Remembering the Disabled Murdered by Caregivers
Name Unknown.
Died: June 30, 2022.
Age at death: 72.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Brooklyn, New York, New York, USA.
Disability: Unspecified.
Details:
This 72-year-old man was found dead from a head injury, allegedly after a fight with his 60-year-old cousin, with whom he lived.
Case Status:
His cousin, arrested.
Sources:
Man, 72, beaten to death by cousin during wild fight in their Brooklyn apartment
Name: John V. Hoover.
Died: June 29, 2022.
Age at death: 44.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Hixson, Tennessee, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.
Details:
John was taken to the hospital, severely malnourished and with pressure sores on his body. A week later, he died. Neighbors said John had been rummaging in the trash and asking for food; allegedly, his parents withheld food to force him to take showers, and tied him to the bed at night to keep him from taking food.
Case Status:
John Hoover (Father), charged with felony murder and aggravated neglect of a vulnerable adult.
Jacqueline Hoover (Mother), charged with felony murder and aggravated neglect of a vulnerable adult.
Sources:
Hixson Couple Facing First-Degree Murder Charges In Starving Death Of Their Adult Son
‘Severe malnutrition:’ Tennessee parents charged with starving adult son to death
A Hixson couple is facing first-degree murder and neglect charges.
Tennessee Couple Accused Of Starving Developmentally Disabled Adult Son To Death
‘Tied Him To A Bed At Night’: Tennessee Parents Face First-Degree Murder Charges For Starving Disabled Son To Death
‘That’s disgraceful:’ Neighbor says Hixson man who died of starvation rummaged for food
Name: Vaishnavi Suresh Pattyane.
Died: June 15, 2022.
Age at death: 19.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Andheri, Mumbai, India.
Disability: Intellectual disability, mobility impaired.
Details:
Vaishnavi’s mother reported her death as a natural death; however, authorities who examined the young woman’s body found ligature marks on her neck. After questioning Vaishnavi’s mother, police say she confessed to killing her daughter because she had become tired of caring for her.
Case Status:
Shraddha Pattyane (Mother), arrested on suspicion of murder.
Sources:
Mumbai: Woman booked for murder of daughter with intellectual disability, denied bail
Woman from Mumbai suburb ‘kills’ disabled teen daughter out of ‘frustration’
Mumbai: Mom held for mentally ill girl’s murder
Woman arrested for killing differently abled 19-year-old daughter
Mumbai: Mom held for killing mentally disabled daughter in Andheri
Name: Luis Benítez.
Died: June 12, 2022.
Age at death: 38.
Cause of death: Head trauma.
Location: Posadas, Misiones, Argentina.
Disability: Schizophrenia, anemia, breathing problems.
Details:
Luis lived with his sister and her husband, who did not want him to leave the house. One night, when he tried to do so, his brother-in-law allegedly slammed his head against the doorway. Luis was found dead in his home the next day.
Case Status:
Pedro Walter E. (Brother-in-law), arrested on suspicion of murder.
Sources:
From natural death to homicide after autopsy
De muerte natural a homicidio luego de la autopsia
Name: Leela Gopalan.
Died: June 6, 2022.
Age at death: 55.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Vatakara, Kerala, India.
Disability: Cancer.
Details:
Leela’s husband strangled her and then hanged himself.
Case Status:
Mithal Gopalan (Husband), deceased.
Name: Jo Ann Henry Harris.
Died: June 1, 2022.
Age at death: 82.
Cause of death: Beaten.
Location: Trussville, Alabama, USA.
Disability: Dementia.
Details:
Jo Ann’s husband reportedly called his son and said that he was going to kill his wife and himself. The son called the police, and after a standoff that lasted a few hours, Jo Ann’s husband shot himself in the face, though superficially enough that he was able to walk out of the house, and was then hospitalized. Police found Jo Ann’s body in the house.
Case Status:
John B. Harris (Husband), charged with murder.
Sources:
81-year-old Trussville man indicted in wife’s strangulation/suffocation death
UPDATED: Trussville PD identifies 80-year-old man charged in killing of his wife
80-year-old Trussville man kills wife, shoots himself in face during standoff, police say
UPDATE: John B. Harris is charged with murder in the slaying of of wife Jo Ann Henry Harris, 82. Authorities believe both the victim and the suspect suffered from dementia. https://t.co/0sGtGDFgxK
82-year-old woman dead, 80-year-old husband hospitalized after Trussville incident
Name: Joan Patricia Ffolkes.
Died: May 30, 2022.
Age at death: 82.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Tallahassee, Florida, USA.
Disability: Dementia.
Details:
Joan was allegedly stabbed by her daughter. She died after three days in the hospital. Police say that Joan’s daughter told them that she found it difficult to care for Joan and had been planning her murder for several months.
Joan was a legal secretary. After retirement, she grew a rose garden.
Case Status:
Brigette Ffolkes (Daughter), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to life.
Sources:
Tallahassee woman gets life sentence for killing mother with dementia
Tallahassee woman indicted for murder in death of her elderly mother
Woman stabbed by daughter dies from injuries on Memorial Day, charges upgraded to 1st degree murder
Joan Patricia Ffolkes Obituary (2022)
Correction: Mother of administrative law judge stabbed in her home, daughter arrested
Mother of Administrative Judge Killed by Daughter
Name Unknown.
Died: May 23, 2022.
Age at death: 30s.
Cause of death: Sleeping pill overdose.
Location: Incheon, South Korea.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.
Details:
This woman’s mother allegedly poisoned her with sleeping pills.
Case Status:
Her mother, charged with murder.
Sources:
Mother arrested on charge of killing disabled daughter
Mother charged with killing disabled daughter
Name: Pankaj.
Died: May 23, 2022.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Throat cut.
Location: Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Disability: Intellectual disability.
Details:
Pankaj’s brother allegedly cut his throat and tried to burn his body. Police say he confessed to the crime during interrogation.
Case Status:
Ashok (Brother), arrested on suspicion of murder.
Sources:
Man Kills Mentally Challenged Brother In Uttar Pradesh; Arrested: Police
Name: Jamie Ward.
Died: May 18, 2022.
Age at death: 50.
Cause of death: Throat cut.
Location: Greenfield, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Chronic pain; degenerative disk disease.
Details:
Jamie’s body was found in her home, with her husband. He reportedly told police that he had killed Jamie because she asked him to kill her; but news articles make no mention of a suicide note or any indication that she had wanted to die. Police describe the incident as a “domestic violence homicide”.
Case Status:
Braeden Ward (Husband), pleaded guilty to first-degree reckless homicide, sentenced to 12 years in prison and eight years on extended supervision.
Sources:
The medical examiner said Jamie Ward was dead for two weeks before her decomposing body was found.
A Greenfield man pleaded guilty to a reduced charge in the stabbing death of his wife
Greenfield Man Pleads Guilty To New Charge After Wife’s Stabbing Death
Husband says he killed wife to end suffering, drained blood from body
Milwaukee Co. man stabbed wife to death because she wanted to die, complaint states
A Greenfield man has been charged in the stabbing death of his wife. He says she lived with chronic pain and asked him to help her die.
Greenfield Man Charged With Homicide After Wife Found Stabbed To Death
Greenfield homicide: Braeden Ward accused of fatally stabbing wife
Husband ‘stabbed wife & left body to rot – but WASHED corpse to hide smell’
Woman dead 2 weeks found in home, husband to face homicide charge
Police ID woman killed in Greenfield homicide