Category: Location: USA

Arya Smith

Photo of a girl with brown skin and black hair done in small braids, decorated with barrettes, wearing a blue sleeveless shirt; she is smiling for the camera.Name: Arya Smith.
Died: December 27, 2022.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Miami Beach, Florida, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Arya’s mother called 911 and reportedly confessed to killing Arya; when she couldn’t strangle the girl, she stabbed her to death instead. Family said she was “stressed” due to Arya’s possible autism and a recent eviction notice.

Case Status:
Jellisa Baxter (Mother), charged with aggravated child abuse and first-degree murder.

Sources:
‘She loved her baby,’ says dad of J’can held for killing 3-y-o in US | Loop Cayman Islands
Mother charged in stabbing death of daughter, 3, in North Miami Beach apartment
Stepfather of mother who stabbed, killed daughter says woman was ‘stressed’
Autism Memorial: Arya Smith

Jessie Pickle

Photo of a smiling boy with fair skin and short brown hair, dressed in a brown coat over a red flannel shirt, pointing toward the camera. He is smiling, mouth open.Name: Jessie Pickle.
Died: December 26, 2022.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Untreated infection.
Location: Athens, Texas, USA.
Disability: Autism, fetal alcohol syndrome.

Details:
Jessie died from an untreated infection while in the care of his stepmother. Videos provided to the police by his father, who spent long periods away at work and monitored his children with video cameras, show Jessie’s stepmother responding to his obvious illness by locking him in his room for the night; in the morning, she found Jessie dead.

Case Status:
Shonna Pickle (Stepmother), charged with injury to a child.

Sources:
Autism Memorial: Jessie Pickle
Athens woman arrested in death of 10-year-old autistic non-verbal stepson
Affidavit: Athens woman’s abuse, neglect led to death of child

Barbara Reader

No PhotoName: Barbara P. Reader.
Died: December 10, 2022.
Age at death: 83.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Portland, Oregon, USA.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Barbara’s husband shot her in a murder-suicide.

Case Status:
Peter L. Reader (Husband), deceased.

Sources:
Elderly Couple Found Shot Dead Inside Home: Police
Elderly couple found shot dead inside home: police
A couple found shot dead in the Beaumont-Wilshire borough have been “joined at the waist”, neighbors say – Washington News
Elderly couple found shot dead in Beaumont-Wilshire were ‘joined at the hip,’ neighbor says
Police: Elderly couple found dead in NE Portland home died in murder-suicide

Josiah Green

No PhotoName: Josiah Green.
Died: December 4, 2022.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Burns.
Location: Brooklyn, New York, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
When Josiah’s father called for an ambulance, medics found the teenager dead, with severe burns over 90% of his body. His father allegedly told authorities that Josiah had accidentally fallen into a bathtub full of scalding water two days before, and he had treated the boy with over-the-counter remedies instead of taking him to the hospital. Police say that the extent of the teen’s burns is not consistent with the brief exposure to hot tap water that his father reported.

Case Status:
Josiah’s death has been ruled a homicide. Police are still investigating the possibility that Josiah was accidentally burned, after which medical care was delayed for two days.

Sources:
Death of special needs Brooklyn teen found burned in apartment deemed a homicide, NYPD says
Special needs teen Josiah Green found burned to death in NYC home
Teenager with special needs found burned to death in bathtub
Brooklyn special needs teen’s death from scalding water burns a homicide, NYPD says

Edwin Colleson

No PhotoName: Edwin Colleson.
Died: December 4, 2022.
Age at death: 45.
Cause of death: Undetermined.
Location: Hitchcock, Texas, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Edwin was admitted to the hospital in critical condition, covered in scars and bedsores and with multiple injuries as well as evidence of having been tied up. He weighed 70 pounds, and died six days later. His parents claimed they had been trying to cure his disability with “holistic treatment” that, police say, amounted to torture.

Case Status:
Billie Jean Barnes (Mother), found guilty of injury to a disabled person, sentenced to 5-10 years.
Timothy Ray Ellis (Stepfather), found guilty of murder, sentenced to 30-60 years.

Sources:
HORRIFYING DETAILS: Texas man sentenced for murdering special needs stepson, left him hogtied in trailer
A 45-year-old man police say was abused by his mother and step-father died on Sunday
45-year-old with intellectual disability dies 5 days after Hitchcock police find him disfigured
Disabled man dies from injuries after subjected to torturous ‘holistic’ procedures by mother, stepfather, Hitchcock police say

Kenneth BoClair

No PhotoName: Kenneth BoClair.
Died: November 30, 2022.
Age at death: 58.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Jackson, Mississippi, USA.
Disability: Paralyzed.

