Location: USA – Page 76 – Disability Day of Mourning

Angela Rios

Photo: A middle-aged woman with brown hair, pale skin, brown eyes, and a round face. Name: Angela Rios.
Died: February 5, 2015.
Age at death: 55.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: New Port Richey, Florida, USA.
Disability: Diabetes, resulting in two leg amputations and visual impairment.

Details:
Angela was killed by her son, who beat her to death with a tire iron. He also killed his niece, nine-year-old Jenica Randazzo.

Case status:
Jason Rios (Son), convicted of murder, sentenced to 39-50 years.

Source:
For killing his mother and niece, a half-century in prison for Pasco man
Agency: No signs Pasco girl faced danger before fatal attack

Kylee Forrest

Photo of Kylee Forrest. She is a toddler with blonde hair and fair skin. She is smiling broadly. Her shirt is pink and ruffled. Name: Kylee Forrest.
Died: February 1, 2015.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Traumatic injury.
Location: Lubbock, Texas, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Kylee was viciously beaten to death by her father.

Her family called her “Kylie Bug”.

Case status:
Justin Chisum (Father), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to life without parole.

Source:
Chisum pleads guilty to capital murder, gets life in prison in 4-year-old-daughter’s slaying
Father pleads guilty to capital murder of his 4-year-old daughter
Father Pleads Guilty For Murder of 4 Year Old Daughter with Cerebral Palsy
Kylee Forrest’s Obituary on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
In Loving Memory Of Kylee Forrest

Lee Del Ratez

Photo of Lee Del Ratez, a man with dark hair and light tan skin. He is holding his hands in fists just below his chin, and wearing a black and blue T-shirt. Name: Lee W. Del Ratez.
Died: January 8, 2015.
Age at death: 40.
Cause of death: Neglect.
Location: North Adams, Massachusetts, USA.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
Lee died because of his siblings’ negligence when they did not take care of him properly.

Case status:
Heath Del Ratez (Brother), pleaded guilty to permitting abuse on a disabled person, sentenced to two years probation.
Jessica Kemp (Sister), charged with manslaughter by negligence and caretaker abuse of a disabled person.

Source:
North Adams pair charged with manslaughter in connection with death of disabled sibling
North Adams pair charged with manslaughter by negligence in death of disabled man
Lee W. Del Ratez, 40

Owen Collins

Name: Owen Collins.
Died: January 17, 2015.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Bluffton, Indiana, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
When Owen died, his parents put him in a box, burned his body, and reported him missing. Initial reports implied Owen had been poisoned with meth, but autopsy results showed Owen had died from a blow to the head with no meth in his system.

Case status:
Zachary S. Barnes (Stepfather), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 50 years.
Breanna J. Arnold (Mother), pleaded guilty to dealing methamphetamine, sentenced to 20 years in prison and two and a half years of probation.
Zachary Barker, pleaded guilty to abuse of a corpse and dealing methamphetamine, sentenced to 12 years.

Source:
Mother of slain Owen Collins sentenced for meth charge
Autism Memorial: Owen Collins
3 Year Old Owen Collins Missing Since 1/17/15 in Bluffton, IN
Bluffton, IN Police Searching for Missing Boy Owen Collins
Body Of Missing Toddler Found In Woods
Coroner: Cause of death could take up to two weeks
‘We put dope in their bottles and watched them have fun’
Owen Collins’ father reacts to homicide ruling

Cyrus Buskirk

Name: Cyrus Buskirk.
Died: January 12, 2015.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Untreated diabetes.
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Juvenile diabetes.

Details:
When Cyrus’s diabetes made him sick, his mother didn’t get him medical help. She called the doctor, but didn’t follow any of the doctor’s instructions. By the time she called 911, it was too late; Cyrus died of complications of juvenile diabetes.

Cyrus’s obituary says that he “loved school, baseball, the Iron Pigs, karate and being a ninja”.

Case status:
Ashleigh Buskirk (Mother), pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment, sentenced to 16 months to 10 years.

