Category: Location: USA

James Parham

Photo of a man sitting in a wheelchair. He is wearing a white T-shirt printed with a logao and a worn beige baseball cap. He has light skin, fuzzy gray hair, and a sparse mustache and beard. One of his eyes is pointed off to the side, and his hands are thin and bent with contractures.Name: James “Little Jimmie” Parham.
Died: February 13, 2023.
Age at death: 40.
Cause of death: Unspecified neglect.
Location: Clarksville, Tennessee, USA.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
James, called Little Jimmie, died from alleged neglect while in the care of his father and nephew.

Jimmie was a car enthusiast who enjoyed going to car shows.

Case Status:
James Parham Sr. (Father), charged with first-degree murder and aggravated neglect of a vulnerable adult resulting in serious physical harm.
Austin Parham (Nephew), charged with first-degree murder and aggravated neglect of a vulnerable adult resulting in serious physical harm.

Sources:
Father, nephew charged with killing disabled man last February in Montgomery County – ClarksvilleNow.com
James Parham – ClarksvilleNow.com

Yoshiko Gano

Photo of a Japanese woman with light skin and short, dark-brown curly hair, smiling. She is wearing a red sweater.Name: Yoshiko Gano.
Died: February 6, 2023.
Age at death: 78.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Kapolei (Makakilo), Hawaii, USA.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
Yoshiko was shot by her husband in a murder-suicide.

She liked spending time with her grandchildren and posting photos of food, both home-cooked and from restaurants, on social media.

Case Status:
Alan Gano (Husband), deceased.

Sources:
Neighbors remember elderly Makakilo couple involved in possible murder-suicide
Incident | Gun Violence Archive
Husband and wife identified in Makakilo murder-suicide case

Ezekiel Irwin

No PhotoName: Ezekiel Irwin.
Died: January 31, 2023.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Suffocation.
Location: Pueblo, Colorado, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy from prematurity; tracheostomy.

Details:
Ezekiel’s mother became frustrated because he kept pulling out his trach. She physically abused him and did not clean his trach properly. When it became blocked, she ignored the alarm until Ezekiel suffocated.

Case Status:
Mythia Latka (Mother), convicted of first-degree murder, sentenced to life without parole.

Sources:
Pueblo mom sentenced to life in prison for death of special needs son
‘Frustrated’ mom left toddler alone to die with blocked breathing tube after abusing him
Pueblo mother charged with first-degree murder in 2-year-old son’s death

16-year-old boy

No PhotoName Unknown.
Died: January 31, 2023.
Age at death: 16.
Cause of death: Complications of ulcerative colitis.
Location: Salem Township, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Chronic illness.

Details:
This 16-year-old boy was found dead from untreated medical problems after a long history of medical neglect by his family.

Case Status:
Cheryl D’Angola (Mother), charged with involuntary manslaughter and child abuse; died while awaiting trial.

Sources:
Woman charged with homicide in son’s death dies at Washtenaw County Jail

Athena Brownfield

Photo of a small girl with light-brown hair and fair skin, wearing a blue flannel shirt and a giant light-blue bow in her hair.Name: Athena Brownfield.
Died: January 17, 2023 (Body found; died December 25, 2022).
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Cyril, Oklahoma, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Athena and her five-year-old sister lived with a couple who served as their caregivers. On a cold January day, Athena’s sister was found wandering her neighborhood by the mail carrier, but Athena herself was nowhere to be found. Police questioned their caregivers and, after reportedly finding evidence on one of the caregivers’ cell phones, arrested their caregivers. Police believe they have found Athena’s body, but it has not yet been positively identified.

Case Status:
Ivon Adams (Caretaker), charged with first-degree murder and child neglect.
Alysia Adams (Caretaker), charged with first-degree murder and child neglect.

Sources:

Caregiver ‘beat’ 4-year-old Oklahoma girl to death on Christmas, court documents say
Athena Brownfield: Remains found in Oklahoma identified as missing 4-year-old
Body found in search for missing four-year-old Athena Brownfield after caregiver charged with murder
Man Faces Murder Charge In Case Of Missing 4-Year-Old Girl
OSBI, OHP and others searching for missing little girl
Athena Brownfield update: Male caregiver faces murder charge in missing 4-year-old girl, police say
A married couple taking care of a 4-year-old girl is under arrest and face charges in her disappearance, Oklahoma officials say
Second caregiver faces murder charge after disappearance of 4-year-old Oklahoma girl
AZ court docs: Second caregiver of missing Oklahoma child arrested on murder, neglect complaints
Autism Memorial: Athena Brownfield

Kaleb Bogan

Photo of a young boy with dark skin, grinning at the camera, lying back on a pillow, wearing an orange tank top printed with "Let's" (the rest of the message is out of frame).Name: Kaleb Bogan.
Died: January 15, 2023.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma and burns.
Location: Tupelo, Mississippi, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Paramedics were called to Kaleb’s home, where he was unresponsive. They performed CPR but were unable to revive him, and he was pronounced dead at the hospital, where doctors reported that Kaleb’s body was covered in scars and burns. His mother was arrested.

