Remembering the Disabled Murdered by Caregivers
Names on the main memorial list.
Name: Hannah Davenport.
Died: January 29, 2005.
Age at death: 6.
Cause of death: Malnutrition/dehydration.
Location: Anderson, Missouri, USA.
Disability: Ectopic anus.
Details:
Hannah’s mother starved her to death.
Case status:
Karen Davenport (Mother), found guilty of second degree involuntary manslaughter, fined $5000.
Source:
Hannah Renee Davenport
Name: Debbie Burns.
Died: August 15, 2004.
Age at death: 40.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Pinellas County, Florida, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability after brain damage from scarlet fever.
Details:
Debbie’s sister shot her to death.
Case status:
Barbara Ann Burns (Sister), pleaded guilty to manslaughter, sentenced to 15 years in prison; released after serving 12 years.
Source:
Barbara Ann BURNS
Woman reveals how she shot sister and lived with body for six weeks
Name: Davontae Marcel Williams.
Died: July 26, 2004.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Pneumonia.
Location: Arlington, Texas, USA.
Disability: Developmental disabilities due to prematurity.
Details:
Davontae was neglected by his mother and her girlfriend. Weakened by malnutrition, he died of pneumonia.
Case status:
Marcella Williams (Mother), pled guilty to murder, sentenced to life without parole.
Lisa Ann Coleman (Mother’s girlfriend), convicted of murder, sentenced to death.
Source:
Davontae Marcel Williams
Top Ten Lesser-Known and Heartbreaking Child Murders
Name: Scarlett Chen, also called Jia Jia.
Died: July 12, 2004.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Drowning.
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Disability: Autism.
Details:
After Scarlett’s mother was told by a doctor that Scarlett’s autism could not be surgically cured, she drowned Scarlett in the bathtub.
Case status:
Xuan “Linda” Peng (Mother); pled guilty to manslaughter; served five years in prison.
Source:
Autism Memorial: Scarlett Chen
Killer of autistic daughter released
History of euthanasia in Canada
Tracy Latimer is dead because her father is a murderer
Name: Mary Esther Sawyer.
Died: June 21, 2004.
Age at death: 79.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Latrobe, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Dementia.
Details:
Mary’s daughter checked her out of her nursing home, took her home, drugged her, and suffocated her with a pillow.
Case status:
Rita Ann Sawyer (Daughter), convicted of first-degree murder, sentenced to life in prison.
Source:
U.S. court rejects plea for new trial by midstate doctor convicted of killing mom
Name: Brittany Legler.
Died: May 9, 2004.
Age at death: 15.
Cause of death: Heart attack.
Location: Millcreek, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability, congenital heart defect.
Details:
Brittany’s mother physically and emotionally abused her; the stress of the abuse caused Brittany, who had a congenital heart defect, to die of a heart attack after a beating.
She enjoyed watching movies and riding her bicycle.
Case status:
Lisa Larussi (Mother), pleaded no contest to aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child; sentenced to 14 years.
Source:
Brittany A. Legler
Brittany Legler
Name: Alex Pavlis, born Alex Geiko.
Died: December 19, 2003.
Age at death: 6.
Cause of death: Beating.
Location: Schaumburg, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Fetal alcohol syndrome.
Details:
Alex was beaten to death by his adoptive mother. She had adopted him from Russia, and was angry that the adoption agency had not told her about the extent of Alex’s developmental delay.
Case status:
Irma Pavlis (Adoptive mother), sentenced to 12 years, paroled after 5 years.
Source:
Alex Pavlis
Name: Scott Olsen.
Died: December 7, 2003.
Age at death: 29.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Blind and quadriplegic after brain injury.
Details:
Scott’s sister deliberately starved him to death.
Case status:
Kimberly Loebig (Sister); pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter; sentenced to 60 days, freed on time served.
Source:
Sis Charged In Brother Starve Case
GUILTY – PA – Scott Olsen, 29, quadriplegic, starved to death, Glenshaw, 7 Dec 2003
Name: Angelica Auriemma.
Died: December 5, 2003.
Age at death: 20.
Cause of death: Drowned.
Location: New York City, New York, USA.
Disability: Autism.
Details:
Soon after Angelica was diagnosed with autism, her mother tried to electrocute her; when that didn’t work, she drowned her in the bathtub.
Case status:
Ioanna Auriemma (Mother); convicted of manslaughter; sentenced to up to 5 years and served three years in prison.
Source:
Autism Memorial: Angelica Auriemma
Autistic Brooklyn Woman Is Drowned at Home
McGuire, A. (2016). War on autism: On the Cultural Logic of normative violence. University of Michigan Press.
Name: Molly Holt.
Died: November 10, 2003.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Fire.
Location: Clarksville, Arkansas, USA.
Disability: Mentally challenged/behaviorally challenged.
Details:
Molly’s parents chained her to her bed at night. When the house caught on fire, she burned to death.
Case status:
Teresa Dick (Mother), false imprisonment and manslaughter, 14 years in prison.
Lloyd Holt (Father), negligent homicide and false imprisonment, one year in jail.
Source:
Girl Chained To Bed Dies In Fire
Jury Convicts Ark. Mother in Death of Child Chained to Bed During House Fire