Location: USA – Page 111 – Disability Day of Mourning

Hevin Jenkins

Photo of Hevin Jenkins, a baby looking at the camera over the bottle he is holding and sucking on. Name: Hevin Dakota James Lee Jenkins.
Died: December 15, 2005.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Drowned.
Location: Hurricane, West Virginia, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Hevin was drowned by his aunt, and her boyfriend disposed of his body, which has never been found.

Case status:
Tonya Sloan (Aunt), second-degree murder, sentenced to 40 years.
Anthony Milam (Aunt’s boyfriend), accessory after the fact, sentenced to 1 year in prison.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Hevin Jenkins
Hevin Dakota James Lee Jenkins
Woman charged in her autistic nephew’s death

Nikolas Chavez III

Black and white photo of Nikolas Chavez, a toddler with wispy, curly blonde hair, wearing a onesie and a puzzled expression. Name: Nikolas Chavez III.
Died: November 30, 2005.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: North Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.
Disability: Developmental disability.

Details:
Nikolas was beaten to death by his godfather.

Case status:
Robert Knutsen (Godfather); sentenced to 7 years, served 4 years and released.

Source:
Nikolas Tyler Chavez III
Trial begins of N.B. man accused of beating his godson to death

Dylan Walborn

Pencil drawing of Dylan Walborn, a small boy with light skin and dark hair. His mouth is open. Name: Dylan Walborn.
Died: November 11, 2005.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Dehydration.
Location: Thornton, Colorado, USA.
Disability: Perinatal brain damage, cerebral palsy, epilepsy.

Details:
Dylan had a stroke in utero, and was not supposed to live to see his first birthday. But he lived to be four years old.

At four, Dylan died of starvation and dehydration because his parents stopped feeding him through his feeding tube. It took him twenty-four days to die.

Case status:
Kerri Bruning (Mother) and Dave Walborn (Father), no crime.

Source:
History of euthanasia in Canada
Letting go: Dylan’s last days
Children’s Hospital Euthanizes Dylan Walborn
“Dylan Must Die”

Jason Ritzert

Photo of Jason Ritzert, an man wearing a headband and casual clothes and sitting on a dirt bike. He has a tattoo on his right arm. Name: Jason Ritzert.
Died: November 10, 2005.
Age at death: 30.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Jason’s roommates, who often abused him under the pretext of “punishing” him, set him on fire and then left his severe burns untreated for days before strangling him.

Case status:
Timothy Caldwell, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, sentenced to life in prison.
Melissa Adams, pleaded guilty to third-degree murder, sentenced to 30-60 years.
Russell Lee Hilliard, pleaded guilty to third-degree murder, sentenced to 20-40 years.

Source:
Butler pair held in ‘bizarre’ killing of roommate

Mary Mount

Name: Mary Mount.
Died: October 19, 2005 (Body found; died around January 4, 2004).
Age at death: 28.
Cause of death: Smothered.
Location: Cape Coral, Florida, USA.
Disability: Russell Silver Syndrome.

Details:
Mary left home to stay in a hotel room with her boyfriend. Sometime during that time, she disappeared. Her boyfriend was questioned; initially, he said that she had taken her car and left, then that she had died of natural causes and he had buried her body. Years later, new evidence led to murder charges, and he admitted to smothering Mary to death.

Case Status:
Terry Daniel McDonald (Boyfriend), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 25 years.

Sources:
Man sentenced to 25 years in prison for 2004 killing of Lee County woman
Terry McDonald charged with murder of Mary Mount, State Attorney’s Office says
Man sentenced to 25 years in prison for 2004 killing of Lee County woman
El Paso Police Department Voluntary Statement
Family says suspect has gotten away with murder for 14 years

Sarah Naylor

No Photo Name: Sarah Naylor.
Died: September 29, 2005.
Age at death: 27.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Springdale, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Sarah’s mother shot her dead and then committed suicide.

Case status:
Jane Naylor (Mother), deceased.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Sarah Naylor
Mother kills autistic daughter, then herself

Abubakar Nadama

No Photo Name: Abubakar Tariq Nadama.
Died: August 23, 2005.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Chelation therapy.
Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
In an effort to cure his autism, Abubakar’s parents took him to a doctor for chelation therapy. The doctor administered the wrong medication, too quickly, and Abubakar died.

Case status:
Roy Kerry (Doctor), charged with negligent manslaughter, charges dropped.
Abubakar’s parents (No crime).

Source:
Autism Memorial: Abubakar Nadama
Justice may yet prevail in the case of Abubakar Nadama
5-year-old British autistic boy dies after alternative therapy in U.S.
Abubakar Tariq Nadama – More Quackery Revealed

Talia Williams

Photo of Talia Williams, a young girl in pigtails decorated with plastic barrettes; she has brown skin and she is smiling. Name: Talia Williams.
Died: July 16, 2005.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Abuse.
Location: Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii, USA.
Disability: Incontinence.

Details:
Talia was beaten to death by her father and stepmother.

Case status:
Naeem Williams (Father), murder, life without parole.
Delilah Williams (Stepmother) murder, sentenced to 20 years.

Source:
Talia Williams

Adacelli Snyder

Portrait photo of a toddler girl in overalls, earrings, and a buzz cut. Name: Adacelli Snyder.
Died: June 29, 2005.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Malnutrition, infection.
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Disability: Cerebral Palsy.

Details:
Adacelli’s parents neglected her and kept her in filthy conditions. She died of a combination of malnutrition and infection.

Case status:
Jack Richardson (Father), sentenced to 10 years to life.
Charlene Snyder (Mother), sentenced to 10 years to life.

Source:
Angelizdsplace: Adacelli Snyder
Parents accused in death of girl

Donna Spadea

No Photo Name: Donna Spadea.
Died: June 26, 2005.
Age at death: 59.
Cause of death: Poisoning.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Along with several other intellectually disabled adults, Donna was imprisoned, starved, drugged, and beaten by Linda Weston, who acted as her Social Security payee so that she could steal Donna’s money. Donna died after two months of captivity while she was imprisoned in a tiny laundry room, and toxicology testing revealed that she had been poisoned with the drugs Linda had regularly mixed into her food.

Case status:
Linda Weston (Caretaker), multiple charges, life sentence + 80 years.
Gregory Thomas, charged with hate crimes.
Jean McIntosh, pleaded guilty, sentenced to 40 years.
Eddie Wright, pleaded guilty, sentenced to 27 years.
Nicklaus Woodard, pleaded guilty to several charges, including conspiracy, kidnapping and using a firearm in an act of violence, sentenced to 27 years.

Source:
‘Tacony dungeon’ woman who imprisoned disabled adults gets life sentence + 80 years
Daughter of Tacony dungeon ‘mastermind’ gets 40 years – Metro Philadelphia
Tacony ‘dungeon’ case ends with admission of hate crimes against disabled
Seven years after rescue, ‘Tacony dungeon’ victims confront tormentor sentenced to 40 years
‘Pastor Wright,’ codefendant in Tacony dungeon case, gets 27 years in prison
“Basement of horrors” indictment brings light to 2008 Norfolk death
‘Tacony dungeon’ woman who imprisoned disabled adults gets life sentence + 80 years