Ruth Brown

Photo of a woman with long, wispy blond hair and fair skin.Name: Ruth Brown.
Died: April 11, 2020.
Age at death: 52.
Cause of death: Bludgeoned.
Location: Bognor, England, UK.
Disability: COPD, chronic back pain.

Details:
Ruth died after being bludgeoned with a plastic tray. Her partner sent a text message to his brother reading, in part, “…I’ve killed Ruth,” and told police that he didn’t remember killing her because he had been drunk, but that he must have killed her, because “nobody else could have done it.”

Ruth was “the centre of [her] family”, an outgoing woman who could talk on the phone for hours. She volunteered for MIND and other mental health charities. Her family is raising money for a memorial plaque.

Case Status:
Wayne Morris (Partner), convicted of murder, sentenced to 17 years to life.

Source:
Man given life imprisonment for murder of Ruth Brown in Bognor
‘S***, what have I done, I panicked’ claims man accused over lockdown murder
‘Man bludgeoned partner to death with plastic tray after lockdown row’
Man accused claims he ‘panicked’ when he found partner’s body
Scots woman ‘killed by partner’ as he ‘couldn’t storm out house’ due to lockdown
Memorial plaque fundraiser launched for much-loved mother killed in Bognor Regis
Memorial garden for my mum, organized by Lauren Brown

Vanita Nowell

No PhotoName: Vanita Nowell.
Died: March 8, 2020.
Age at death: 68.
Cause of death: TBI, fractured ribs and spine.
Location: Peckham, London, England, UK.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Vanita’s son beat her so severely she died from her injuries, which included dozens of fractures and bleeding into her brain. He claimed her injuries were due to falls related to her dementia, but was convicted of murder.

Case Status:
Steffon Hewitt (Son), convicted of murder.

Sources:
Man who said mother’s rib and spine fractures were from dementia-related falls guilty of murder
Murderer claimed mother’s fatal injuries were due to her dementia

Cherith Van Der Ploeg

No Photo
Name: Cherith Van Der Ploeg.
Died: February 15, 2020.
Age at death: 60.
Cause of death: Smothered.
Location: Costessey, Norwich, England, UK.
Disability: Terminal lung cancer.

Details:
Cherith was dying of cancer when her ex-husband smothered her to death. His actions, Cherith’s daughter told the court, had robbed her of precious time with her mother; instead of grieving normally after her mother’s natural death on hospice care, she had to come to terms with her mother’s death while giving evidence to police about her murder.

Cherith was an introverted, family-oriented woman who always waved and greeted her neighbors when she saw them.

Case status:
Cornelius Van Der Ploeg (Ex-husband), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to six years to life.

Source:
It was not his decision to make – children devastated by murder of mum
Tributes paid to Cherith Van Der Ploeg who was found dead at Costessey home
Jailed: Telford father killed terminally ill ex-wife

David Allsopp

No PhotoName: David Allsopp.
Died: February 15, 2020.
Age at death: 67.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Derby, England, UK.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
David was exploited by a woman who moved in with him as his caregiver. She beat him on a regular basis and told his friends and family that the bruises were from falls. The beatings eventually killed him.

David leaves behind a twin sister.

Case status:
Magdalena Kissova (Caregiver, roommate), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 24 years.

Source:
Face of killer carer who savagely beat Derby man to death
‘Carer’ exploited and murdered vulnerable Derby man
Evil woman battered dementia OAP she was paid to care for to death

Jessica Dalgeish

Photo: A toddler girl with wet hair, wrapped in a terrycloth robe with hood. She has brown eyes and light-tan skin.Name: Jessica Dalgeish.
Died: December 24, 2019.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Skull fracture and brain injury.
Location: Sandgate, Kent, England, UK.
Disability: Global developmental delay, possible autism.

Details:
When Jessica refused to eat her lunch, her mother’s boyfriend became angry and threw her onto her bed. Her head hit a hard surface, causing a skull fracture, and she died from head injuries several days later. An autopsy found an old, healed head injury as well.

Case Status:
Paul Marsh (Mother’s boyfriend), convicted of manslaughter and child cruelty, sentenced to 6-11 years.

Sources:
Man battered disabled girl, three, to death after she refused to eat sandwich
Hythe careworker killed girlfriend’s disabled daughter after she refused lunch
Man killed girl, 3, in ‘fit of temper’
Disabled girl, 3, ‘killed by mum’s boyfriend after she refused to eat lunch’
Careworker accused of killing step-daughter, 3, told police ‘this will ruin me’
Autism Memorial: Jessica Dalgeish

Angela Tarver

Photo of an elderly woman with short white hair, brown eyes, and pale skin, wearing a green jacket.Name: Angela Tarver.
Died: December 19, 2019.
Age at death: 86.
Cause of death: Stabbed in the heart.
Location: Woking, Surrey, England, UK.
Disability: Stroke; limited speech and mobility.

Details:
Angela’s son killed her by stabbing her through the heart with an ornamental sword.

Her husband remembers how she always found ways to carry on with her interests and activities as her disability advanced. He calls her “the light of my life”.

Case status:
Philip Tarver, convicted of murder, sentenced to 19 years to life.