Source:
Cyrus T. Buskirk Obituary (2007 – 2015) Morning Call
Mother sentenced for letting diabetic child die
Allentown mother pleads guilty in death of diabetic son

Hayden Dukes

Name: Hayden Dukes.
Died: January 8, 2015.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Underwood, Indiana, USA.
Disability: Autism, DiGeorge syndrome.

Details:
Hayden’s father was watching TV, and Hayden was getting in the way. Instead of paying attention to his son, Hayden’s father beat him to death.

Case status:
Christopher Bruck (Father); charged with aggravated battery and neglect of a dependent, sentenced to 40 years in prison and 2.5 years parole.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Hayden Dukes
Family: Child beaten by father dies
Southern Indiana man convicted in 4-year-old son’s death given 40 year prison sentence

Caryl Vanzo

A gravestone, reading, "Mother Caryl. 1924-2015." Name: Caryl Vanzo.
Died: January 5, 2015.
Age at death: 90.
Cause of death: Unspecified.
Location: Plymouth, Minnesota, USA.
Disability: Elderly disabled; wheelchair user.

Details:
Caryl was neglected by her son, who stole and spent her retirement funds. When she was dying, or possibly soon after she had died, Caryl’s son put her in a wheelchair and went to the bank to withdraw more money from her account. Her body showed signs of malnutrition and dehydration, and she had severe untreated bedsores.

Case status:
David Vanzo (Son), pleaded guilty to one count of financial exploitation over $35,000; sentenced to 42 months in prison.

Source:
Guilty plea from son who forced mother to make bank withdrawal just before her death
Man Accused of Taking Possibly Dead Mother Into Bank Arrested in Pomona
Guilty plea from son who forced mother to make bank withdrawal just before her death
Twin Cities man accused of financially exploiting mom before her death
Minnesota man suspected of wheeling dead mother into bank
Man Accused of Taking Possibly Dead Mother Into Bank Arrested in Pomona
Man Allegedly Wheeled Dying Mother Into Bank to Withdraw Cash From Her Account
Man accused of taking dead mother into bank to make cash withdrawal

Susan Winters

Name: Susan Winters.
Died: January 3, 2015.
Age at death: 48.
Cause of death: Poisoning.
Location: Boulder City, Nevada, USA.
Disability: Depression.

Details:
Susan’s death from poisoning with painkillers and antifreeze was initially thought to be a suicide. But her husband–a psychiatrist–admitted to poisoning her and trying to stage a suicide.

Susan was a lawyer, and later became a judge. She loved animals, Elvis, reading, and running marathons.

Case status:
Gregory Dennis (Husband), convicted of involuntary manslaughter; sentenced to 3-10 years.

Source:
Pandemic delays murder trial for Henderson psychologist
Murder or suicide? Unsealed documents reveal new evidence in doctor’s wife death
Did a Boulder City psychologist murder his wife, or was it a suicide?
Susan Winters case: coroner changes cause from suicide to undetermined

Barbara Beam

No Photo Name: Barbara Anne Beam.
Died: January 2, 2015.
Age at death: 82.
Cause of death: Pulmonary embolism.
Location: Greeneville, South Carolina, USA.
Disability: Mobility impairment.

Details:
Barbara’s caregivers allegedly left her sitting in her chair for six months, without moving her or cleaning her. Finally Barbara died from a blood clot, caused by sitting still for so long, that lodged in her lungs. She also had a severe untreated kidney infection.

Case status:
Carole Howell (Sister), charged with abuse and neglect resulting in the death of a vulnerable adult.
David Howell (Nephew), charged with abuse and neglect resulting in the death of a vulnerable adult.

Source:
Greenville mother, son indicted 2 years after elderly woman found dead
Woman charged in death of her sister who sat in chair for 6 months, warrants say

Katherine Lavoie

Name: Katherine Lavoie.
Died: December 30, 2014.
Age at death: 49.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: New Hampshire, USA.
Disability: Bipolar disorder.

Details:
Katherine had attempted suicide, but survived and was hospitalized in critical condition. Her husband then walked into the hospital, shot her in the head, and killed himself.

Case status:
Mark Lavoie (Husband), deceased.

Source:
New Hampshire ‘double suicide’ wife’s death ruled homicide