Location: USA – Page 2 – Disability Day of Mourning

Janette Becraft

Photo of an older woman with pale skin and short, curly white hair, wearing a white suit jacket and smiling. Name: Janette Becraft.
Died: February 8, 2024.
Age at death: 85.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Portland, Oregon, USA.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Police responded to Janette’s home and, after a standoff with her husband, found her shot dead inside. They arrested her husband.

Janette took pleasure in owning and driving her 1968 Mustang. Spending time with the ladies from the Red Hat Society was a joy for her. She also loved to travel and play games; Scrabble was one of her favorites.

Case Status:
William Albert “Billy Jack” Haynes Jr. (Husband), charged with murder.

Sources:
Former WWE Wrestler Billy Jack Haynes Charged With Wife’s Murder
Former WWE Wrestler in Custody Over Wife’s Murder
Former WWF wrestler arrested in wife’s murder
Mercy Killings and CTE | WWF Star Billy Jack Haynes’ Alleged Murder Of His 85-Year-Old Wife With Dementia Leads To Deeper Questions
Former W.W.F. Wrestler Arrested in Wife’s Murder

Jeremiah Moore

No Photo Name: Jeremiah Moore.
Died: February 6, 2024.
Age at death: 16.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Springfield Township, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Jeremiah was found dead in his home. He had been chained to a cot in a basement closet and had no food in his system when he died from malnutrition and dehydration.

Case Status:
Tamara Moore (Adoptive mother), charged with murder, endangering a child, involuntary manslaughter and failure to report a crime.
William Turnage (Adoptive mother’s boyfriend), charged with murder, endangering a child, involuntary manslaughter and failure to report a crime.

Sources:
Man wanted for murder of autistic teen arrested, police say
Autistic teen found starved, chained to cot in Ohio
Autistic teen was treated ‘worse than an animal,’ prosecutor says
Autistic teen found starved, chained to cot, Ohio officials say. Adoptive mom arrested
Police: Springfield Twp. mother arrested in connection to death of teenager with autism
Neighborhood shocked over murder of autistic teenager
Springfield Township woman charged in murder of adopted son, who was autistic
Police: Springfield Township man wanted in murder of autistic child in custody
Mom arrested, murder warrant issued for man in autistic teen’s death: Police
Autistic teen found starved, chained to cot, Ohio officials say. Adoptive mom arrested
Mistreatment of special needs teen leads to murder charges
‘Justice for J.J.’: Adoptive mother and man indicted in 16-year-old’s death

Geanna Bradley

Name: Geanna Bradley.
Died: January 18, 2024.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Starvation, blunt trauma, pneumonia.
Location: Wahiawa, Hawaii, USA.
Disability: ADHD; foster parents suspected schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Details:
Gianna was found dead in her home, the victim of a suspicious death that investigators soon realized had come from repeated abuse. She had died from multiple blunt force injuries, starvation, and pneumonia.

Case Status:
Brandy Blas (Foster mother), charged with endangering the welfare of a minor, second-degree murder, kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment.
Thomas Blas (Foster father), charged with endangering the welfare of a minor, second-degree murder, kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment.

Sources:
Legal Guardians Accused Of ‘Prolonged Abuse’ In 10-Year-Old’s Death
Birth father of Geanna Bradley shares his final memories of his daughter

Otis Jones

Photo of an African American man with medium-brown skin, his hair in neat braids, wearing a brown polo shirt. Name: Otis Jones Jr.
Died: January 5, 2024.
Age at death: 44.
Cause of death: Burns.
Location: Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
Disability: Spinal cord injury.

Details:
Otis was pulled out of his burning home by firefighters; but he died from his injuries eight days later. The fire was ruled arson, and Otis’s niece is suspected of setting the fire.

Case Status:
Keechaundra Deshay Cook (Niece), charged with murder.

Sources:
‘They wouldn’t help me’: Mother of paralyzed man who died from fire says she tried to get help for family member responsible
Birmingham woman charged after uncle dies in house fire
Woman charged after brother dies following Birmingham house fire
Man dies after house fire — now his niece is charged with murder, Alabama cops say

Karter Holloway

Name: Karter Holloway.
Died: January 1, 2024.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Traumatic brain injury.
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Medics were called to Karter’s house, where they found him seriously injured, covered head to toe in bruises. He died from a brain hemorrhage in the hospital the next day. His father was arrested on suspicion of having beaten him severely.

