Remembering the Disabled Murdered by Caregivers
Parents, foster parents, stepparents, parents’ significant others.
Name: Gail Terrell.
Died: November 13, 1988.
Age at death: 32.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Smyrna, Georgia, USA.
Disability: Epilepsy, cerebral palsy.
Details:
Gail’s mother shot her.
Case status:
Barbara Monroe (Mother); offered to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was ordered to serve 5 years of a 20-year sentence.
Source:
Mother wants year of home confinement in slaying plea
Name: Rishonda “Nickie” Jones.
Died: February 8, 1988.
Age at death: 15.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Arthritis, scoliosis.
Details:
Rishonda died of starvation and infected bedsores.
She was an honor student who liked to write poetry and short stories.
Case status:
Michelle Jones (Mother); charged with manslaughter and child cruelty.
Source:
Woman pays to bury starvation victim
Probe starvation of disabled teen
Name: Aaron Norman.
Died: December 20, 1987.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Diabetes.
Location: Mead, Washington, USA.
Disability: Juvenile diabetes.
Details:
Aaron’s parents abused him and denied him medical treatment. He died of untreated diabetes, aggravated by being beaten with a board.
Case status:
Bob Norman (Father), manslaughter, 41 months.
Judith Norman (Mother), charged with homicide.
Doug Kleber (Leader, No-Name Fellowship), convicted of second-degree criminal mistreatment, sentenced to 3 years.
Four elders in the No-Name Fellowship were charged with criminal mistreatment; one convicted.
Name: Brian Myers.
Died: November 27, 1987.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Skull fracture.
Location: Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.
Details:
Brian was beaten by his foster parents until he died of a skull fracture. Before Brian died they had been able to escape suspicion for their abuse despite the baby’s bruises because they blamed his injuries on Brian’s disability, claiming he hurt himself.
Case status:
Janet Portman (foster mother), pled guilty to second-degree criminal abuse, sentenced to 6 months in jail and 5 years probation.
Michael Portman (foster father), not guilty of child abuse.
Source:
Misplaced Mercy
Board rules cabinet was negligent in death of child, orders award
Agency found negligent in death of toddler; state to pay $100,000
Name: Frédéric Ratier.
Died: November 2, 1987.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Neuroleptic overdose.
Location: France.
Disability: Cerebral palsy, epilepsy.
Details:
32 years after his death, Frédéric’s mother wrote a book in which she confessed to poisoning him with a bottle of neuroleptic medicine. The boy lingered in a coma for three days before dying on his third birthday.
In her book, Frédéric’s mother says she spent the first three years of Frédéric’s life trying to cure him; that lack of support was not a factor; and that she had “given death” to her son because she believed his life was not worth living.
Case Status:
Anne Ratier (Mother), no charges. Statute of limitations on murder in France is 30 years.
Sources:
Anne Ratier
Ratier, A. (2019). J’ai offert la mort à mon fils. City.
“J’ai offert la mort à mon fils” handicapé : le témoignage d’une mère ne passe pas
Anne Ratier a ‘offert la mort à son fils’ : son livre choc
Name: Eric Bernstein.
Died: May 11, 1987.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Broomall, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Hypoxic brain injury at birth, causing cerebral palsy.
Details:
After putting her son through months of intensive, 15-hour-a-day therapy to try to cure him, Eric’s mother, seeing that he wasn’t going to be cured, shot him to death.
Case status:
Irene Torres Bernstein (Mother), pleaded no contest to third-degree murder, sentenced to a $1000 fine and 5 years probation.
Source:
Mom Pleads No Contest In Son’s Killing
Mom Given Probation Didn’t Ask For Mercy In Tot’s Death
Name: Dominic J. “Andrew” Diehl.
Died: October 29, 1986.
Age at death: 13.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA.
Disability: Child abuse survivor; emotionally disturbed.
Details:
Andrew died of head injuries inflicted by his adoptive father; he was tied to the floor of the family bus and severely beaten.
Andrew liked to read Western novels.
Case status:
Michael Diehl (Adoptive father), first-degree murder, 41 years; eligible for parole after 7 years.
Karen Diehl (Adoptive mother), manslaughter, 31 years; released after 6 years.
Source:
Dominick J. (Andrew) Diehl
Parents of 17 Arrested In Fatal Beating of Son
Facing Charges, Father Wanted Life Support Continued : Brain-Dead Boy’s Death Ends Dispute
Dominick Joseph “Andrew” Diehl (1973-1986)
Name: Linda Sue Helton.
Died: January 6, 1986.
Age at death: 45.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Precott, Arkansas, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.
Details:
Linda was allegedly shot by her mother, who called it a “mercy killing”.
Case status:
Esther Helton (Mother); charged with murder.
Source:
Woman Charged In Death Of Mentally Retarded Daughter
Name: Tara Kelly.
Died: September 15, 1985.
Age at death: 9.
Cause of death: Homicidal violence.
Location: Rochester, New York, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.
Details:
While her mother’s boyfriend was babysitting Tara, he killed her by hitting, kicking, and suffocating her.
Case status:
Thomas Osburn (Mother’s boyfriend), second-degree murder, 20 years to life.
Name: Cory Watts.
Died: July 10, 1985.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Alexandria, Virginia, USA.
Disability: Head injury from motorcycle accident.
Details:
After Cory’s mother lost a $10-million lawsuit against the company that made the helmet Cory had been wearing during his motorcycle accident, she went home, shot Cory to death, and killed herself.
Case status:
Cordelia Watts (Mother), deceased.
Source:
Lawsuit Lost, Mother Kills Son