Location: UK – Disability Day of Mourning

Maureen Potter

No Photo Name: Maureen Potter.
Died: December 8, 2023.
Age at death: 80.
Cause of death: Unspecified homicide.
Location: Droitwich, Worcestershire, England, UK.
Disability: Cancer.

Details:
Maureen’s husband allegedly killed her and tried to kill their son, who also has a disability.

Case Status:
Ivan Potter (Husband), charged with murder and attempted murder.

Sources:
Pensioner, 81, being quizzed by police after woman, 80, found dead
Man, 81, arrested after woman, 80, ‘murdered’ with second man in hospital
Suspect aged 81 arrested on suspicion of murder after woman found dead
A town in shock – the latest on the Droitwich murder investigation
Man, 81, charged with attempted murder after police called to medical emergency
Maureen Potter (née Bourne)

Sara Bateman

Name: Sara Bateman.
Died: March 30, 2023.
Age at death: 50.
Cause of death: Broken neck; strangled.
Location: Willenhall, England, UK.
Disability: Leg amputee, wheelchair user.

Details:
Sara’s boyfriend strangled her with a dog leash.

Case Status:
Matthew Hyde (Boyfriend), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 16 years to life.

Sources:
Sara Bateman: Man who strangled disabled girlfriend with dog lead jailed for life
Willenhall man jailed for life for murdering disabled partner
Police boss issues statement over murder of disabled Willenhall grandmother as new image released
Killer strangled amputee girlfriend to death with a dog lead
‘Caring’ woman murdered by partner who left body for son to find

Sarah Albone

Name: Sarah Albone.
Died: February 25, 2023.
Age at death: 38.
Cause of death: Head injury, airway obstruction.
Location: Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, England, UK.
Disability: Multiple sclerosis.

Details:
Sarah’s partner violently killed her and dumped her body in a trash bin; then he convinced her family she was still alive by claiming she was in a hospital for treatment and faking text messages. Even before the murder, he was known to be an abusive and controlling partner.

Case Status:
Matthew Waddell (Partner), convicted of murder, sentenced to a minimum of 32 years.

Sources:
Biggleswade murder trial hears man hid partner’s body in suitcase
Biggleswade: Matthew Waddell guilty of body-in-suitcase murder
Judge calls for Bedfordshire Police to review handling of domestic homicide case

Edna Berry

No Photo Name: Edna Berry.
Died: February 21, 2023.
Age at death: 80.
Cause of death: Bludgeoned with hammer and chisel.
Location: Clacton, Essex, England, UK.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
When Edna kicked and scratched her husband, he lost his temper and attacked her with a hammer and chisel, causing major head injuries. He called emergency services and confessed to the crime. He was arrested; she died at the hospital.

Case Status:
John Berry (Husband), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 10 years to life.

Sources:
Husband, 85, used hammer and chisel to murder wife with Alzheimer’s

Sandra Brown

No Photo Name: Sandra Brown.
Died: December 8, 2022.
Age at death: 69.
Cause of death: Unspecified homicide.
Location: Huddersfield, England, UK.
Disability: Chronic illness, wheelchair user.

Details:
Sandra was found dead at home; her husband was charged with murder.

Sandra loved gardening. As a member of the Neighborhood Watch, she used to keep her street clean by picking up litter.

Case Status:
Michael Brown (Husband), charged with murder.

Sources:
Neighbour’s tribute to Huddersfield woman as husband faces murder charge
Huddersfield pensioner charged with murdering his wife

Stephen Kershaw

Name: Stephen Kershaw.
Died: September 16, 2022.
Age at death: 65.
Cause of death: Smothered.
Location: Bradford, England, UK.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Stephen lived with his stepson and his stepson’s girlfriend. The two regularly abused and harassed him for money. Stephen’s stepson eventually smothered him, and the pair tried to hide his body for a few days before they were found out.

Case Status:
Ian Mitchell (Stepson), pleaded guilty to murder and fraud, sentenced to 22 years to life.
Sarah Pearson (Stepson’s girlfriend), pleaded guilty to murder and fraud, sentenced to 19 years to life.

Sources:
Woman handed prison sentence after making confession to stranger on one night stand
Woman and her fiance who murdered his vulnerable stepfather, 65…

Frederico Mendes

Name: Frederico Mendes.
Died: September 15, 2022.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Unspecified homicide.
Location: Leeds, England, UK.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Frederico was killed by his mother in a murder-suicide.

