Category: Relationship: Parent

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

Joseph Beebe

Photo: A boy with pale skin and a mop of dark brown hair, wearing large glasses and a blue sweater, smiling for the camera.Name: Joseph Jose Beebe.
Died: March 17, 2000.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Tarkington Prairie, Texas, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy, fetal alcohol syndrome.

Details:
Joseph, who told his triplet siblings that he wanted to give them a better life, was beaten to death by his adoptive mother for wetting his pants. When Joseph died, they were removed from the home, and survived.

Case status:
Edith Beebe (Adoptive mother), convicted of injury to a child, 30-75 years.
Brian Beebe (Adoptive father), convicted of failure to protect, served 6 months of a 10-year sentence.
Justin Martin (Stepbrother), convicted of injury to a child, served 6 months of a 10-year sentence.

Source:
Survivor of childhood abuse moves forward by looking back
WHO’S TO BLAME FOR Joseph’s DEATH?
Joseph Jose Beebe

Timothy Boss

School photo of a boy with short, very curly black hair and brown skin and eyes. He is wearing a loose sweater, and has his arms folded in front of him. His expression is neutral.Name: Timothy Boss.
Died: February 23, 2000.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Homicide.
Location: Remsen, Iowa, USA.
Disability: Unspecified “special needs”.

Details:
Timothy’s adoptive parents beat him, and when he died from their abuse, buried his body in their basement.

Case status:
Donald Boss Jr. (Adoptive father), first-degree murder, sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Lisa Boss Green (Adoptive mother), voluntary manslaughter/attempted murder/child endangerment/willful injury, 50 years prison.

Source:
Timothy Boss

James Cummings Jr.

No PhotoName: James Joseph Cummings Jr.
Died: November 16, 1999.
Age at death: 46.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Red Bank, New Jersey, USA.
Disability: Autism; Stroke.

Details:
James was stabbed to death by his father, who went to the care facility where he was staying and killed him with a kitchen knife to the heart.

Case status:
James Cummings Sr. (Father). Sentenced to five years in prison.

Source:
Autism Memorial: James Joseph Cummings Jr.
Father Admits Killing Autistic Son

Daniel Leubner

Portrait photo of Danny Leubner, a teenage boy wearing a blue striped shirt, his short black hair neatly combed, biting his lower lip.Name: Daniel “Danny” Leubner.
Died: September 4, 1999.
Age at death: 13.
Cause of death: Smoke inhalation.
Location: Auburn, New York, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Danny died by smoke inhalation in a house fire deliberately set by his mother.

Case status:
Michelle Davis (Mother). Pled guilty to manslaughter; sentenced to six years.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Daniel Leubner
Justice for Danny
Cayuga County child killer back in court

Kirk Hammersley-Baker

Photo of a small boy wearing large wire-framed glasses and a school uniform with a white collar under a red sweatshirt. He has pale skin and curly blond hair. Mild bruises are visible on his lower lip. He is smiling for the camera.Name: Kirk Hammersley-Baker.
Died: March 22, 1999.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Stoke-on-Trent, England, UK.
Disability: Epilepsy.

Details:
Kirk’s neglectful father and unstable home life was relieved by his attendance at school, which served as his safe haven. He was a loving boy who had a big smile and liked hugs.

Involved in a custody battle and afraid he had lost custody, Kirk’s father drugged him, strangled him with a scarf, wrapped him in a blanket, and dumped his body in an outhouse.

His school opened a new play area in his memory, which was revamped in his honor for the 20th anniversary of his death.

Case status:
Karl Hammersley-Baker (Father), convicted of murder, sentenced to life.

Source:
Tragedy of ‘little boy lost’ strangled to death by own dad
The chilling murder of Stoke-on-Trent boy, 7, strangled to death by his own dad
Murdered Kirk, 7, to be remembered with play area revamp 20 years on
Tragedy of ‘little boy lost’ who wanted love and affection.
Father in custody row killed son, 7
Life for man who strangled son

Pierre Pasquiou

No PhotoName: Pierre Pasquiou.
Died: December 28, 1998.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Drowning.
Location: Saint-Brieuc, France.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Pierre was drowned by his mother; she pushed him off a pier into the Atlantic Ocean.

Case status:
Annie Pasquiou (Mother). Given a three year suspended sentence; served no time.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Pierre Pasquiou
Solomon, A. (2014). Far from the tree: Parents, children and the search for identity. Scribner Classics.
Life with Aspergers: Murdering Disabled People

Jim Helm

No PhotoName: Jim Helm.
Died: November 8, 1998.
Age at death: 27.
Cause of death: Unspecified; homicide.
Location: Nelson, New Zealand.
Disability: Down syndrome, Autism.

Details:
Jim’s mother killed him and herself because she was afraid of what would happen to him if she died.

Case status:
Nancy Helm (Mother), deceased.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Jim Helm
Jim Helm died at the hands of a loving mother who despaired of his future.

Shi Rui Wang

No PhotoName: Shi Rui “Serena” Wang.
Died: September 23, 1998.
Age at death: 23 months.
Cause of death: Medication overdose.
Location: Padstow, New South Wales, Australia.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Serena’s parents were Chinese living in Australia, and Serena’s mother was afraid that if she committed suicide, her husband would take Serena back to a Chinese orphanage. She tried to tie up her husband to stop him from saving Serena’s life, but he fought back and she instead killed him. Then she killed Serena with a medication overdose, and attempted suicide, but was found by police.

Case status:
Joyes Hong Wang (Mother); convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 4-6 years in prison.

Source:
Regina v Wang [2000] NSWSC 447 (23 May 2000)

Lenka Orlikova

No PhotoName: Lenka Orlikova.
Died: August 29, 1998.
Age at death: 14.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Brain damage from meningitis.

Details:
Lenka was stabbed to death by her father. He also tried to kill her mother, who survived. Her twin sister was unhurt.

Case status:
Oto Orlik (Father), convicted of murder, sentenced to life term.

Source:
ORLIK’S OTHER DAUGHTER TAKES WITNESS STAND.(Local/Wisconsin)
ORLIK GETS LIFE TERM FOR KILLING DAUGHTER RESEARCHER SANE, JURY SAYS.(Local/State)
Stabbing Death Charges
Family wants to see accused dad

Tausha Lanham

A photo of Tausha Lanham, a toddler with pale skin and fine ginger hair.Name: Tausha Lee Lanham.
Died: April 19, 1998.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Burgettstown, Washington County, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Prematurity, developmental delays.

Details:
Tausha’s mother kept her restrained and starved her to death. She was seven years old, but weighed less than twelve pounds, when she died.

Case status:
Michelle Tharp (Mother), first-degree murder, death sentence.

Source:
Under a rock, near some water
Michelle Tharp’s attorneys say she should not face death for starving daughter
Michelle Tharp | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers