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

Anita Arias

No Photo Name: Anita Arias.
Died: January 21, 2019.
Age at death: 87.
Cause of death: Dehydration, starvation, hyperglycemia.
Location: Melbourne, Florida, USA.
Disability: Dementia, diabetes.

Details:
When Anita’s grandson brought her to the hospital, she was unresponsive. Doctors reported her poor condition and many infected bedsores to police. Investigators described her house, where she had been living with her grandson and his wife, as filthy and cluttered, with evidence of severe neglect. Anita died of dehydration and starvation with severe bedsores and a blood sugar that was as high as the test could measure.

Case status:
Allen Arias (Grandson), charged with aggravated manslaughter of an elderly person.

Source:
Melbourne man arrested after grandmother, 87, died from lack of medication and care, police say
Florida man charged with grandmother’s death; deputies say her bed was filled with maggots
Melbourne man charged after grandmother’s death
Melbourne man arrested after grandmother, 87, died from lack of medication and care, police say
Affidavit for Arrest Warrant (Allen Glenn Arias)

Chet Scharnick

Photo of Chet Scharnick, an older man wearing a Cardinals baseball cap, sporting a wispy white goatee and mustache. Name: Chester Rubin “Chet” Scharnick.
Died: January 18, 2019.
Age at death: 84.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Fresno, California, USA.
Disability: Blind in one eye.

Details:
In his youth, Chet was a baseball player; as an adult he became a professional painter who painted murals in downtown Fresno.

He was found dead, and his step-granddaughter was arrested for his murder. She had previously been renting an apartment from him, but was evicted when she set the building on fire.

Case status:
Katreeva Woolf (Step-granddaughter), charged with murder, burglary, attempted arson, and possession of a stolen car; pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 25 years to life plus one year.

Source:
Clovis, CA woman sentenced for murder of stepgrandfather
84-year-old man murdered at Fresno home was well-known painter with big heart

Baby Boy

No Photo Name Unknown.
Died: December 21, 2018.
Age at death: 29 days.
Cause of death: Asphyxiation.
Location: Neelasandra, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Disability: Unknown congenital defect.

Details:
This little boy was born one of a pair of twins. He was weak at birth and had to spend ten days in the hospital after birth, and needed continued medical attention after he came home.

With the baby’s mother feeding his twin in another room and his father out buying medicine, the baby’s grandmother allegedly strangled and smothered the baby to death.

Case status:
Vijayalakshmi (Grandmother), arrested.

Source:
Days after month-old infant found dead in Bengaluru, grandmom arrested for murder
Grandmother held for infant’s murder

Shobha Kulkarni

No Photo Name: Shobha Kulkarni.
Died: October 6, 2018.
Age at death: 75.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Thane, Maharashtra, India.
Disability: Blind.

Details:
Shobha’s niece demanded that she make breakfast. When Shobha wouldn’t do it, her niece allegedly stabbed her 15 times, killing her.

Case status:
Swapna Kulkarni (Niece), charged with murder.

Source:
Mumbai: Shocking! Thane woman allegedly stabs blind aunt ’15 times’ to death over refusing to cook breakfast; case registered
Woman arrested for killing her blind aunt in their flat
Thane Woman Stabs Blind Aunt 15 Times for Refusing to Make Breakfast
Woman held for killing her elderly aunt

Evelyn Bailey

Name: Evelyn Bailey.
Died: September 22, 2018.
Age at death: 93.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Erwin, Tennessee, USA.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
Evelyn’s son-in-law shot her dead from behind; then he killed himself.

Before retiring, Evelyn worked as a shirt inspector in a garment factory. She liked flowers and sewing by hand. She had two children, six grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

Case status:
Grady Hughes (Son-in-law), deceased.

Sources:
Unicoi County murder-suicide involved family members
Unicoi man kills mother-in-law, self
Evelyn Bailey

Abel Leveque-Flett

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.

Ronald Blankenship

No Photo Name: Ronald Blankenship.
Died: August 20, 2018.
Age at death: 64.
Cause of death: Bronchopneumonia.
Location: Monticello, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; diabetes, mobility impaired.

Details:
Ronald lived with his sister and nephew, who were supposed to care for him. He died of severe, untreated bronchopneumonia and was found in filthy surroundings.

When Ronald was found dead, police also found a young woman with Down syndrome, who had been adopted by one of Ronald’s relatives; she was taken into adult protective services. Three dogs and three cats, also neglected, were taken by animal control; two of the dogs, Cocker Spaniels named Chance and Puddy, were too sick to survive and had to be euthanized.