Details:
Kenneth was stabbed to death by his son.

Case Status:
Kristopher BoClair (Son), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, sentenced to 40 years with 15 suspended; will serve 25 years and 3 years parole.

Sources:
Man found dead inside house, son surrenders to police
Man sentenced after confessing to killing bedridden father
Man sentenced for stabbing paralyzed father to death in Jackson home

Patrice Johnson

Photo of a young woman with brown skin and dark, short hair. She has large eyes and a square jaw, and is leaning on someone to the right of the photo. A hand supports her chin.Name: Patrice Johnson.
Died: November 18, 2022.
Age at death: 26.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Springfield Gardens, Queens, New York City, New York, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
When Patrice’s aide arrived at her house, they found her dead, along with her aunt and stepmother. Patrice’s nephew was arrested on suspicion of having stabbed all three women to death after an argument.

Police say that Patrice’s stepmother, 65-year-old Hyacinth Brown-Johnson, died trying to protect her. Also killed was Latoya Gordon, 47, Hycainth’s daughter.

Case Status:
Jabari Burrell (Nephew), charged with three counts of first-degree and second-degree murder, grand larceny, and criminal possession of a weapon.

Sources:
Brooklyn Man Charged In Triple Homicide
Suspect arrested in fatal stabbings of grandmother, 2 aunts: sources
Queens killer fatally stabs three relatives in Springfield Gardens home; cops seek fugitive family member
Queens triple murder: Mom, daughter and disabled stepdaughter stabbed to death, hunt on for family member
Suspect in Queens triple homicide reveals grisly details on slays: sources
UPDATE: Relative arrested in Friday triple killing
Family member of Queens murder victims charged in their deaths: Police
Queens man wanted for fatally stabbing family members arrested in Virginia covered in blood
Gran shielded stepdaughter as nephew allegedly stabbed pair to death
Relative arrested in Friday triple killing

Madelin Day

Photo of a pale-skinned girl with curly blond hair, lying in a big yellow head-support pillow, fists bunched up next to her face. She has strabismus in one eye. She is smiling.Name: Madelin Anika Day.
Died: November 16, 2022.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Cocaine overdose.
Location: Mattoon, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; mobility impaired.

Details:
Madelin died from a cocaine overdose while in the care of her mother and her boyfriend. It is unknown whether she got into the cocaine on her own, or whether it was deliberately administered.

Madeline liked being outdoors, floating in the pool or soaking up the sun. She had a collection of stuffed animals, and loved her grandma’s dog Milo. Her favorite color was blue.

Case Status:
Taylor West (Mother), charged with first-degree murder and drug-induced homicide.
Maverick Bowman (Mother’s boyfriend), charged with first-degree murder and drug-induced homicide.

Sources:
Police: Disabled child dies of cocaine overdose; two individuals arrested
Two Mattoon people arrested for drug-induced homicide, murder of child
Two arrested in connection with 4-year-old’s cocaine overdose death, police say
Madelin Day Obituary (2017 – 2022)

Vincent Roebuck

No PhotoName: Vincent Roebuck.
Died: November 16, 2022.
Age at death: 72.
Cause of death: Stabbing.
Location: Mt. Washington, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Wheelchair user.

Details:
Vincent’s son allegedly broke into his house and stabbed him to death. Vincent’s other son was also stabbed, but survived.

Case Status:
Javon Taylor (Son), charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, and burglary.

Sources:
Police: Man fatally stabbed father in Mt. Washington because he ‘wanted a cigarette’
Pennsylvania man allegedly killed father and stabbed brother because he was ‘frustrated, cold, and wanted a cigarette’

Alice Matheny

Photo of a smiling elderly woman, with deeply wrinkled fair skin and curly white hair, smiling for the camera. She is wearing wire-rimmed glasses and an orange blouse.Name: Alice Matheny.
Died: November 15, 2022.
Age at death: 93.
Cause of death: Drowning.
Location: Eaton, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Disabled elder.

Details:
Alice’s granddaughter, who had just found out that Alice needed a nursing home and her insurance wouldn’t cover it, allegedly drowned her grandmother in the kitchen sink.

Case Status:
Heidi Matheny (Granddaughter), pleaded guilty to murder.

Sources:
Ohio woman drowns 93-year-old grandmother in sink
Ohio woman pleads guilty to drowning 93-year-old ‘perfect’ grandmother in kitchen sink
Ohio woman confesses to drowning grandmother who needed nursing home: reports
Ohio Woman Allegedly Drowned Her Grandmother In Kitchen Sink Over Cost Of Nursing Home Care
Woman charged with murder accused of drowning grandmother, 93, in Eaton
Eaton woman admits to killing grandma