Case Status:
Dalia Baptista (Mother), deceased.

Sources:
Mum and murdered son, 10, found dead in flat after both struggled with autism
Mum and son, 10, found dead in Leeds flat named as cousin speaks out
Mum and murdered son, 10, found dead in flat after autism struggles
Heartbroken family speaks out after mum, 30, and son, 10, found dead in flat
Mother and son found in suspected murder-suicide named
Autism Memorial: Frederico Mendes

Louise Nash

Somewhat blurred photo of a teenage girl with a round face, tan skin, and frizzy black hair tied back in a ponytail. She is wearing a dark zip-up sweater and a seat belt stretches across her chest. Her expression is neutral and relaxed, eyes half-closed. Name: Louise Nash.
Died: September 8, 2022.
Age at death: 12.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Great Waldingfield, Suffolk, England, UK.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Louise and her mother Jillu lived in Suffolk, where Louise attended a special-needs school. Louise’s parents lived in India, and the mother and daughter sometimes went to visit them. They were well-known to neighbors, who remember them always waving from their car when they drove past.

Someone called the authorities, worried about Louise and Jillu, and police went to check on them. They found Louise and Jillu dead, a gas leak in the home, and Louise’s father, badly injured and immediately taken to the hospital, who they suspect is responsible for the killings. The neighborhood had to be evacuated while the gas leak was repaired, but no one else was hurt.

Case Status:
Peter Nash (Father), convicted of murder; sentenced to 40 years to life.

Sources:
Man handed life prison sentence for murders of wife and daughter, 12
Suffolk double murder: Man called wife ‘validated cheater’
Ipswich Crown Court shown footage of Great Waldingfield family murder accused, Peter Nash, referring to 12-year-old daughter as his ‘property’ in video recorded by wife before her death
After Neely homicide, mental health workers explain what to do if someone is in crisis on the subway
Murder trial set to enter closing stages
Husband who murdered wife and daughter thought they were his ‘property’
Man faces mandatory life sentence for murder of wife and daughter
Autism Memorial: Louise Nash
Tributes paid to ‘devoted’ mum and her daughter, 12, found at home dead
Council chair speaks of shock after suspected double murder
Injured man arrested over deaths of a mother and her 12-year-old daughter
Family of ‘murdered’ mother and daughter, 12, tell of ‘utter despair’
Dad ‘stabbed severely disabled daughter, 12, to death and strangled wife’
Father in court after being charged with murder of wife and kid
Man ‘killed wife and autistic daughter’
Husband ‘stabbed autistic daughter & strangled his wife who was leaving him’
Man accused of double murder ‘confessed to psychiatrist’, court told

Patricia Bitters

No Photo Name: Patricia Bitters.
Died: September 3, 2022.
Age at death: 84.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Forres, Scotland, UK.
Disability: Mobility impaired.

Details:
Patricia lived with her grandson for the last five years of her life because she had trouble getting around and needed help. One night, her grandson came home drunk and beat her severely. She was taken to the hospital, but lived only six days before dying from her injuries.

Patricia had 13 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.

Case Status:
Scott McCulloch (Grandson), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 15 years to life.

Sources:
Killer beat his own gran to death when he was supposed to be looking after her
‘Please stay with me while I die’: Granny’s plea to nurse after killer grandson ‘lost it’

Man pleads guilty to murder of his 84-year-old grandmother

Man sentenced to life in prison for murdering grandmother

Sick brute jailed for life after brutally murdering frail grandmother

Helen Lawrie

No Photo Name: Helen Lawrie.
Died: April 4, 2022.
Age at death: 83.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Cromer, England, UK.
Disability: Dementia, mobility impaired, speech impaired, low vision.

Details:
Helen’s husband killed her before taking his own life.

Helen was a member of the Royal Cromer Golf Club. She owned hair salons and taught hairdressing.

Case Status:
Alexander Lawrie (Husband), deceased.

Sources:
Inquest verdict found couple died in ‘unlawful killing and suicide’ – Cromer
Inquests open into deaths at home of Cromer couple
Husband kills wife before taking his own life in tragic dementia pact