Location: USA – Page 90 – Disability Day of Mourning

Melissa Stoddard

Name: Melissa Stoddard.
Died: December 17, 2012.
Age at death: 11.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Sarasota, Florida, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Melissa suffocated in the restraints her family routinely used to tie her to her bed.

Case status:
Misty Stoddard (Stepmother); convicted of first-degree murder; sentenced to life without parole.
Kenneth Stoddard (Father); aggravated manslaughter, aggravated child abuse; sentenced to 65 years.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Melissa Stoddard
Before Melissa Stoddard died here, abuse in North Carolina
Sarasota man Kenneth Stoddard arrested for hog-tying 11-year-old daughter Melissa, who later died
Misty Stoddard arrested for child abuse after death of autistic stepdaughter Melissa Stoddard
Trial set in abuse death of autistic Fla. girl
Woman Guilty of Killing Autistic Stepdaughter

Andrea Ruth

Portrait photo of Andrea Ruth, a girl with brown skin and short, curly hair in a hairband. Name: Andrea Ruth.
Died: November 24, 2012.
Age at death: 12.
Cause of death: Sepsis.
Location: Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Disability: Multiple medical problems.

Details:
Andrea had been neglected so badly that her legs were scheduled to be amputated because of gangrene. However, her father did not take her for surgery and did not take her to the doctor. She eventually died of blood poisoning.

Case status:
Errol Johnson (Father), convicted of aggravated child neglect and criminally negligent homicide; sentenced to 22 years in prison.
Raven Ruth (Mother), pleaded guilty to aggravated child abuse and second degree murder; sentenced to 25 years.
Chasara Jones (Health care worker), pleaded guilty to aggravated child abuse, sentenced to 13 years 6 months.

Source:
Home Health Care Worker Sentenced In Death Of Bedridden 12-Year-Old
Father and caregiver of disabled Tenn. girl who died from gangrene, bedsores charged with murder
Mother indicted in 12-year-old daughter’s death

David Mueller

Name: David Mueller.
Died: November 16, 2012.
Age at death: 52.
Cause of death: Smothered.
Location: Prescott, Arizona, USA.
Disability: ALS.

Details:
David had ALS, which is a degenerative disorder, and was setting his affairs in order in preparation for death. David’s wife began an affair with a man she had asked to help her care for David. Then she and her lover murdered David by smothering him with plastic bags and a pillow to “make [his death] quicker.” The murder may have also been financially motivated, stemming from a disagreement over the recipients of David’s life insurance policy.

Case status:
Cynthia Jane Mueller (Wife), convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy, fraud, and unlawful use of power of attorney; sentenced to life without parole.
Charles Todd (Wife’s boyfriend), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, sentenced to 16 years, released after 4 years.

Source:
David Mueller Murder: Where Are Charles Todd and Cynthia Mueller Now?
Man pleads guilty in death of woman’s husband
Murder of David Mueller by wife Cynthia and her lover Charles Todd profiled on ID
Cynthia Mueller trial highlights victim’s financial plan
Prescott woman on trial for killing bed-ridden husband
Prescott Woman Found Guilty In The Death Of Her Husband – KAFF News
Arizona co-defendant in husband murder case sentenced to prison

Peyton Rowe

Photo of Peyton Rowe, a newborn infant wrapped in a blanket. Name: Peyton Rowe.
Died: November 12, 2012.
Age at death: 6 weeks.
Cause of death: Fatal abuse.
Location: Visalia, California, USA.
Disability: Turner syndrome.

Details:
Peyton’s father had been beating her since she was born. At 6 weeks old, she died from her injuries.

Case status:
Aaron Rowe (Father), convicted of second-degree murder, sentenced to 18 years to life.
Courtney Rowe (Mother), pleaded no contest to child abuse, sentenced to 4 years probation.

Source:
Visalia mother Courtney Johnson charged in death of baby daughter gets 4 years’ probation
Visalia man convicted of killing his daughter sentenced to 18 years to life in prison – ABC30 Fresno
Father, 23, could face death penalty for ‘beating his handicapped newborn daughter to death after torturing her for WEEKS’

Isaac Brothers-Bartholomew

Photo of Isaac Brothers-Bartholomew, an infant boy swaddled in a floral blanket, with a feeding tube in his nose. Name: Isaac Brothers-Bartholomew.
Died: November 6, 2012.
Age at death: 18 months.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Vermilion, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Tube fed; multiple medical problems.

Details:
Isaac’s parents starved him to death. He and his other disabled siblings were often left in the care of an 11-year-old boy, who could only give them bottles to drink from; but because they could not swallow well, the children starved. After Isaac’s death, his siblings were rescued and placed in foster care.

Case status:
Adrienne Bartholomew (Mother), pleaded guilty to child endangerment and patient endangerment, sentenced to 5 years.
James Brothers (Father), pleaded guilty to child endangerment and patient endangerment, sentenced to 6 years.
Isaac’s estate is suing the state.

