Category: Relationship: Parent

Parents, foster parents, stepparents, parents’ significant others.

Chi-wai Yeung

No PhotoName: Chi-wai Yeung.
Died: March 23, 2013.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Methamphetamine poisoning.
Location: Sheung Shi, Hong Kong, China.
Disability: Down syndrome.

Details:
Chi-wai’s mother and her boyfriend were smoking meth while feeding him milk from a bottle. Somehow, the boy was poisoned with meth and died.

Case status:
Wong Pu-lin (Mother) and Ngan Tin-hung (Mother’s boyfriend); both charged with child abuse; charges dropped.

Source:
Carrie Lam offers ray of hope to tackling child abuse
Disabled boy died after mother and boyfriend smoked Ice while feeding him milk, Hong Kong inquest hears
Neglect of the neglected: Hong Kong boy’s death exposes a child protection system riddled with holes

Robert Gensiak

Granite gravestone with a brass plaque reading, "In memory of Robert Gensiak, 2013. Every voice shall be heard."Name: Robert Gensiak.
Died: March 20, 2013.
Age at death: 32.
Cause of death: Sepsis.
Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome.

Details:
Robert was severely neglected by his family; he died of blood poisoning from an untreated skin rash his body could not fight because he was so malnourished.

Case status:
Susan Gensiak (Mother), pled to third-degree murder, sentenced to 10-20 years in prison
Joan Gensiak (Sister), convicted of neglect, sentenced to 6 years.
Rebekah Gensiak (Sister), convicted of misdemeanor neglect, sentenced to 6-23 months in jail.

Source:
Susan Gensiak And 2 Daughters Charged With Murder Of Robert Gensiak, Disabled Man
Lackawanna County woman’s sentence overturned in disabled brother’s neglect death
Joan Gensiak re-sentenced to same term for starvation death of brother

Isabella Wiens

Photo of a baby with pale skin and wispy red hair, smiling and showing her baby teeth.Name: Isabella Wiens.
Died: March 16, 2013.
Age at death: 21 months.
Cause of death: Undetermined, in the setting of abuse.
Location: Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
Disability: Developmentally delayed. Removed from her mother absent any evidence of abuse, because her mother is learning disabled.

Details:
Isabella died while in foster care. The autopsy showed evidence of abuse, including a swollen brain and healing fractures, but her cause of death is listed as undetermined.

Case status:
Foster home closed.
Isabella’s mother is suing the province.

Source:
B.C. ministry will review toddler Isabella Wiens’ death in care
B.C. mother sues province after infant daughter dies in foster care
Coroner’s Report

Gerald Lakes

No PhotoName: Gerald Lee Lakes.
Died: March 13, 2013.
Age at death: 24.
Cause of death: Starvation, dehydration.
Location: Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Gerald was neglected and starved to death by his parents.

Case status:
Jerry Lakes (Father), pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter, two counts of knowing abuse or neglect of an adult, three counts of exploitation, and three counts of theft by failure to make required disposition of property, sentenced to 20 years.
Peggy Whitlock (Mother), guilty to two counts of knowing abuse and neglect, sentenced to 10 years.

Source:
Lexington couple sentenced for neglect in death of mentally handicapped son
Detectives: Father of man who starved to death spent thousands in a casino

Marci Garvin

Photo of Marci Garvin. She is a woman with short, straight hair, sitting in a power chair. A name tag is clipped to her sweater and she is pushing a large button on the table in front of her.Name: Marci Garvin.
Died: March 11, 2013.
Age at death: 39.
Cause of death: Pneumonia, dehydration.
Location: Fort Worth, Texas, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, epilepsy.

Details:
Marci’s father and sister neglected her so badly that she died of infection, pneumonia, and dehydration.

Marci had spent 18 years working part-time for the Star-Telegram human resources office. Sadly, the same newspaper was later to publish the report on her death.

Case status:
Mike Garvin (Father), convicted of injury to the disabled and sentenced to 10-20 years in prison.
Tabby Martinjak (Sister), convicted of injury to the disabled and sentenced to 10-20 years in prison.

