Relationship: Parent – Page 74 – Disability Day of Mourning

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

Kate Bugmy

Name: Kate Bugmy.
Died: June 28, 2007.
Age at death: 26.
Cause of death: Sepsis, malnutition.
Location: Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia.
Disability: Cerebral palsy, epilepsy, intellectual disability.

Details:
Kate’s father had been her primary caregiver. When he died suddenly, her mother and sister took over. They stopped bringing Kate to her day program, and her relatives noticed that she seemed sad. She died of malnutrition and systemic blood poisoning from infected bedsores.

Case status:
Daphne Hall (mother) and Jenna Bugmy (sister) were not charged.

Source:
FINDING AFTER AN INQUEST INTO THE DEATH OF KATE THERESE BUGMY
NSW bed sore death could have been prevented: Coroner
System failed disabled woman who died at 26
Inquiry into services provided or funded by the department of Ageing, disability and home care

Daniel Benoit

Photo of Daniel Benoit, a little boy in a formal shirt and tie. Name: Daniel Christopher Benoit.
Died: June 25, 2007.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Suffocated.
Location: Fayetteville, Georgia, USA.
Disability: Fragile X (Disputed).

Details:
Daniel’s father suffocated him in a murder-suicide. He also killed Daniel’s mother, Nancy.

Daniel might not have had Fragile X; a family member reported that he did not, but the media widely reported Daniel’s Fragile X as having been the stressor that drove his father to kill him.

Case status:
Chris Benoit (Father), deceased.

Source:
Christopher Michael BENOIT
Chris Benoit double-murder and suicide – Wikipedia
The tragic family secret Benoit kept from the world
Attorney: Couple argued over care of mentally retarded 7-year-old son
Sandra Toffoloni talks about her sister’s murder at the hands of Chris Benoit
SON’S DISABILITY SUGGESTED AS FACTOR IN BENOIT MURDER-SUICIDE
Chris Benoit Conspiracy Theories Debunked: What Really Happened?

Raelynn Mascal

Photo of Raelynn Mascal, a girl with messy brown hair cut in bangs, fair skin, and blue eyes; she is smiling, wearing a pink sweater. Name: Raelynn Tiana Mascal.
Died: May 18, 2007.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma, shaken baby.
Location: Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.
Disability: Speech and motor skills delays.

Details:
Raelynn was beaten to death by her mother.

Case status:
Michelle Lepowski (Mother), involuntary manslaughter, sentenced to 12 years.

Source:
Mom gets 12 years for killing child; Prosecutor sought longer sentence for ‘monster’ who beat 2-year-old
Case goes to jury in woman’s murder trial
Mom gets 12 years for killing child; Prosecutor sought longer sentence for ‘monster’ who beat 2-year-old

Baden Bond

Name: Baden Bond.
Died: May 1-16, 2007 (Approximate; body not found).
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Abandonment.
Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Baden’s father took him to a boat ramp and abandoned him there. His body was never found; it is likely he died of drowning or exposure. Authorities determined that his motive had been that he was “tired of looking after” the boy. Baden’s mother helped cover up the crime.

Case Status:
Shane Arthur Simpson (Father), pleaded guilty to manslaughter, sentenced to 9.6 to 12 years in prison.
Diane Colleen Simpson (Mother), pleaded guilty to accessory to manslaughter, sentenced to 3 years and released after almost 2 years.

Sources:
R v Simpson
Death by Neglect
‘Sorry’: Father says he patted toddler on the head then abandoned him without looking back
Drug-addicted father jailed for abandoning toddler at boat ramp to die
The Uncounted

Brandon Williams

Name: Brandon Williams.
Died: March 22, 2007.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Pima County, Arizona, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Brandon died after regular abuse by his mother and two of her housemates. He had been beaten and poisoned with overdoses of Tylenol.

Brandon loved watching the Disney Channel, especially “Lilo & Stitch”.

Case status:
Diane Marsh (Mother), convicted of child abuse and negligent homicide; sentenced to 10 years; paroled after 3.8 years.
Mark Moss (Housemate), failing to report child abuse, charges dropped.
Flower Thompson (Housemate), convicted of murder, sentenced to 10 years.

Source:
People You’ll See in Hell: Diane Marsh, Flower Tompson And Mark Lee Moss
Murderpedia: Diane Marsh
Brandon Williams
Autism memorial: Brandon Williams