Relationship: Parent – Page 71 – Disability Day of Mourning

Erianna Beltran

Photo of Erianna Beltran, a toddler girl. Name: Erianna Beltran.
Died: January 27, 2008.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Fresno, California, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Erianna was admitted to the hospital, covered in bruises. She died two days later.

Case status:
Unsolved. Erianna’s mother, Erin Skinner, and her mother’s boyfriend, Mack Lucas, were both arrested because they were the ones in whose custody Erianna had been in; but charges were dropped because of a lack of evidence.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Erianna Beltran
Three-Year-Old Girl Died of Blunt Force Trauma
Charges Dismissed Against Accused Killer
Prosecutors drop charges in autistic girl’s death

Xiao Fei

Poor-quality black and white photo of Xiao Fei, a person sitting in a plastic chair with her head hanging to one side. Name: Xiao Fei.
Died: January 2008.
Age at death: 20.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Beijing, China.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Xiao Fei’s mother drugged her with sleeping pills, then smothered her.

Case status:
Li Daohong (Mother), 3-year sentence suspended. No jail time.

Source:
“Mercy Killing” Mother Spared Jail

Maxwell Eyer

Portrait photo of Maxwell Eyer, a toddler sitting in front of a backdrop and holding a large number 1. He has olive skin, black hair, and is wearing a checked shirt and navy pants. Name: Maxwell Eyer.
Died: December 28, 2007.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Alton, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Deaf.

Details:
Maxwell’s father slammed his head against the floor repeatedly as a punishment for eating chips in bed; then his mother ignored his obvious brain injury and seizures and let him die.

Case status:
Johnny Garcia (Father), murder, 44 years.
Linsey Eyer (Mother), child endangerment, 5 years.

Source:
2 Year Old Deaf and Disabled Maxwell Eyer, Beaten to Death by his Father for Eating Chips in Bed

Maia Comas

Name: Maia Comas.
Died: December 3, 2007.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Drowning.
Location: Sydney, Australia.
Disability: Rett syndrome.

Details:
When Maia was diagnosed with Rett syndrome, her parents wanted to euthanize her. Told this was illegal, they “coincidentally” found Maia drowned in a wading pool and did not attempt to resuscitate her.

Case status:
Pablo Comas and Samantha Comas (Parents) were never charged.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Maia Comas
News of daughter’s illness devastated parents, inquest told
“Why do they keep children with these disabilities alive?”
Maia Coma’s mother says an inability to perform CPR made her feel like a murderer
Coroner unable to say if baby Maia Comas’ death was accidental
Coroner returns open finding into toddler Maia Comas’s pool death
Parents greatly irresponsible over baby Maia’s death: coroner

Naomi Hill

Photo of Naomi Hill, a small, curly-haired girl in a red shirt. She has auburn hair, fair skin, and brown eyes; she is smiling. Her hair is a little messy. Name: Naomi Hill.
Died: November 26, 2007.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Drowned.
Location: Deeside, Flintshire, North Wales, UK.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Naomi’s mother drowned her in the bathtub because she was ashamed of Naomi’s cerebral palsy.

Case status:
Joanne Hill (Mother), convicted of murder, sentenced to 15 years to life.

Source:
Mother jailed for life for killing cerebral palsy daughter

Shellay Ward

Photo of Shellay Ward, a young girl with pale skin and auburn hair cut in a pageboy, wearing a big blue beret, a flower-patterned dress, and a broad smile. Name: Shellay Ward.
Died: November 13, 2007.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Hawks Nest, New South Wales, Australia.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Shellay was locked into a back room, where she died from long-term neglect and starvation.

Case status:
Sharyn Ward (Mother), convicted of murder, sentenced to life without parole.
Blakely Ward (Father), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 12 years.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Shellay Ward
Father who killed ‘mummified’ daughter, 7, loses bid to walk from jail
Shellay Ebony Ward
Ebony: Judge restores some dignity to starved girl

Francecca Hardwick

Photo: A teenage girl, her brown hair cut short. She has fair skin and blue eyes. There is a gap between her two front teeth. She is wearing a yellow polo shirt. Name: Francecca “Frankie” Hardwick.
Died: October 23, 2007.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Fire.
Location: Earl Shilton, Leicestershire, England, UK.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Francecca’s mother locked herself and Francecca into their car and set it on fire. 18-year-old Frankie burned to death.

Francecca’s schoolteachers remember how she loved to jump in puddles, play on swings, and give massages.

Case status:
Fiona Pilkington (Mother), deceased.

Source:
Bullies ‘drove mother and daughter to fireball death’
Francecca Hardwick: portrait of a victim
A Pilkington Malaise? Have We Really Learnt the Lessons for 2020?

Kayla Dutcher

No Photo Name: Kayla Dutcher.
Died: October 7, 2007.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Tramadol overdose.
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA.
Disability: Blindness.

Details:
Kayla died of an overdose of Tramadol. Her parents reported that she had eaten the Tramadol by accident; the department of human services determined that she had died of “fatal neglect and an injurious environment”.

Case status:
Parents Amy Dutcher and James Dutcher were not charged.

Source:
Kayla Dutcher

Jared Greenwood

No Photo Name: Jared Greenwood.
Died: September 30, 2007 (Body found).
Age at death: 26.
Cause of death: Sepsis.
Location: Bloomfield, New Mexico, USA.
Disability: Autism, intellectual disability.

Details:
Jared’s mother neglected him; he died of blood poisoning from infected bedsores.

Case status:
Sandra Greenwood (Mother), convicted of neglect, sentenced to two and a half years in jail.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Jared Greenwood
Updated at 7:40am — Mother Gets 2 1/2 Years for Leaving Son To Die

Jesse Weaver

Portrait photo of Jesse Weaver, a fair-skinned, brown-haired boy wearing a collared shirt, smiling slightly. Name: Jesse Weaver.
Died: July 8, 2007.
Age at death: 11.
Cause of death: Seroquel overdose.
Location: Lincoln County, Colorado, USA.
Disability: Mental illness.

Details:
Jesse’s mother abruptly withdrew his psychiatric medication. Jesse committed suicide about three weeks later.

Case status:
Traci Weaver (Mother); Wade Weaver (Father). Department of Social Services concluded that they were responsible for emotional abuse, medical neglect, and failure to protect Jesse.

Source:
Children lost in the system
Child Fatality Review: Jesse Weaver