Helen Smith

No PhotoName: Helen Smith.
Died: July 29, 2018.
Age at death: 81.
Cause of death: Throat cut.
Location: Chandler, Arizona, USA.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
When Helen wet herself, her grandchild allegedly became angry and cut her throat. Police report that they said that they “wanted to put her out of her misery”.

Case status:
Brandon Smith (Grandchild), convicted of second-degree murder, sentenced to 25 years.

Source:
Man Accused Of Murdering Grandmother Suffering From Dementia, Said He Did Not Want Her To Live In Pain
Suspect didn’t want grandma to ‘live like this anymore’ — and grabbed a knife, police say
Grandchild ‘slit dementia-stricken woman’s throat after she wet herself’
Man accused of slashing throat of grandmother who had dementia
Man Arrested for Killing Grandmother With Dementia: ‘He Did Not Want His Grandmother to Live Like This Anymore’
Grandchild Allegedly Slit Grandmother’s Throat After the 81-Year-Old, Who Had Dementia, Wet Herself
Man stabs his 81-year-old grandma to death because he was tired of caring for her

Comfort Thompson-Pene

No PhotoName: Comfort Jay Thompson-Pene.
Died: July 24, 2018.
Age at death: 18 months.
Cause of death: Blunt head trauma.
Location: Tirau, North Island, New Zealand.
Disability: Birth defect.

Details:
Comfort died from head trauma after long-term child abuse and neglect.

She had spent her first few months of her life in the hospital.

Case Status:
Southern Thompson (Mother), convicted of murder, child abuse, injury with intent, and failing to seek medical care; sentenced to 17 years to life.

Sources:
Named: Woman who abused, neglected and bashed her child to death
Mum who abused, neglected then murdered her own daughter can now be named
Southern Thompson Name Suppression Lift A Reminder Of NZ’s Atrocious Child Abuse Statistics

Patricia Franks

No Photo
Name: Patricia Franks.
Died: July 8, 2018.
Age at death: 86.
Cause of death: Bludgeoned.
Location: Gatley, Stockport, Greater Manchester, England, UK.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Patricia’s husband beat her to death with a metal bar so that he wouldn’t have to put her in a care home. He had previously turned down offers of support from social services.

Case status:
Lawrence Franks (Husband), pleaded guilty to manslaughter due to diminished responsibility, given a two-year suspended sentence.

Source:
84-year-old man pleads guilty to manslaughter of his 86-year-old wife
Stockport man, 84, killed wife with dementia as ‘act of mercy’
Elderly man beat dementia-stricken wife to death in ‘mercy killing’
Devoted husband, 84, who battered wife, 86, to death with an iron bar rather than see her go into care home weeps as judge frees him
Devoted husband’s determination to keep his promise to his wife ended in tragedy
‘I’VE KILLED MY WIFE’ Pensioner’s tragic 999 call after killing dementia-stricken wife

Vanessa Comer

No PhotoName: Vanessa Comer.
Died: July 7, 2018.
Age at death: 21.
Cause of death: Dehydration and malnutrition.
Location: Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Disability: Congenital disorder of glycosylation type 1a.

Details:
Vanessa had been born with a disability, and relied on her father–her sole caregiver–for for food, water, and transportation to the doctor. But Vanessa received no medical care for nine months before her death, and she was often left alone by her father for days at a time, ultimately dying of starvation and dehydration shortly after her father finally brought her to the hospital. At her home, the family dogs were were found alive but badly malnourished.

Case Status:
Richard Comer (Father), pleaded guilty to manslaughter, sentenced to 9 years; charged with animal cruelty.

Source:
Autopsy: 21-year-old woman who died of malnutrition weighed only 36 pounds, father convicted
Phoenix man pleads guilty to manslaughter in malnutrition death of his 21-year-old daughter
Autopsy: 21-year-old woman weighed just 36 pounds at time of death; father charged
Phoenix man accused of starving 21-year-old daughter to death, police
Dad ‘murdered disabled daughter, 21, by refusing her food or water for 3 months’

Xuan Xuan

No PhotoName: Xuan Xuan
Died: June 25, 2018.
Age at death: 9.
Cause of death: Drowning.
Location: Jiangning, Nanjing, China.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Xuan’s grandfather was annoyed that he had spent so much trying to treat her cerebral palsy. He and her father allegedly put bricks in her backpack, put the backpack on her, and threw her in the river to drown.