Source:
Father, daughter sentenced to 20 years in prison in death of disabled woman
Failing Marci: A disabled woman’s story of triumph and tragedy | Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Failing Marci: Investigation raises questions about care and oversight for disabled woman – Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TX), 3/1/2015 Bexar County, Texas

Jessie Dziomba

Photo of a teenage boy with light skin and a buzz cut. He is wearing a striped shirt and has a solemn expression.Name: Jessie James Dziomba, born Jessie Palmer.
Died: March 4, 2013.
Age at death: 19.
Cause of death: Influenza, infection.
Location: Lockport, New York, USA.
Disability: Developmental disability.

Details:
Police who investigated the home after Jessie was found dead say that Jessie and his brothers were routinely locked into their rooms by their adoptive parents. When Jessie got sick, his adoptive parents allegedly did not care for him nor take him to the doctor. Jessie died of his illness. His two brothers survived and were removed from the home.

Jessie liked playing sports and video games.

Case status:
Joy and John Dziomba (Adoptive parents). Case status unknown.

Source:
Guardian appointed for brothers of disabled Lockport man who died in March
How did Jessie die?
Jessie James Dzombia AKA Palmer

Darnell Hunter Jr.

Black and white photo of an African-American teenage boy with neat, short hair and a light-colored T-shirt, smiling for the camera.Name: Darnell “DJ” Lamount Hunter Jr.
Died: February 20, 2013.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Peoria, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
DJ was neglected and starved to death by his father.

He was a Dragon Ball Z fan who also liked reading, video games, and basketball.

Case status:
Darnell Hunter Sr. (Father); pled guilty to manslaughter and neglect; sentenced to 12 years.

Source:
Darnell Hunter sentenced to 12 years for fatally neglecting his impaired son
Darnell Lamount Hunter Jr. – View Obituary & Service Information

Tia Jones

Photo: A girl with brown skin and black hair in braids, wearing a turquoise long-sleeved shirt, standing in front of a Christmas tree. Name: Tia Ann Jones.
Died: February 18, 2013.
Age at death: 12.
Cause of death: Infection.
Location: Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Autism, ADHD.

Details:
Tia Ann’s parents neglected an infection in her feet until it spread and killed her.

Case status:
Randy D. Jones (Father), found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; sentenced to 10 years.
Carissa Jones (Mother), found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; sentenced to 10 years.

Source:
Tia Jones
Ohio Supreme Court will decide if 10-year prison sentence too long for parents convicted of letting sick child die
10-year prison sentence reinstated for Richmond Heights couple in daughter’s death

Brandon White

Photo of Brandon White, a young man with fair skin and very short brown hair. He has ears that stick out a little, and a long nose. He is pressing his lips together.Name: Brandon Leon White.
Died: January 8, 2013.
Age at death: 15.
Cause of death: Asphyxiation.
Location: Denison, Texas, USA.
Disability: Autism, epilepsy, bipolar disorder.

Details:
Brandon had epilepsy and bipolar disorder, but he hadn’t taken his medication for a while–his family said they couldn’t afford it. Instead of getting him the medication, Brandon’s mother’s boyfriend tied him up and gagged him, then put a pillow over his face to make him stop struggling. Brandon died of suffocation.

Case status:
Robert Gray Jr. (Mother’s boyfriend); convicted of murder; sentenced to 45-90 years.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Brandon White
Denison teen dies at home
New details in death of Denison teen
Teen killed in Denison had ties to Jasper
Man arrested for murder in Denison teen’s death
Pennies from Heaven for Brandon
Denison Murder Suspect Testifies He Was Tired During Interrogations
Man sentenced to 90 years for Denison teen’s murder

Quinten Wood

Photo of a teenage boy with pale skin and messy brown hair; he has his head tilted back. He is wearing a flannel shirt.Name: Quinten “Q-Man” Wood.
Died: January 4, 2013.
Age at death: 15.
Cause of death: Pneumonia.
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.
Disability: Chromosome 9 Ring.

Details:
Quinten’s father neglected him; he died of pneumonia related to starvation.

Quinten was a fan of Star Wars and Daft Punk.

Case status:
Michael Wood (Father), pleaded guilty to neglect, given a suspended sentence and one year of probation.

Source:
Valerie Wood-Harber Got Justice for Her Brother – and Other Disabled Kids
Justice for Quinten
Father, DHS Employees Facing Charges In Quinten Wood Death
How a disabled boy’s heartbreaking story inspired real legislation