Case status:
Christie Brown (Sister), convicted of criminal abuse or neglect of a disabled person and aggravated cruelty to a companion animal.
Mason Brown (Nephew), convicted of criminal abuse or neglect of an elderly person, sentenced to 5 years in prison and 1 year on parole.
Justin Tatman (Power of Attorney), charged with criminal neglect, charges dropped.

Source:
Neglect charges on one defendant dropped
Monticello man found guilty of neglect after death of uncle
Bond set for three in neglect case | Piatt County Journal-Republican
3 arrested in connection with death of Monticello man

Christopher Pratt

Name: Christopher Pratt.
Died: August 17, 2018.
Age at death: 6.
Cause of death: Head injury, malnutrition.
Location: Lansing, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Chromosome 10 disease, autism, epilepsy.

Details:
Christopher died from a head injury, having lost nearly half his body weight while in the care of his aunt.

Christopher lost his mother when he was five years old. Before he went to stay with his aunt, Christopher was a happy boy who used to greet his cousin by grabbing her face to show affection.

Case Status:
Jessica Bice (Aunt), convicted of second-degree murder and first-degree child abuse, sentenced to 33 years.

Sources:
‘Christopher felt safe here’: New bench memorializes Lansing area boy who died in 2018
Aunt sentenced to prison for death of Lansing boy with special-needs
Woman responsible for death of autistic 6-year-old sentenced
Lansing woman found guilty of homicide in death of boy with special needs
Lansing woman convicted of murder, child abuse in death of 6-year-old nephew
Lansing woman convicted of murder in death of 6-year-old nephew with special needs
Jurors weigh fate of aunt charged with murder, child abuse in 6-year-old’s death
Autism Memorial: Christopher Pratt
Trial begins for aunt in 2018 death of disabled, ’emaciated’ Lansing boy
Testimony continues in child abuse, murder case
Family wants justice following death of young boy
Aunt charged with murder, child abuse in death of a Lansing 6-year-old
Family of the woman accused of killing her 6-year-old nephew speaks out
Family demands justice for Lansing boy who was killed

Helen Smith

No Photo Name: Helen Smith.
Died: July 29, 2018.
Age at death: 81.
Cause of death: Throat cut.
Location: Chandler, Arizona, USA.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
When Helen wet herself, her grandchild allegedly became angry and cut her throat. Police report that they said that they “wanted to put her out of her misery”.

Case status:
Brandon Smith (Grandchild), convicted of second-degree murder, sentenced to 25 years.

Source:
Man Accused Of Murdering Grandmother Suffering From Dementia, Said He Did Not Want Her To Live In Pain
Suspect didn’t want grandma to ‘live like this anymore’ — and grabbed a knife, police say
Grandchild ‘slit dementia-stricken woman’s throat after she wet herself’
Man accused of slashing throat of grandmother who had dementia
Man Arrested for Killing Grandmother With Dementia: ‘He Did Not Want His Grandmother to Live Like This Anymore’
Grandchild Allegedly Slit Grandmother’s Throat After the 81-Year-Old, Who Had Dementia, Wet Herself
Man stabs his 81-year-old grandma to death because he was tired of caring for her

Barbara Lewis-Brown

Name: Barbara Lewis-Brown.
Died: July 22, 2018.
Age at death: 77.
Cause of death: Malnutrition, sepsis.
Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.
Disability: Disabled elder.

Details:
Instead of caring for her, Barbara’s children and grandchildren left her on the couch. There, she slowly died from a combination of malnutrition, dehydration, and stage 4 pressure sores infected by her filthy environment, having been starved down to a skeletal 108 pounds on her 5’8″ frame.

Barbara was retired from the Louisiana Department of Labor, having worked there for more than thirty years. Her co-workers remember her teaching them their jobs when they were new. She was the “life of the party,” good at encouraging others and brightening their day. She had three children, thirteen grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.

Case status:
Chasity Lewis (Granddaughter), pleaded guilty to manslaughter and cruelty to the infirm, sentenced to 3 years 6 months to 10 years.
Carlnessa Butler (Granddaughter), pleaded no contest to negligent homicide, sentenced to 5 years.
Carl Lewis (son), charged with manslaughter and cruelty to the infirm; charges dismissed.
Chira Lewis (daughter), charged with manslaughter and cruelty to the infirm; charges dismissed.

Source:
Granddaughter pleads guilty in elderly Baton Rouge woman’s bedsore death; charges for 2 others dropped
2nd family member convicted in malnourished grandmother’s death
New details in Baton Rouge woman’s tragic bedsore death shed light on elderly neglect
Barbara Lewis-Brown’s Obituary on The Advocate
Pair faces manslaughter charge in death of elderly woman
In Memory of Barbara Lewis-Brown — Wilson-Wooddale Funeral Home, Baton Rouge
Third family member arrested after woman dies of bedsores in Baton Rouge