps of her light-blue top are visible. Name: Ana Vasquez-Rodriguez.
Died: October 6, 2019.
Age at death: 68.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Fall River, Massachusetts, USA.
Disability: Stroke.

Details:
Ana was stabbed in her bed by a teenage relative she was living with. Her disability made it difficult for her to fight back, and she died.

Case Status:
Heavenly Arroyo (Daughter’s boyfriend’s great-niece; household member), sentenced to 19 years to life.

Sources:
Fall River woman, 18, gets life in prison for 2019 killing
Fall River teen sentenced to life for brutal murder

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