Relationship: Parent – Page 86 – Disability Day of Mourning

Danielle Tucker

Name: Danielle Tucker, born Danielle R. Dornan.
Died: December 10, 1995.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Coldwater, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, spina bifida.

Details:
Danielle died of head injuries after she was pushed down a flight of stairs by her adoptive mother, who claimed she had fallen. Danielle died on December 10, eight days short of her fourth birthday.

To avoid facing scrutiny for her death, the family moved, taking Danielle’s two siblings with them, but two years later Danielle’s sister was found locked in the basement, starving and neglected, and rescued. Danielle’s case was re-opened and her mother was charged.

Case status:
Becky Tucker (Adoptive mother), pleaded no contest to child abuse, sentenced to 8-15 years.
Christopher Tucker (Adoptive father), not charged but served 6 years, 2 months for abusing Danielle’s sister.

Source:
Tucker sentenced for Michagan death
Danielle and Brittany Tucker (Dornan)

Fiona Mitchell

No Photo Name: Fiona Mitchell.
Died: July 12, 1995.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Disability: Brain injury from meningitis, causing blindness and deafness.

Details:
While her siblings lived in the rest of the house, little Fiona was shut up in a room and forgotten, denied care, medical attention, and even food and water. She died of starvation.

“…Fiona was among those whose cases were diffused by factual findings by the coroner. Though Fiona died of malnutrition, the Medical examiner attributed her death to her having had meningitis and said it was “amazing she lived as long as she did.” —Misplaced Mercy

Case status:
Mary Mitchell (Mother), pleaded no contest to criminally negligent homicide; two-year suspended sentence.

Source:
Misplaced Mercy
Girl’s Mother Indicted on Murder Charge

Lucas Ciambrone

Name: Lucas Ciambrone; birth name, Pedro Garcia.
Died: May 13, 1995.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Florida, USA.
Disability: Reactive Attachment Disorder.

Details:
Lucas was kept naked in a bathroom, abused by his parents, and died of a head injury. He had multiple broken ribs that had gone untreated for months, and was malnourished. At trial, defense experts argued that because he had an attachment disorder, Lucas’s behavior traumatized his parents so much that it excused what they had done to him.

Lucas liked Star Wars.

Case Status:
Joseph Ciambrone (Adoptive father), convicted of first-degree murder, sentenced to life.
Heather Ciambrone (Adoptive mother), convicted of first-degree murder, sentenced to 55 years; appealed sentence, sentenced to life.

Sources:
‘Almost like he’s possessed;’ Couple convicted of murdering adopted son tried RAD defense
AT Victim — Lucas Ciambrone
Lucas Ciambrone

Ryan Wilkieson

No Photo Name: Ryan Wilkieson.
Died: December 5, 1994.
Age at death: 16.
Cause of death: Carbon monoxide poisoning.
Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Disability: Cerebral palsy, deafblind.

Details:
Ryan’s mother took him to the garage and poisoned him and herself with exhaust fumes. He died only 19 days after the verdict in the Tracy Latimer murder trial.

Case status:
Cathy Wilkieson (Mother), deceased.

Source:
People with Disabilities Outraged by Murders
Remembering…
Open Season
The Latimer Case: The Reflections of People with Disabilities
History of euthanasia in Canada
Brandon Sun Newspaper Archives, Dec 7, 1994, p. 3
Tracy Latimer is dead because her father is a murderer

Sophie Préfaut

No Photo Name: Sophie Préfaut.
Died: August 7, 1994.
Age at death: 23.
Cause of death: Smothered.
Location: Montpellier, France.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Sophie’s mother drugged her, then smothered her to death. She said that she had done it because Sophie did not want to go back to the hospital, where she had been subjected to neuroleptics and electroshock.

Sophie was an intelligent young woman with a good sense of humor, who could solve cube roots in her head.

Case Status:
Jeanne-Marie Préfaut (Mother), convicted of premeditated voluntary homicide, sentenced to 5 years; sentence suspended.

