Category: No Photo

Thérèse Brassard-Lévesque

No PhotoName: Thérèse Brassard-Lévesque.
Died: September 30, 2023.
Age at death: 79.
Cause of death: Unspecified homicide.
Location: Terrebonne, Quebec, Canada.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
Thérèse and her partner were found unconscious in her room at her senior living home. Thérèse was declared dead at the scene, but her partner was taken to the hospital, where his condition improved. Police believe that Thérèse’s partner killed her and then tried to kill himself, but survived the attempt.

Case Status:
Gilles Brassard (Partner), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, sentenced to 10 1/2 years to life.

Sources:
Quebec man, 81, gets prison sentence after admitting to killing wife with Alzheimer’s disease
“I’m not an assassin” says Quebec man who killed his wife suffering from dementia
Police investigate homicide at Terrebonne, Que., seniors’ residence
Man, 81, charged in wife’s murder at Quebec seniors’ home
Woman, 79, killed at Quebec seniors residence; suspect, 81, under watch in hospital

Michael Parks Jr.

No PhotoName: Michael Steven Parks Jr.
Died: September 17, 2023.
Age at death: 29.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome.

Details:
Michael, who lived with his mother, went to bed one night and died in his sleep. At autopsy, examiners took note of his extremely low body mass index and declared that he had died from malnutrition due to neglect.

Case Status:
Pamela Parks (Mother), charged with involuntary manslaughter and neglect of a disabled adult in a domestic setting causing serious injury.

Sources:
A Winston-Salem woman faces a manslaughter charge after her disabled son’s death in 2023
Autopsy reveals a man died from malnutrition in his mother’s care
Disabled man found dead inside Triad home, woman charged with involuntary manslaughter, officials say
Autopsy reveals Winston-Salem man with Down syndrome died of malnutrition; mother charged with manslaughter

Philista St. John

Name: Philista Mae St. John.
Died: September 7, 2023.
Age at death: 86.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Polson, Montana, USA.
Disability: Dementia, diabetes.

Details:
When police were called to do a welfare check on Philista, they found that she had been stabbed to death and her body hidden. They arrested her son, since he had an outstanding warrant, and later charged him with the stabbing that had caused Philista’s death when they found a note which they believe was written by Philista’s son, in which he stated that he “couldn’t do it anymore” and admitted that he had killed her.

Case Status:
Garrett Edward Vaska (Son), charged with deliberate homicide and tampering with evidence.

Sources:
Polson man charged with stabbing his mother with dementia to death
Polson man charged with killing mother who had dementia
Man accused of killing mother in Polson pleads not guilty
Philista Mae St. John Obituary 2023

JMGC

No PhotoName: “JMGC”.
Died: September 1, 2023.
Age at death: 25.
Cause of death: Poisoning.
Location: Valencia, Spain.
Disability: Down syndrome.

Details:
This young man’s mother took him to a hotel room, where she poisoned him and then herself. Police say she had become ill and was convinced no one would be able to take care of her son like she could.

Case Status:
LMC (Mother), deceased.

Sources:
Woman takes her life after killing her disabled son
Una mujer mata a su hijo discapacitado y después se quita la vida en un hotel de València

10-month-old girl

No PhotoName Unknown.
Died: August 21, 2023.
Age at death: 10 months.
Cause of death: Unspecified; homicide.
Location: Giyani, Limpopo, South Africa.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
This baby’s mother claimed that she had died of natural causes; but neighbors became suspicious, the child’s body was found buried in a shallow grave, and her mother was arrested for murder.

Case Status:
Her mother, charged with murder and obstruction of justice.

Sources:
Mother arrested after death of disabled baby
Heartless mother in the dock for murder of 10-month-old baby
Limpopo woman arrested for allegedly murdering her disabled daughter

Martha Rutledge

No PhotoName: Martha Rutledge.
Died: August 14, 2023.
Age at death: 99.
Cause of death: Starvation, untended bedsores.
Location: Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA.
Disability: Mobility impaired.

Details:
Martha was found dead at home. Her body was very thin, and she was covered in multiple severe bedsores. Her daughters, with whom she lived, are accused of not providing any medical care to their mother. Martha also had a lot of alcohol and THC in her system when she died; unable to move from her bed, she would not have been able to ingest these on her own. She had not seen a doctor in ten years.

Case Status:
Martha Carroll Rutledge (Daughter), charged with abuse or neglect of a vulnerable person resulting in death.
and Nancy Rutledge (Daughter), charged with abuse or neglect of a vulnerable person resulting in death.

Sources:
Rock Hill sisters granted bond for mother’s death whose body has ‘chronic open wound’
Police: Rock Hill woman died from lack of medical care, 2 daughters charged
Martha Rutledge Obituary (2023) – Rock Hill, SC – The Herald

Connie Smith

No PhotoName: Connie Smith.
Died: August 13, 2023.
Age at death: 76.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.
Disability: Frail elder.

Details:
Connie was fatally shot in her own home. Police say her son, who lived with her, confessed to killing her.

Case Status:
Shane Smith (Son), charged with first-degree murder.

Sources:
Update: Oklahoma City man charged with first-degree murder in mother’s shooting death
Man arrested after shooting, killing elderly mother in NW OKC, police say
OKC man booked for murder of elder mother
Man Arrested, Accused Of Shooting Mother To Death In NW Oklahoma City

Arditi Bekteshi

No PhotoName: Arditi Bekteshi.
Died: July 28, 2023.
Age at death: Child.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Rufc, Lipjan, Pristina, Kosovo.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
Arditi’s father killed him and his mother, then died by suicide.

Case Status:
His father; deceased.

Sources:
The Kosovo Disability Forum reacts after the triple murder in Lipjan, they say that the boy was disabled
Forumi Kosovar i Aftësisë së Kufizuar flet për vrasjen në Lipjan: Fëmijët po keqtrajtohen nga familjarët e tyre, s’kanë mbështetje nga shteti

Ana Asencio

No PhotoName: Ana Asencio.
Died: July 17, 2023.
Age at death: 84.
Cause of death: Head and neck trauma.
Location: New York City, New York, USA.
Disability: Dementia; pacemaker.

Details:
Police entered Ana’s apartment on a welfare check and discovered her dead, with bruising to her head and neck. It took six months for her death to be classified as a homicide, and another few months before her son was arrested on suspicion of having strangled her.

Ana was a retired schoolteacher.

Case Status:
Edward Asancio (Son), charged with manslaughter and second-degree assault.

Sources:
Death of Manhattan woman, 84, ruled homicide from elder abuse
July ‘23 Death of Retired School teacher in UWS Apt. Ruled a Homicide by M.E.
Edward Asencio charged strangling his mom Ana Asencio to death

5-year-old boy

Name Unknown.
Died: July 16, 2023.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Starvation/dehydration.
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
This five-year-old boy’s mother was charged with starving him so badly that he weighed only thirteen-and-a-half pounds when he died.

Case Status:
Marcella Montelongo (Mother), charged with child abuse resulting in death, died before trial.

Sources:
Mom charged for starving special needs son to death in Albuquerque
Woman accused of starving special needs child found dead at MDC
Albuquerque mom arrested after special needs son dies
New Mexico mother accused of allowing her 5-year-old son to slowly starve to death
Marcella Montelongo, N.M mom red flags were obvious to see