Case Status:
Brianna Young (Mother), charged with murder, child abuse, and child neglect.

Sources:
Tupelo mother held without bond after charges upgraded to capital murder
Tupelo woman charged with child abuse after 5 year old autistic child died over weekend | Tippah News
Tupelo woman charged after five-year-old autistic son dies | DeSoto County News
Tupelo mom charged in death of 5-year-old son
Funeral Expenses for Kaleb Bogan, organized by Leslie Harris
Autism Memorial: Kaleb Bogan

Mary Fischer

No PhotoName: Mary Fischer.
Died: January 13, 2023.
Age at death: 72.
Cause of death: Unspecified homicide.
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Disability: Chronic illness.

Details:
Mary’s husband called emergency services, saying he had killed her and was going to kill himself. Responders who entered Mary’s home found her and her husband both dead.

Case Status:
Paul Fischer (Husband), deceased.

Sources:
Las Vegas couple found dead in Death Valley following allege murder-suicide
Elderly couple from Las Vegas found dead in Death Valley National Park

Skyler Wilson

Photo of light-skinned, blond boy wearing a blue print shirt and grinning. He is holding a plastic toy sword.Name: Skyler Wilson.
Died: January 9, 2023.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Hypoxic brain injury.
Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
Disability: Reactive attachment disorder.

Details:
Skyler’s parents allegedly tried to “treat” him by swaddling him tightly–so tightly that he could not breathe. Skyler was rushed to the hospital, but died four days later from a brain injury caused by lack of oxygen.

Case Status:
Joseph Wilson (Adoptive father), charged with murder.
Jodi Wilson (Adoptive mother), charged with murder.

Sources:
Warrants reveal Surry County 4-year-old died of hypoxic brain injury, wrist and ankle straps found in home
Search warrants reveal Surry County 4-year-old died from a hypoxic brain injury
Search warrant sheds light on child’s death
Parents Abused 4-Year-Old Son, Who Languished in Hospital for Days before Dying: Deputies
Husband, wife charged with murder of 4-year-old

Megan Frix

Photo of a young woman with fair skin and short brown hair, laughing; she is wearing a black and white blouse.Name: Megan Frix.
Died: January 8, 2023.
Age at death: 26.
Cause of death: Unspecified homicide.
Location: Cumming, Georgia, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Megan was killed by her father in a homicide-suicide.

Case Status:
Jerry Frix (Father), deceased.

Sources:
Days after alleged murder-suicide of father and disabled daughter, FoCo service group sheds light on larger issue
Ga. Father Murdered Adult Daughter with Special Needs Before Killing Himself
Forsyth County father and daughter dead in murder-suicide, deputies say
Adult with special needs allegedly killed by father in murder-suicide in Forsyth County
Megan Frix Obituary
Autism Memorial: Megan Frix

Cora Laszkiewicz

Photo of a teenage girl with pale skin and brown hair pulled back into a ponytail. She is wearing a tie-dyed T-shirt. She is smiling for the camera, mouth open in amusement. Name: Cora Laszkiewicz.
Died: January 4, 2023.
Age at death: 23.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Cora died of malnutrition under the care of her mother.

Case Status:
Amy Laszkiewicz (Mother), pleaded no contest to recklessly subjecting an at-risk individual to abuse causing death; sentenced to 20 years in prison and 15 years probation.

Sources:
Autistic daughter starved to death, Pewaukee woman sentenced
Pewaukee woman sentenced after autistic daughter starved to death
Pewaukee mom sentenced to 20 years for death of autistic daughter
Judge throws book at mom who starved 70-pound adult daughter with ‘severe autism’ to death
Mother enters plea in malnutrition death of autistic daughter
Mom pleads guilty for allowing adult daughter with ‘severe autism’ to starve to death
Pewaukee mother accused of killing autistic daughter enters plea, avoids trial
Mother charged in malnutrition death of autistic daughter
Mother allegedly allowed her daughter with “severe autism” to starve herself to death
Pewaukee woman charged in death of malnourished autistic adult daughter
Autism Memorial: Cora Laszkiewicz