Location: USA – Page 39 – Disability Day of Mourning

Melissa Pierce

Name: Melissa Pierce.
Died: May 24, 2019.
Age at death: 47.
Cause of death: Malnutrition/dehydration.
Location: Chesterfield, Virginia, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy, intellectual disability.

Details:
Melissa’s body was found in her bed; she had died of malnutrition and dehydration due to neglect. She lived with family and her sister was listed as her primary caregiver.

Case status:
Davina Blackwell (sister), charged with felony murder.

Source:
Death of disabled Chesterfield woman has been ruled a case of neglect and homicide
Chesterfield woman charged with felony murder and neglect in sister’s death
‘Killed by who?’ Family says Chesterfield woman found dead in her home wasn’t neglected
Medical Examiner: Chesterfield woman died of ‘starvation and dehydration’; Death ruled homicide

Penny Clark

Photo: A woman with fair skin and blond hair pulled back in a ponytail, sitting at a desk, smiling for the camera. She is wearing a blue T-shirt, and leaning her head in one hand. Name: Penny Laine Clark.
Died: May 20, 2019.
Age at death: 45.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Biloxi, Mississippi, USA.
Disability: Epilepsy, mental illness.

Details:
Penny’s boyfriend beat and strangled her, then called police saying she “needed help”; police arrived to find her dead. Her boyfriend’s sister told police that Penny’s boyfriend had a history of abusing her, and that she had been beaten up in the past.

Case Status:
Gary Wayne Wallace (Boyfriend), convicted of first-degree murder, sentenced to life.

Sources:
Biloxi man gets life in prison for girlfriend’s murder in 2019
Arrest warrant reveals disturbing, bloody details in murder of Biloxi woman
“His face was black and blue.” Coast murder trial testimony reveals history of domestic abuse

Binh La

Photo of an Asian man with light skin, black hair in a buzz cut, and a thin black mustache, wearing a brown jacket over a red shirt. Name: Binh La.
Died: May 5, 2019.
Age at death: 28.
Cause of death: Untreated seizure.
Location: Hartford, Connecticut, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Binh La died from a seizure with no trace of his prescribed epilepsy medication in his body and the prescription unfilled for 11 months. His malnourished body weighed only 85 pounds.

Case Status:
Dat V. La (Father), pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide and negligent cruelty to a person, sentenced to 2 years probation.

Source:
East Hartford accountant admits to lesser charges in autistic son’s death
East Hartford man charged with manslaughter, cruelty in autistic son’s death
Man charged in autistic son’s death

Gwendolyn Thombleson

Name: Gwendolyn “Gwen” Kay Thombleson.
Died: May 1, 2019.
Age at death: 66.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: San Souci, Florida, USA.
Disability: Dementia, poor health.

Details:
Gwen’s husband shot her before killing himself.

She worked for the school district as a data entry clerk.

Case status:
Thomas Thombleson (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Husband Shoots Wife Who Had Dementia Before Killing Himself, and Family Claims ‘Mercy Killing’
Man kills dementia-suffering wife of 47 years in ‘mercy-killing’ before turning gun on himself
Gwendolyn “Gwen” Kay Thombleson Obituary

Duke Flores

Photo of a small boy with tan skin and curly brown hair, grinning at the camera with his eyes nearly shut. Name: Duke Josehyah Flores.
Died: April 25, 2019 (Reported missing; died around April 14th, 2019).
Age at death: 6.
Cause of death: Homicide; body not found.
Location: Apple Valley, California, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
When Duke’s mother reported him missing, the six-year-old had already been missing for two weeks. Soon thereafter, she was arrested for child cruelty; a few days later, she and Duke’s aunt were charged with murder. Police report that in her confession, Duke’s mother said that they strangled him with an electrical cord and buried his body in their backyard; but after the family dogs kept trying to dig up his body, the two women dug him up and put him in a dumpster. His body has still not been found.

Case status:
Jackee Raquel Contreras (Mother), charged with murder.
Jennifer Rachel Contreras (Aunt), charged with murder.

Source:
Community Mourns 6-Year-Old Boy Police Believe Was Murdered
The Charley Project: Duke Josehyah Flores
Apple Valley: Mother, aunt arrested for murder of missing 6-year-old boy, authorities say
Apple Valley Mother, Twin Sister Booked on Suspicion of Murder as Search for Missing Boy Continues
Murder charges filed against mother of missing 6-year-old Duke Flores of Apple Valley
Detectives arrest Jakee Raquel Contreras (mother) and Jennifer Rachel Contreras (aunt) for the…
Apple Valley: Mother, aunt arrested for murder of missing 6-year-old boy Duke Flores
Homicide Detectives Search Victorville Landfill for Body of Missing Boy; Mom, Aunt Charged With Murder
Duke Flores case: Mother, aunt charged in Apple Valley boy’s murder as detectives search landfill
Mother, aunt plead not guilty in murder of missing 6-year-old Apple Valley boy Duke Flores
6-year-old Duke Flores was tied, smothered, buried, dug up, then dumped by mother and aunt
Autism Memorial: Duke Flores

Andrew Freund Jr.

Photo of a small boy in a big blue baseball cap and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles T-shirt. He has pale skin and his ears stick out, and he is smiling, showing he still has all his baby teeth. Name: Andrew “AJ” Freund Jr.
Died: April 24, 2019.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Woodstock, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Parents claimed he had oppositional defiant disorder to justify abuse. Whether AJ had a disability is unknown.