Case status:
Her father, surnamed Yang; arrested, confessed to murder.
Yang Mousong (Grandfather); arrested, confessed to murder.

Source:
Father, grandpa admit killing 9-year-old girl with cerebral palsy, China police say
Girl with Learning Difficulties Murdered by Father & Grandfather
Children with cerebral palsy are drowned by their fathers and grandchildren drowning in the media: poverty is not a reason.
Father and grandfather confess to drowning nine-year-old girl with cerebral palsy
Girls with cerebral palsy are being drowned by their dearest relatives.

An Jung Ja

No PhotoName: An Jung Ja.
Died: June 21, 2018.
Age at death: 76.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Chiang Mai, Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
An’s son allegedly stabbed her to death with a kitchen knife–then tried to frame his wife for the murder.

An had escaped from North Korea and ran several businesses in South Korea before moving to Thailand.

Case status:
Brian Lee (Son), arrested on suspicion of murder.

Source:
Expat arrested for stabbing mother-in-law to death in Chiang Mai
Kiwi expat arrested for ‘masterminding’ mother’s death, after first blaming wife
NZ Korean man arrested for ‘masterminding’ elderly mother’s death – after first blaming wife

Ms. Hayat

No PhotoName: Ms. Hayat (Hayat Bibi*).
Died: June 19, 2018.
Age at death: 65.
Cause of death: Shooting.
Location: Karachi, Pakistan.
Disability: Physically disabled.

Details:
Hayat Bibi was shot by her husband, who then committed suicide.

She was the mother of four children.

*”Bibi” is a respectful title for women in Southeast Asia. We apologize for initially assuming it was Ms. Hayat’s family name. –Ed.

Case status:
Haji Mumtaz (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Man commits suicide after killing disabled wife
Old man kills wife, himself in Surjani Town

Mae-Kim Lem

No PhotoName: Mae-Kim Lem.
Died: June 5, 2018.
Age at death: 76.
Cause of death: Choking.
Location: Shau Kei Wan, Hong Kong, China.
Disability: Stroke (Mobility impaired, visually impaired), thyroid disorder, arthritis.

Details:
Lem’s husband killed her by choking her to death. He claimed he had been worried who would care for her if he died.

Case status:
Wong Kok-man (Husband), pleaded guilty to manslaughter, sentenced to 2 years in jail; due to be released after about 1 month with credit for time served.

Source:
‘A tragic case’: Judge frees elderly man who killed disabled wife due to fear no one would care for her if he died
殺癱妻 官輕判八旬翁卑微希望:幫吓我哋就少好多悲劇
【法外開恩】黃國萬悲情殺妻 求情信揭欲輕生 留命為控雙老哀歌

Sumitra

No PhotoName: Sumitra.
Died: May 29, 2018.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Head trauma.
Location: Vajra Karur, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Disability: Physical disability.

Details:
Sumitra’s father was frustrated over her and her brother’s disabilities. He came home drunk, demanded she stand and walk, and when she could not do so, allegedly beat her to death.

Case status:
Yerriswamy (Father), arrested on a complaint of murder.

Source:
Father beat physically-disabled daughter to death – Times of India
Anantapur: Drunk father beats physically challenged daughter to death

Wilson Ross

No PhotoName: Wilson Ross.
Died: May 21, 2018.
Age at death: 74.
Cause of death: Stabbing.
Location: Summerville, South Carolina, USA.
Disability: Frail elder.

Details:
Wilson’s son, who had moved in to help him and his wife, allegedly stabbed him to death.

Case status:
Charles Ross (Son), charged with murder.

Source:
Summerville father’s stabbing death by son stuns neighbors
911 call released in fatal Summerville stabbing; son accused of stabbing father
Man Gives Shocking Confession During 911 Call