Category: Location: USA

Jamielynn Bleakley

Photo of Jamielynn Bleakley, a heavyset woman with pale skin and curly blonde hair. She is wearing makeup; her expression is solemn.Name: Jamielynn Bleakley.
Died: March 7, 2013.
Age at death: 36.
Cause of death: Head injury, hypothermia.
Location: Denning, New York, USA.
Disability: Multiple sclerosis.

Details:
Jamielynn was beaten, strangled, and left outside in the cold by her fiance. She died of head injuries and exposure.

Before she became disabled, she had been employed in health care; she was a fan of Renegade, NASCAR, and the Yankees.

Case status:
Gerald Babcock (Fiance), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 25 years.

Source:
Appeals court upholds Denning resident’s manslaughter conviction in death of his fiancée
Jamielynn Bleakley Online Obituary, December 29, 1975 – March 7, 2013
Denning woman had reported violence in home prior to being killed, police say; boyfriend charged, held without bail
Babcock convicted of manslaughter in death of girlfriend
Saratoga native, 37, allegedly killed by boyfriend in domestic violence incident
Cause of girlfriend’s death disputed
Savage beating leaves Denning woman dead
Denning man gets 25-year prison term for killing girlfriend

Jessie Dziomba

Photo of a teenage boy with light skin and a buzz cut. He is wearing a striped shirt and has a solemn expression.Name: Jessie James Dziomba, born Jessie Palmer.
Died: March 4, 2013.
Age at death: 19.
Cause of death: Influenza, infection.
Location: Lockport, New York, USA.
Disability: Developmental disability.

Details:
Police who investigated the home after Jessie was found dead say that Jessie and his brothers were routinely locked into their rooms by their adoptive parents. When Jessie got sick, his adoptive parents allegedly did not care for him nor take him to the doctor. Jessie died of his illness. His two brothers survived and were removed from the home.

Jessie liked playing sports and video games.

Case status:
Joy and John Dziomba (Adoptive parents). Case status unknown.

Source:
Guardian appointed for brothers of disabled Lockport man who died in March
How did Jessie die?
Jessie James Dzombia AKA Palmer

Susan Walter

Photo of a middle-aged woman with short auburn hair and fair skin, wearing a beige sweater.Name: Susan Margaret Walter.
Died: March 2, 2013.
Age at death: 47.
Cause of death: Blunt force trauma.
Location: Covington, Georgia, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Susan was beaten to death by her caregiver.

Case status:
Cornelius Richardson-Bethea (Caregiver), convicted of malice murder and abuse of a disabled adult, sentenced to life without parole.

Source:
Mentally challenged Newton woman found beaten to death
Caregiver gets life for mentally challenged woman’s beating death

Darnell Hunter Jr.

Black and white photo of an African-American teenage boy with neat, short hair and a light-colored T-shirt, smiling for the camera.Name: Darnell “DJ” Lamount Hunter Jr.
Died: February 20, 2013.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Peoria, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
DJ was neglected and starved to death by his father.

He was a Dragon Ball Z fan who also liked reading, video games, and basketball.

Case status:
Darnell Hunter Sr. (Father); pled guilty to manslaughter and neglect; sentenced to 12 years.

Source:
Darnell Hunter sentenced to 12 years for fatally neglecting his impaired son
Darnell Lamount Hunter Jr. – View Obituary & Service Information

Constance Johnston

No PhotoName: Constance Johnston.
Died: February 19, 2013.
Age at death: 76.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Richland, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
When Constance began showing signs of early dementia, her grandson took it as evidence that she was evil and stabbed her fatally in the back.

She was a pastor’s wife with 10 grandchildren.

Case status:
Levi Staver (Grandson), pleaded guilty but mentally ill to third-degree murder, sentenced to 10 to 20 years.

Source:
Constance Anita McCall Johnston (1936-2013) -…
Richland man gets 10 to 20 years for fatally stabbing grandmother
Man Allegedly Stabs Grandmother To Death, Blames “Archangel Michael”
Richland Stabbing Victim Remembered as ‘Guiding Hand’ to Husband’s Congregation
Police arrest man for stabbing death in Richland of grandmother
CONSTANCE “CONNIE” (McCALL) JOHNSTON’s Obituary

Tia Jones

Photo: A girl with brown skin and black hair in braids, wearing a turquoise long-sleeved shirt, standing in front of a Christmas tree. Name: Tia Ann Jones.
Died: February 18, 2013.
Age at death: 12.
Cause of death: Infection.
Location: Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Autism, ADHD.