Source:
Husband’s heartbreaking tribute to wife ‘cruelly’ murdered by son
‘Scrounger’ son who decapitated disabled mom, 86, with sword and dumped her head in freezer jailed for life

Nicola Stevenson

Photo of a woman with pale skin, thin eyebrows, and a punk haircut that is dyed pink, shaved down on the left side, and straight and chin-length on the right.Name: Nicola Stevenson.
Died: November 13, 2019 (Body found, died approx. 2 weeks previously).
Age at death: 39.
Cause of death: Head trauma.
Location: Lewes, East Sussex, England, UK.
Disability: Russell-Silver syndrome, cancer survivor, mobility impaired.

Details:
Nicola’s partner, who was habitually abusive, hit her in the head with a hammer until she died of massive head injuries; then he stuffed her body into a trash bin, where it was found by a dog.

Nicola was recovering from cancer and had needed to re-learn walking; at the time of her death, she could walk short distances but still used a mobility scooter.

Case status:
Richard Canlin (Partner), convicted of murder, sentenced to 22 years to life.

Source:
Lewes landlady murder: Lodger Richard Canlin jailed
Man guilty of murdering Scots mum with hammer & dumping her body in wheelie bin
Arrests after body of Edinburgh woman found in wheelie bin in Sussex
Mum found dead in wheelie bin suffered horrific past abuse at the hands of ex
This is the wheelie bin a dog walker opened to find A WOMAN’S BODY stuffed inside

Kyrell Matthews

Photo of a toddler with his hair in small braids; he has light-brown skin and he is wearing a red and white sports jersey. His expression is thoughtful and somewhat puzzled.Name: Kyrell Matthews.
Died: October 20, 2019.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Abdominal trauma, torn liver.
Location: Thornton Heath, London, England, UK.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Kyrell was regularly beaten by his mother and her boyfriend. After a particularly severe beating, emergency services found him dying from internal injuries.

Kyrell’s grandmother remembers him as “the most loving little boy, always smiling”.

Case Status:
Kemar Brown (Mother’s partner), found guilty of murder, sentenced to 25 years.
Phylesia Shirley (Mother), found guilty of manslaughter, sentenced to 13 years.

Sources:
Mum and partner jailed for killing autistic toddler son
Kyrell Matthews: Man found guilty of murdering partner’s two-year-old son who died with 41 rib fractures
Kyrell Matthews: Man jailed for 25 years for murdering partner’s two-year-old son, who was treated ‘like a punchbag’
Mum’s partner jailed for 25 years for horrific killing of her autistic son

Janet Lewis

No PhotoName: Janet Lewis.
Died: September 1, 2019.
Age at death: 76.
Cause of death: Stabbing.
Location: Hullbridge, Essex, England, UK.
Disability: None; husband convinced she would have a stroke and need to go to a nursing home.

Details:
Janet’s husband was convinced that he was getting dementia and that Janet was going to have a stroke, and that he would need to put her in a nursing home and pay £800 a day for her care. He stabbed her to death and attempted to hang himself, but survived.

Janet’s husband does not have dementia; he was diagnosed with anxiety and “obsessive worrying”, declared competent to stand trial, and convicted of murder.

Case status:
Robert Lewis (Husband), convicted of murder, sentenced to 16 years.

Source:
Hullbridge murder trial: Robert Lewis jailed for murder of wife Janet
Hullbridge murder trial: Robert Lewis guilty of murdering wife Janet
Janet Lewis death: Husband ‘had abnormal mental functioning’
Hullbridge: Robert Lewis murdered wife Janet after ‘obsession’ with dementia

Deborah Leitch

Photo of a young woman with Down syndrome; she has very fair skin and fine blonde hair, and her maroon glasses are slipping down her nose. She is smiling. Name: Deborah Leitch.
Died: August 29, 2019.
Age at death: 24.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: South Shore, Blackpool, England, UK.
Disability: Down syndrome.

Details:
Deborah’s mother let her die from “severe emaciation and neglect;” Deborah was found starved in her home, with a severe and untreated scabies infection.

She was described by her family as a cheerful girl who was “always smiling.” She loved horses, had a boyfriend, and had attended college and a day-care program.

Case Status:
Elaine Clarke (Mother), pleaded guilty to gross negligence manslaughter, sentenced to 6 to 9 years 7 months.
Robert Bruce (Household member), charged with allowing or causing the death of a vulnerable adult; charges dropped.

Source:
SAR Learning Brief – Jessica “Jessica” is Deborah’s pseudonym.
Debbie Leitch looked ‘like a skeleton’ before neglect death
Mother’s manipulation of social services left vulnerable woman to die of malnutrition in filthy bed
Mum who starved daughter to death will not have sentence increased
Mum who starved disabled daughter to death could see jail sentence increased
My monster ex starved our daughter to death – she’ll be out in just 6 years
Mum who allowed disabled daughter to die in squalor jailed
Mum abandoned daughter who starved to death in infested room
Evil mum starved disabled daughter to death in ‘maggot and faeces’ covered room
My ex starved our daughter to death while taking £215 a week in benefits
Mum left her disabled daughter to starve to death in ‘faeces-laden’ and ‘maggot-infested’ bedroom
My ex-wife starved our disabled daughter to death – I found out on Facebook
Pair appear in court accused of causing the death of ‘vulnerable’ disabled woman in South Shore
Blackpool woman’s death: Pair charged with manslaughter
Two charged with manslaughter over death of emaciated and neglected 24-year-old
Pair face charges over death of woman with Down’s syndrome by neglect
Two face charges after disabled girl was found dead with ‘severe emaciation’