Details:
AJ spent some time in a foster home before being returned to his parents. His foster parents and one of his grandmothers released a statement that said, “This smart little boy loved having books read to him, doing puzzles, his Thomas the Train, playing with his fire trucks, bulldozers, cement mixer and Ninja Turtles. He was very curious and always wanted to learn about everything.”

AJ was regularly abused by his parents. He died of head injuries after having been forced to take a cold shower and beaten because he had lied about having dirty underwear.

Case status:
Joann Cunningham (Mother), pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, sentenced to 35 years with no parole.
Andrew Freund Sr. (Father), pleaded guilty to aggravated battery to a child, involuntary manslaughter, and concealing a homicidal death; sentenced to 30 years.

Source:
AJ Freund’s mother sentenced to 35 years in his beating, cold shower murder
A.J. Freund’s Mom Allegedly Had Video of Beaten Kid on Her Phone, Which Helped Solve Case: Docs
Warrant: AJ’s father says his mother killed the boy
Newly released documents reveal graphic details about AJ Freund case
Video of beaten 5-year-old AJ Freund on mom’s phone helped crack case, search was made for ‘child cpr,’ authorities say
Andrew ‘AJ’ Freund’s foster family releases statement: ‘AJ was loved by us’
Photos of AJ Freund’s Crystal Lake home reveal filthy living conditions
Cell phone video led to father’s confession in the killing of 5-year-old AJ Freund, police say
Grand jury indicts parents of slain Crystal Lake 5-year-old AJ Freund; court hearing scheduled for Friday morning

Robbie Ballenger

Name: Robbie Ballenger, also called Robert Williams.
Died: April 15, 2019.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Pneumonia, malnutrition.
Location: Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy, epilepsy.

Details:
Robbie lived, along with his twin brother and six other children, with his grandmother and five other adults. The children didn’t go to school or get medical care.

Robbie’s grandmother neglected him. He was not fed enough, and at the age of 8, he died of pneumonia secondary to starvation, weighing only 18 pounds.

Case status:
Geneen Romalia Ballenger (Grandmother), pleaded guilty to child abuse and reckless disregard for human life, sentenced to 10-21 months in prison, suspended, and 18 months probation.

Source:
Fayetteville grandmother pleads guilty in death of disabled 8-year-old grandson
DA: Fayetteville grandma faces 2 years max after child starved to death
Fayetteville boy who starved to death in grandmother’s care had cerebral palsy, weighed 18 pounds :
Fayetteville grandmother faces 2 years max for starving disabled child to death
Disabled boy, 8, ‘was so badly starved by granny his corpse looked like a baby’

Stephen Ihrig

No Photo Name: Stephen Ihrig.
Died: April 12, 2019.
Age at death: 77.
Cause of death: Dehydration, malnutrition, pneumonia.
Location: Martinsville, Virginia, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; incapacitated adult.

Details:
Stephen died from starvation, thirst, and pneumonia due to being neglected by his son and his son’s girlfriend.

Case Status:
Jeffrey Louis Ihrig (Son), convicted of neglect, sentenced to 3 months.
Crystal Rae Painter, convicted of neglect, sentenced to 3 months.

Sources:
Martinsville couple sentenced in father’s death
Martinsville couple found guilty of causing man’s father’s death

Alexandra Jacobs

Name: Alexandra Jacobs.
Died: April 10, 2019.
Age at death: 77.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Orono, Minnesota, USA.
Disability: Dementia; wheelchair user due to unsuccessful hip replacement.

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

Alexandra was a skilled painter who created watercolor and oil paintings and exhibited them in galleries. She raised five children, including a daughter with cerebral palsy, and was active in charities that assisted people with disabilities.

Case status:
Irwin Jacobs (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Irwin Jacobs, wife Alexandra dead in murder-suicide, close friend says
Businessman Irwin Jacobs, Wife Found Dead In Suspected Murder-Suicide
Jacobs family ‘heartbroken’ after couple found dead in Orono mansion
Jacobs’ murder-suicide leaves friends and industry reeling
Former Vikings part-owner was ‘upbeat’ days before ‘murder-suicide’
Deaths of Irwin, Alex Jacobs confirmed as murder-suicide
Prominent businesman Irwin Jacobs shot wife, then himself, medical examiner confirms
Son says Irwin Jacobs struggled with health before he shot wife, then himself

Sarah Dubois-Gilbeau

Name: Sarah Dubois-Gilbeau.
Died: April 5, 2019.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Sarah’s father beat her to death because she refused to do her schoolwork. Her mother says that her father refused to accept she was autistic.

Sarah liked acting out movie scenes and reading Lego Ninjago comic books.

Case status:
Brandon Reynolds (Father), pled guilty to intentional child abuse resulting in the death of a child; sentenced to 30 years to life.

Source:
ABQ man gets life in beating death of daughter
Autism Memorial: Sarah Dubois-Gilbeau
Mom says 5-year-old allegedly killed by father had autism
New Mexico father beat daughter, 5, to death after she refused to do homework: cops
Mother of murdered little girl says she was autistic, claims dad who beat 5-year-old to death over homework ‘couldn’t deal’ with diagnosis
Dad ‘battered autistic girl, 5, to death with shoe for refusing to do homework’
Father is arrested for allegedly beating 5-year-old autistic daughter to death with shoe for refusing to do homework