Details:
Tia Ann’s parents neglected an infection in her feet until it spread and killed her.

Case status:
Randy D. Jones (Father), found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; sentenced to 10 years.
Carissa Jones (Mother), found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; sentenced to 10 years.

Source:
Tia Jones
Ohio Supreme Court will decide if 10-year prison sentence too long for parents convicted of letting sick child die
10-year prison sentence reinstated for Richmond Heights couple in daughter’s death

Mary Baker

White marble gravestone reading, Mary F Baker, Sgt, US Air Force, Sep 6 1954, Jan 27 2013, Beloved Mother.Name: Mary Baker.
Died: January 27, 2013.
Age at death: 58.
Cause of death: Prescription drug overdose.
Location: Seffner, Florida, USA.
Disability: Quadriplegic.

Details:
Mary’s boyfriend poisoned her with a lethal dose of her prescription medication.

Case status:
Timothy Neil Harrison (Boyfriend, caretaker), pleaded guilty to manslaughter, sentenced to 10 years; paroled after 5 years 2 months.

Source:
Seffner man accused of killing quadriplegic girlfriend with prescription drugs
Man gets 10 years for death of quadriplegic girlfriend

Virginia Boldt

Woman with short, curly gray hair, face in profile; she has light skin. She is wearing a beige silk blouse. On the back of the couch she is sitting on is a small, fluffy white dog.Name: Virginia Boldt.
Died: January 18, 2013.
Age at death: 75.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Tequesta, Florida, USA.
Disability: Dementia, chronic illness.

Details:
Virginia’s husband went to the assisted-living facility where she lived and shot her to death, then killed himself.

From her obituary: “She was a Mensa Society member; enjoyed classical music, particularly opera. She was an organist, loved bird photography, Maine Coon cats and wildlife.”

Case status:
Roy Boldt (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Caregivers who kill their spouses share traits, experts say
Roy Boldt, Virginia Boldt: New details in Clare Bridge Tequesta nursing home murder-suicide
Roy Boldt, Virginia Boldt Tequesta Clare Bridge murder suicide: Family says shooting was ‘love pact’
Virginia Boldt Obituary – Aycock Funeral Home

Brandon White

Photo of Brandon White, a young man with fair skin and very short brown hair. He has ears that stick out a little, and a long nose. He is pressing his lips together.Name: Brandon Leon White.
Died: January 8, 2013.
Age at death: 15.
Cause of death: Asphyxiation.
Location: Denison, Texas, USA.
Disability: Autism, epilepsy, bipolar disorder.

Details:
Brandon had epilepsy and bipolar disorder, but he hadn’t taken his medication for a while–his family said they couldn’t afford it. Instead of getting him the medication, Brandon’s mother’s boyfriend tied him up and gagged him, then put a pillow over his face to make him stop struggling. Brandon died of suffocation.

Case status:
Robert Gray Jr. (Mother’s boyfriend); convicted of murder; sentenced to 45-90 years.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Brandon White
Denison teen dies at home
New details in death of Denison teen
Teen killed in Denison had ties to Jasper
Man arrested for murder in Denison teen’s death
Pennies from Heaven for Brandon
Denison Murder Suspect Testifies He Was Tired During Interrogations
Man sentenced to 90 years for Denison teen’s murder

Quinten Wood

Photo of a teenage boy with pale skin and messy brown hair; he has his head tilted back. He is wearing a flannel shirt.Name: Quinten “Q-Man” Wood.
Died: January 4, 2013.
Age at death: 15.
Cause of death: Pneumonia.
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.
Disability: Chromosome 9 Ring.

Details:
Quinten’s father neglected him; he died of pneumonia related to starvation.

Quinten was a fan of Star Wars and Daft Punk.

Case status:
Michael Wood (Father), pleaded guilty to neglect, given a suspended sentence and one year of probation.

Source:
Valerie Wood-Harber Got Justice for Her Brother – and Other Disabled Kids
Justice for Quinten
Father, DHS Employees Facing Charges In Quinten Wood Death
How a disabled boy’s heartbreaking story inspired real legislation