Source:
Baby Isaac’s family pleads guilty in malnutrition death
Starved Vermilion boy’s estate, siblings file suit
Parents of malnourished Ohio boy get prison time
Baby Isaac’s family pleads guilty in malnutrition death
‘He’s stiff as a board’: The 18-month-old boy who ‘starved to death’ as mother called 911 to claim he died suddenly… and four of her other children were found malnourished

Alicia Moore

Photo of Alicia Moore, an African-American teenage girl. She is wearing a neon-green headband, big hoop earrings, and glasses. Name: Alicia Chanta Moore.
Died: November 2, 2012.
Age at death: 16.
Cause of death: Homicide.
Location: Canton, Texas, USA.
Disability: “Special Needs”.

Details:
Alicia was raped and murdered by her great uncle.

Case status:
Michael Vincent Moore (Great uncle), convicted of murder, sentenced to life without parole.

Source:
Police say DNA links uncle to Greenville teen’s slaying
ANGELIZD’s Place – Child Abuse Pages – Alicia Chanta Moore

Herman Ritchey Jr.

No Photo Name: Herman Ritchey Jr.
Died: October 24, 2012.
Age at death: 70.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Mio, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease.

Details:
Herman’s daughter and son-in-law took his social security payments while they left Herman locked in his bedroom and denied him the medication and care he needed. He eventually died from starvation.

Case status:
Rachel Bruce (Daughter), convicted of felony murder and vulnerable adult abuse and sentenced to life without parole.
Carl Bruce (Son-in-law), convicted of felony murder and vulnerable adult abuse and sentenced to life without parole.

Source:
Oscoda County woman charged alongside husband with murder in father’s death
Herman Ray Ritchey, Jr ( – 2012) – Find A Grave Memorial
Couple charged with murdering woman’s father through abuse and neglect
Mio couple sentenced to life in prison after murder conviction
Mio Michigan Couple Charged with Relatives Murder
Couple Arrested in Oscoda County for Elderly Father’s Death
Couple convicted of killing parent to face new trial after appeal

Yolanda Reese-Brooks

Photo of Yolanda Brooks, an African-American woman. The photo is very blurry. Name: Yolanda Reese-Brooks.
Died: October 22, 2012.
Age at death: 40.
Cause of death: Obesity and “unspecified injuries”.
Location: Warren, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Injuries from car accident; obesity.

Details:
In 2011, Yolanda had been in a car accident that crushed her pelvis and ruptured her bladder, and was thereafter unable to leave her bed.

Her husband did not keep her clean or care for her, and by the time he called the hospital for help, she was already dying.

Yolanda was the mother of four children, who were two to thirteen years old when she died.

Case status:
Michael Brooks (Husband), pleaded guilty to neglect, sentenced to 2 years probation.

Source:
Man pleads guilty to neglect in death of obese wife
Michigan man charged with abusing his bedridden 400-pound wife and letting her rot in squalor until she died
Michael Brooks, Husband Of Obese Woman Yolanda Reese-Brooks, Avoids Jail Time In Wife’s Death

Robin Adams Jr.

No Photo Name: Robin Adams Jr.
Died: February 2012; body found October 12, 2012.
Age at death: 23.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Hephzibah, Georgia, USA.
Disability: Cri du chat syndrome.

Details:
Instead of taking Robin to the doctor to help him stay fed and hydrated, Robin’s mother neglected him and Robin starved to death. His family failed to report his death and kept collecting his disability payments for several months.

Case status:
Angela Mercer (Mother), convicted of murder, sentenced to 30 years to life; released after 6 years.
Deaidra Motley (Sister), charged with concealing a death.

Source:
Coroner calls mummified body case ‘one of the worst ones that we’ve ever seen’
$100,000 bond set for woman accused in disabled son’s death
Augusta mother sentenced to life in prison for death of disabled son

Deborah Crouch

Photo of Deborah Crouch, a middle-aged woman with light skin and curly dark-brown hair. She is wearing a gold pendant necklace and smiling, showing a gap between her front teeth. Name: Deborah “Debbie” Ann Spain Crouch.
Died: September 15, 2012.
Age at death: 53.
Cause of death: Drowning.
Location: Big Bear Lake, California, USA.
Disability: Unspecified (Wheelchair user); chronic illness.

Details:
Deborah’s husband put her in the car, drove it into the lake, and left her there. Unable to escape the car, Deborah drowned. Her black lab, Onyx, was in the car and died with her. At autopsy it became clear that Deborah had also been beaten.

She was the mother of two sons.

Case status:
Ronald Hitchcock (Husband), convicted of second-degree murder and animal cruelty, sentenced to 15 years to life.

Source:
Big Bear Man Sentenced for Drowning His Disabled Wife and Their Dog
Man sentenced for driving dog, disabled wife into lake
Obituary: Deborah Crouch
Local Woman Identified in Swim Beach Incident
Man Convicted of Second-Degree Murder for Driving Wife, Dog Into Big Bear Lake
Man Arrested After His Girlfriend, Her Dog Found Dead Inside Submerged Vehicle news/local/Murder-Animal-Cruelty-Man-Drives-Dog-Woman-Into-Lake-San-Bernardino-Big-Bear-472147413.html”>Man Convicted After Leaving Wife, Dog to Die in Car in Lake