Sources:
Sanction de principe pour la mère meurtrière de sa fille autiste. Les jurés de la cour d’assises de l’Héraut ont condamné hier Jeanne-Marie Préfaut, 51 ans, à cinq ans de prison avec sursis pour avoir tué le 7 août 1994 sa fille Sophie, 23 ans, autiste, à qui elle avait promis qu’elle ne serait plus jamais hospitalisée. Elle encourait une peine de prison à perpétuité.

Timothy Ellis Jr.

No Photo Name: Timothy Ellis Jr.
Died: June 8, 1994.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Skull fracture.
Location: Jacksonville, Mississippi, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Timothy was in the care of his father when he suffered abuse-related injuries, including a skull fracture that resulted in his death.

Case status:
Timothy Ellis, Sr. (Father); charges dropped because a judge ruled his confession had been coerced.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Timothy Ellis Jr.
State asks Navy to hear murder case

Michael Messenger

No Photo Name: Michael Messenger.
Died: February 8, 1994.
Age at death: Newborn.
Cause of death: Withdrawal of life support.
Location: Lansing, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Prematurity with a risk of disability.

Details:
When Michael was born at 25 weeks gestation, he had a roughly 50% chance of survival. However, when their doctor told Michael’s parents that if he survived, he would probably be disabled, Michael’s father asked the doctor to leave and shut off the newborn’s ventilator, killing him.

Case status:
Gregory Messenger (Father); tried for manslaughter and admitted to disconnecting Michael’s life support; acquitted.

Source:
The Messenger Case: Summary and Analysis

Randy Busby and Elwin Caler

Family portrait photo of Twila, Elwin, and Randy, two young men flanking their mother. Name: Elwin F. “Scooter” Caler.
Age at death: 22.

Name: Melvin Randolf “Randy” Busby.
Age at death: 20.

Died: December 31, 1993.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Gray County, Texas, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Randy and Elwin were stabbed to death by their mother’s live-in boyfriend. He also killed Twila Busby, their mother.

Case status:
Henry Skinner (Mother’s boyfriend), convicted of murder, sentenced to death.

Source:
Henry Watkins SKINNER

Tracy Latimer

Name: Tracy Latimer.
Died: October 24, 1993.
Age at death: 12.
Cause of death: Carbon monoxide poisoning.
Location: Wilkie, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Tracy’s father put her in his truck, connected the exhaust to the cab, and poisoned her with carbon monoxide.

Media coverage of Tracy’s death, which tended to support her killer, may have sparked several copycat crimes.

Case status:
Robert Latimer (Father), convicted of second degree murder, sentenced to life; paroled after 9 years, 11 months.

Source:
25 years after conviction, Robert Latimer still believes he was right to kill his daughter
Wikipedia: Robert Latimer
Right or wrong, Latimer’s actions touched off national debate on euthanasia
The Latimer Case: The Reflections of People with Disabilities
Robert Latimer seeking pardon for killing of severely disabled daughter
Community Living urges no pardon for murderer Robert Latimer
Trudeau asked to consider pardon or retrial for Saskatchewan man convicted of killing his daughter who suffered from cerebral palsy
Robert Latimer seeking pardon for killing of severely disabled daughter
Tracy Latimer’s killer does not deserve a pardon
Pardoning Robert Latimer is not justified
Lakritz: Pardoning Latimer would reduce Tracy’s value to the level of a dog
Robert Latimer’s request for clemency is a slam-dunk ‘no.’ Does Ottawa get that?

Josiah Carroll

Josiah Carroll's gravestone; it reads, Isaiah 55:12, 1981 to 1993. Name: Josiah Carroll.
Died: June 14, 1993.
Age at death: 12.
Cause of death: Smothered.
Location: Cedarville, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Josiah was allegedly smothered by his older brother. The death was witnessed by Josiah’s brother Isaiah, but his testimony was not considered because he is non-verbal and communicates by pointing.

Case status:
Kathleen Carroll (Mother), not charged.
Timothy Carroll (Father), not charged.
James Carroll (Brother), charged with delinquency by reason of involuntary manslaughter, acquitted.

Source:
Hannah, Noah, Molly and Joshua Carroll
Boy Saw Slaying, He Tells