Remembering the Disabled Murdered by Caregivers
Parents, foster parents, stepparents, parents’ significant others.
Name: Grace Carlson.
Died: July 17, 2010.
Age at death: 13.
Cause of death: Poisoning.
Location: South Lyon, Michigan, USA.
Disability: “Seriously disabled”; born addicted to crack.
Details:
Grace’s mother poisoned her in a murder-suicide.
Case status:
Donna Carlson (Adoptive mother), deceased.
Source:
Details emerge about South Lyon murder-suicide attempt; police seek charge of murder 1
Name: Wendy Garland.
Died: July 8, 2010.
Age at death: 33.
Cause of death: Pending autopsy.
Location: Jersey City, New Jersey, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome, cerebral palsy.
Details:
Wendy died when her family left her in a filthy room that, in midsummer, had heated up to 100 degrees. When they found her dead, they moved her out of her room, but when police saw where Wendy had been staying, they arrested her family. It was discovered that she had not seen a doctor in three years.
Case status:
Florence Garland (Mother), charged with neglect of an elderly or disabled person; died in 2017.
Helene Hutchinson (sister), charged with neglect of an elderly or disabled person.
Source:
Inspectors visit building where disabled Jersey City woman died
Family of disabled woman found dead in Jersey City appear in court
Disabled Woman Left in 100 Degree Room Dies; Mother, Sister Charged
Bed-ridden, disabled Jersey City woman found dead in 100-degree room, cops say; sister and mom charged
Death of disabled Jersey City woman who died in squalor requires more investigation: officials
Name: Kairissa XingJing Mark.
Died: July 1, 2010.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Abuse.
Location: Mount Juliet, Tennessee, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability, physical disability; recovering from malnutrition.
Details:
Kairissa’s parents beat her. She died because her mother threw her at a wall and left her to die.
Case status:
Deborah Mark (Adoptive mother), convicted of murder and child abuse, sentenced to life plus 80 years.
Steven Mark, pleaded guilty to abuse, sentenced to 10-32 years.
Source:
Pound Pup Legacy: Kairissa XingJing Mark
Another adoption tragedy taints Tennessee; woman accused of beating child to death
Name: Deondray “Dooley” Ashe.
Died: June 14, 2010.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Beating.
Location: Lakeland, Florida, USA.
Disability: Chronic bilateral subdural hematoma, cerebral palsy, developmental delays, tracheotomy.
Details:
Dooley’s stepfather beat him to death during potty training.
Case status:
Marcus Brown (Stepfather), pleaded guilty to manslaughter, sentenced to 12-and-a-half years.
Ina Brown, convicted of aggravated manslaughter, sentenced to 10 years.
Source:
Deondray Ashe Obituary (2010) Tampa Bay Times
Innocents Lost: In prison for manslaughter, a mom deals with regret, denial
Prosecutor Calls 2-Year-Old Deondray Ashe Beating ‘Horrifying’
Name: Charles Poertner.
Died: June 7, 2010.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Dehydration.
Location: Newport News, Virginia, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy, developmental delay, epilepsy.
Details:
Charles’s mother starved him to death.
Case status:
Heather Poertner (mother), convicted of child neglect and murder; sentenced to 50 years.
Source:
Newport News mother pleads guilty in death of disabled son
Mother charged in death of son with cerebral palsy
Name: Christopher Melton.
Died: June 4, 2010.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Carbon monoxide poisoning.
Location: Columbia, Maryland, USA.
Disability: Autism.
Details:
Christopher’s mother poisoned him and herself with carbon monoxide.
Case status:
Tracy Hawks (Mother), deceased.
Source:
Autism Memorial: Christopher Melton
Columbia, Maryland: Deaths of Tracy Hawks and Christopher Melton, mother and son, ruled murder-suicide
Deaths of mother and son remain a mystery
Columbia deaths of mom and son ruled murder-suicide
Name: Rylan Rochester.
Died: June 1, 2010.
Age at death: 6 months.
Cause of death: Smothered.
Location: Denver, Colorado, USA.
Disability: None, but Rylan’s mother believed he was autistic.
Details:
Rylan’s mother, convinced he was autistic, smothered him to death.
Case status:
Stephanie Rochester (Mother); ruled not guilty by reason of insanity.
Source:
Autism Memorial: Rylan Rochester
Name: Leosha Barnett.
Died: May 21, 2010.
Age at death: 17.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Forth Worth, Texas, USA.
Disability: Epilepsy, intellectual disability.
Details:
Leosha was starved to death by her mother and sister.
Case status:
Tasca Kuniko Johnson (Mother), injury to a disabled person, 15 years.
Kyreshi Lynn Tara Stevenson (sister), injury to a disabled person, 5 years.
Source:
Fort Worth girl’s starvation death prompts arrests of her sister, mother
Charges in ‘starvation’ of Texas teen
Name: Payton Ettinger.
Died: May 17, 2010.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Greensburg, Indiana, USA.
Disability: Brain injury.
Details:
Payton was starved to death by his mother, who neglected him so badly that he weighed less at four years old than he did at one year old.
Case status:
Courtney Tressler (Mother), pleaded guilty to neglect of a dependent; sentenced to 10 years in jail.
Source:
Ind. mom charged with starving 4-year-old to death
Indiana mom charged with son’s death
Tressler Accused Of Starving Son, 4, To Death
10-year sentence in case involving neglect of dependent
Name: Glen Freaney.
Died: May 13, 2010.
Age at death: 11.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Penarth Vale, Glamorgan, Wales, UK.
Disability: Autism.
Details:
Glen was strangled by his mother.
Case status:
Yvonne Freaney (Mother); pled guilty to manslaughter and walked free from court with a supervision order.
Source:
Autism Memorial: Glen Freaney
Mother killed autistic son with coat belt, court hears
‘He was laughing when I strangled him. Then I knew he was happy’: Mother ‘killed’ severely autistic son after facing lifetime of care
“Glen Freaney”, Find a Grave
“Despairing mother who strangled autistic son walks free from court”, Daily Mail