Case Status:
Amir Hines (Father), charged with murder and felony intentional child abuse.

Sources:
Funeral held for non-verbal 5-year-old Karter Holloway, beaten to death
Raleigh father charged with murder in 5-year-old son’s death, family said boy was ‘beaten all over’
Dad allegedly beat 5-year-old nonverbal son to death, leaving boy bruised from ‘head to toe’
N.C. father accused of fatally beating 5-year-old autistic son, causing brain hemorrhage
Karter Holloway ( bop bop ), organized by Kennedy Holloway

Arthur Stanton

No Photo Name: Arthur Kenneth Stanton.
Died: December 28, 2023.
Age at death: 63.
Cause of death: Negligent care.
Location: Watkinsville, Georgia, USA.
Disability: Unspecified/care-dependent.

Details:
Arthur was found in poor condition in his home, where he had been left in filth, uncared-for. He was taken to the hospital, but died the next day.

Case Status:
Daivid Allen Stanton (Son), charged with felony murder, reckless conduct, and neglect of a disabled or elderly person.
Sandra Dee Bass (Housemate), charged with neglect of a disabled or elderly person.

Sources:
Second suspect charged in Oconee Co death
Son arrested in connection to death of father found in ‘extreme medical distress,’ Ga. deputies say
Oconee County man arrested for neglect, murder of 63-year-old father
Man arrested for the murder of his father

84-year-old woman

No Photo Name Unknown.
Died: December 27, 2023.
Age at death: 84.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Seal Beach, California, USA.
Disability: Disabled elder.

Details:
This elderly woman was staying with her son because she needed help with medical care when he fatally shot her, then himself. He had been known to “express frustration” with his “inability to care for his mother’s condition”.

Case Status:
Ruled murder-suicide.

Sources:

Bodies found in Seal Beach home were mother and son; murder-suicide likely
Son, frustrated with taking care of aging mom, kills her and himself, police say
Man, ailing mother identified in Seal Beach murder-suicide, police say
SBPD closes Ocean Avenue death investigation

Nicholas Wallwork

No Photo Name: Nicholas James Wallwork.
Died: December 27, 2023.
Age at death: 66.
Cause of death: Heroin overdose.
Location: Taylorsville, Utah, USA.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Medics found Nicholas on the floor, not breathing, and could not revive him. Nicholas’s niece allegedly poisoned him with heroin; police say she told them that she was trying to “ease the pain”.

Case Status:
Kimberly Wallwork (Niece), charged with second-degree manslaughter.

Sources:
Woman accused of killing uncle who had dementia in Taylorsville
Utah woman admits to giving uncle multiple doses of heroin before his death, police say

George and Gianna Kantanka

Name: George Kantanka.
Name: Gianna Kantanka.

Died: December 18, 2023.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Smothered.
Location: Bronx, New York City, New York, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
With their father away working the night shift, George and Gianna were alone with their mother when she called for an ambulance, saying they were unresponsive. The twins were found dead in their beds. Initially, it seemed they had died of natural causes, but an autopsy concluded they had both been smothered.

Case Status:
Gloria Asamoah (Mother), charged with murder.

Sources:
Mother Is Charged With Murder of Twins Found Dead in the Bronx
Bronx mom indicted for murder in deaths of 5-year-old twin children

Damari Carter

Name: Damari Carter.
Died: December 7, 2023 (Missing, presumed dead).
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Missing, presumed dead.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Nonspeaking; suspected learning disability.

Details:
Neighbors heard Damari screaming; then his mother’s boyfriend was seen dragging a trash bag out of their apartment. Eventually, police asked his mother what had happened, and she said that her boyfriend had beaten Damari, killing him, and then put him in a trash can. Police are still searching for Damari’s body.

Case Status:
Dominique Bailey (Mother), charged with murder and abuse of a corpse.
Kevin Spencer, charged with murder and abuse of a corpse.

Sources:
Mom Claimed 4-Year-Old Was Hit by a Car; Now She & Boyfriend Are Accused of Murdering Him
Police do not believe they will find 4-year-old Damari Carter’s body
‘Damari Was My Heart’: Dad of Pa. Boy, 4, Speaks Out After Boy’s Mom & Her Boyfriend Are Charged with Murder (Exclusive)
Boy’s body remains missing after mom, boyfriend are charged in his murder
West Philadelphia detectives searching dumpsters for body of missing 4-year-old Damari Carter: police sources – CBS Philadelphia