Category: Relationship: Other Relative

Relative other than parent, child, or sibling.

Shobha Kulkarni

No PhotoName: 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

Portrait photo of Evelyn Bailey, an elderly woman wearing a white suit jacket and a string of pearls. Her salt-and-pepper hair is permed and cut short. She has pale skin and is wearing large glasses and a flag lapel pin. She is smiling for the camera.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

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.

Ronald Blankenship

No PhotoName: 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

Photo of a boy with pale skin and short brown hair, wearing a white T-shirt and strapped into his chair with a four-point harness. His expression is serious.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 PhotoName: 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

Photo of a middle-aged woman with dark brown skin and short, straight black hair. She is smiling at the camera; her eyes are twinkling. She is wearing big hoop earrings and an orange-and-green print top.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

Xuan Xuan

No PhotoName: Xuan Xuan
Died: June 25, 2018.
Age at death: 9.
Cause of death: Drowning.
Location: Jiangning, Nanjing, China.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Xuan’s grandfather was annoyed that he had spent so much trying to treat her cerebral palsy. He and her father allegedly put bricks in her backpack, put the backpack on her, and threw her in the river to drown.

Case status:
Her father, surnamed Yang; arrested, confessed to murder.
Yang Mousong (Grandfather); arrested, confessed to murder.

Source:
Father, grandpa admit killing 9-year-old girl with cerebral palsy, China police say
Girl with Learning Difficulties Murdered by Father & Grandfather
Children with cerebral palsy are drowned by their fathers and grandchildren drowning in the media: poverty is not a reason.
Father and grandfather confess to drowning nine-year-old girl with cerebral palsy
Girls with cerebral palsy are being drowned by their dearest relatives.

Srijana and Vishnuvardhan Reddy

Photo: Two images side by side; the first of a girl with tan skin and dark hair in braids, wearing a red dress and gold necklace and bracelets; she is sitting on a rug. The second photo is of a boy sitting on some stairs, wearing sandals, red shirt and blue shorts; he also has dark hair and brown skin. The children have censor bars across their eyes to protect their identities.Name: Srijana Reddy.
Name: Vishnuvardhan Reddy.

Died: June 15, 2018.
Age at death: 12.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Srijana and her twin brother Vishnuvardhan were allegedly strangled by their uncle, who reportedly committed the crime because he wanted to relieve his sister’s “trauma” at raising two intellectually disabled children. Police say they caught the twins’ uncle, along with his roommate and a taxi driver, trying to move the bodies.

Case Status:
Mallikarjuna Reddy (Uncle), arrested.
Venkatrami Reddy (Uncle’s friend), arrested.
Vivek Reddy (Taxi driver), arrested.

Sources:
Man kills sister’s mentally challenged kids in Hyderabad, wanted to relieve her from suffering
Hyderabad Twins With Mental Disability, Killed Allegedly By Uncle
Man kills mentally disabled nephews to ”relieve sister from hardship’
Hyd horror: Twins with mental illness allegedly killed by uncle to ‘rid sister of worry’

Bertha McGill

Photo of Bertha McGill, a middle-aged African-American woman with her hair cut quite short. She is wearing a leopard-print shirt and dangle earrings.Name: Bertha Marie McGill.
Died: June 15, 2018.
Age at death: 68.
Cause of death: Smoke inhalation.
Location: Jasper, Texas, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; wheelchair user.

Details:
Bertha’s grandson set their house on fire with her inside.  She died from smoke inhalation days after the fire.

Bertha was a retired kindergarten and elementary school teacher.

Case status:
Cedric Ramon McGill, Jr. (Grandson), pleaded guilty to arson and murder, sentenced to 20-40 years.

Source:
McGill pleads guilty and is sentenced for 2018 house fire that killed his grandmother
McGill pleads guilty and is sentenced for 2018 house fire that killed his grandmother
Jasper man charged with capital murder after grandmother dies following house fire
Grandson charged with arson in fire that severely injured Bertha McGill
Cedric McGill now charged with capital murder in house fire death of grandmother – KJAS.COM: Local News
Jasper woman injured in house fire dies; arson investigation still ongoing