Location: USA – Page 95 – Disability Day of Mourning

Gerald Lakes

Photo Unavailable Name: Gerald Lee Lakes.
Died: March 13, 2013.
Age at death: 24.
Cause of death: Starvation, dehydration.
Location: Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Gerald was neglected and starved to death by his parents.

Case status:
Jerry Lakes (Father), pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter, two counts of knowing abuse or neglect of an adult, three counts of exploitation, and three counts of theft by failure to make required disposition of property, sentenced to 20 years.
Peggy Whitlock (Mother), guilty to two counts of knowing abuse and neglect, sentenced to 10 years.

Source:
Lexington couple sentenced for neglect in death of mentally handicapped son
Detectives: Father of man who starved to death spent thousands in a casino

Marci Garvin

Name: Marci Garvin.
Died: March 11, 2013.
Age at death: 39.
Cause of death: Pneumonia, dehydration.
Location: Fort Worth, Texas, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, epilepsy.

Details:
Marci’s father and sister neglected her so badly that she died of infection, pneumonia, and dehydration.

Marci had spent 18 years working part-time for the Star-Telegram human resources office. Sadly, the same newspaper was later to publish the report on her death.

Case status:
Mike Garvin (Father), convicted of injury to the disabled and sentenced to 10-20 years in prison.
Tabby Martinjak (Sister), convicted of injury to the disabled and sentenced to 10-20 years in prison.

Source:
Father, daughter sentenced to 20 years in prison in death of disabled woman
Failing Marci: A disabled woman’s story of triumph and tragedy | Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Failing Marci: Investigation raises questions about care and oversight for disabled woman – Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TX), 3/1/2015 Bexar County, Texas

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

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.

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 Photo Name: 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

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

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