Relationship: Parent – Page 28 – Disability Day of Mourning

Joshua Alonzo

Photo of a teenage boy in a power chair, wearing a blue shirt and tie. He is smiling broadly. His dark hair is cut short. Name: Joshua Alonzo.
Died: May 27, 2018.
Age at death: 21.
Cause of death: Malnutrition/dehydration.
Location: San Antonio, Texas, USA.
Disability: Schizencephaly, cerebral palsy.

Details:
At 18, Joshua got too old to go to his pediatrician, but instead of finding a new doctor, his mother allegedly denied him medical care for the last three years of his life. He couldn’t eat on his own, and needed to be fed.

Joshua died of malnutrition and dehydration. Though he had always been small, weighing 51 pounds at age 18, when he died he weighed only 38.

Case status:
Alma Munoz (Mother), charged with causing serious bodily injury to a disabled person.

Source:
Mom collected benefits as disabled son, 21, died weighing 38 pounds, Texas cops say
Texas mom charged when disabled adult son dies after three years without medical care
Obituary for Joshua Alonzo – San Antonio, TX
San Antonio mother arrested after disabled son dies of malnutrition, dehydration

Heaven Watkins

Photo of Heaven Watkins, a small girl with brown skin and black hair pulled back under a silver crown. She is wearing a coral-colored dress and a sash that says "Birthday Girl". Her face is scrunched up in a wide smile. Name: Heaven Watkins.
Died: May 18, 2018.
Age at death: 11.
Cause of death: Internal injuries from blunt-force trauma.
Location: Norfolk, Virginia, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy, autism.

Details:
Born a micropreemie at 1.7 pounds, Heaven survived a brain hemorrhage and hydrocephalus and had to spend three-and-a-half months in the NICU.

Heaven had two sisters. Her favorite colors were purple and pink. She was autistic and had cerebral palsy. She was outgoing and had fun with the neighborhood kids. She liked to play tag and to draw on the ground. One of her classmates, a girl named Claire, liked to run her fingers through Heaven’s hair. She was outspoken and “didn’t hide anything from anyone.”

She lived with her mother and her mother’s boyfriend, both of whom were abusive. She was once brought into the hospital with burns to her hand that required skin grafts, and her teachers were worried that she had been sexually abused; but the child abuse allegations at that time were ruled unfounded. Heaven usually wore a jacket to hide her bruises. She was put on a bread-and-water diet and made to stand against a wall for hours.

Heaven died of blunt-force trauma, having been severely beaten in the head and torso to the point that her gut ruptured. Doctors who examined her body found she had bleeding on the brain, as well as a dozen or more healed rib fractures and several new ones.

After Heaven was found dead, her two sisters were removed from the home and are now living with their aunt. Her neighbors held a vigil for her, releasing pink, purple, and white balloons into the sky in her honor.

Case status:
Latoya Smith (Mother), pleaded guilty to felony homicide and child abuse, sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Demont James Harris (Mother’s boyfriend), pleaded guilty to felony homicide and two counts of child abuse/neglect, sentenced to 60 years in prison with 35 years suspended.

Source:
In Minnesota’s rush to reunite children with abusive parents, hundreds of kids are hurt again
Heaven Watkins: Prison for mom who fatally beat special needs daughter’s stomach open
Couple arrested for the death of a child in Norfolk
Two more children taken from Norfolk home after 11-year-old’s death
Norfolk couple faces judge after 11-year-old dies
Medical Examiner: cause of Norfolk 11-year-old’s death was blunt force trauma
Mom, boyfriend beat slain disabled girl so severely that her stomach split open: Report
Mother, fiancé charged in death of 11-year-old autistic child, caused abdomen to split
Ocean View neighbors gather for vigil of an 11-year-old girl, Heaven
Neighborhood holds vigil for 11-year-old girl killed in Ocean View
Bond denied for man charged in Norfolk child’s death
Disabled 11-year-old girl was forced to stand for hours, beaten until she died, prosecutor says
Murdered disabled girl who had stomach beat open was forced to stand for hours on end, fed only bread & water: Prosecutor
Brian K. Payne: Learning from Heaven’s time on earth
Prosecutors DROP murder charges against mom & boyfriend accused of beating disabled girl’s stomach open
New charges suggest two didn’t intend to kill 11-year-old Norfolk girl
Charges amended for mother and boyfriend charged in fatal Ocean View child abuse case
Family of 11-year-old victim speaks out as they plan memorial services to honor the child
Heaven’s Story: Mom pleads guilty in 11-year-old daughter’s death

9-month-old baby

No Photo Name Unknown.
Died: May 18, 2018.
Age at death: 9 months.
Cause of death: Unspecified homicide.
Location: Kalwa, Thane, India.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
This 9-month-old baby’s mother allegedly murdered them and threw their body into the creek.

Case status:
Yashoda Cheddar (Mother), charged with murder.

Source:
Woman arrested for murder of disabled child

Antoin Hawes Jr.

No Photo Name: Antoin Hawes Jr.
Died: May 13, 2018.
Age at death: 28.
Cause of death: Pneumonia.
Location: Augusta, Georgia, USA.
Disability: Autism, ADHD.

Details:
Antoin’s parents kept him locked in a room with the window boarded up, chained by his ankle. He had to sleep on old couch cushions wrapped in garbage bags and use a bucket for a toilet. There were no lights, no heating, and no air conditioning. When he got sick, they didn’t get him medical help. By the time an ambulance was finally called, he had died of pneumonia.

Case status:
Antoin Sylvester Hawes Sr. (Father), charged with neglect of a disabled adult and felony murder.
Stephanie Jones Hawes (Mother), charged with neglect of a disabled adult and felony murder, died before trial.

Source:
Hawes released on $75,000 bond in death of his disabled son
Augusta death investigated, victim kept in room with no windows or bed
Man found dead in Kissingbower Rd. home, parents arrested
Parents arrested in suspicious death of son at Augusta residence
Parents of autistic man found dead indicted on felony murder charges
Richmond County couple indicted on murder charges in disabled son’s death
Shocking Death in Augusta: Parents Kept Autistic Son Locked in Windowless Bedroom!
Autism Memorial: Antoin Hawes Jr.

66-year-old man

No Photo Name Unknown.
Died: May 13, 2018.
Age at death: 66.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Garden Grove, California, USA.
Disability: Chronic illness; wheelchair user.

Details:
This 66-year-old man was shot to death by his stepfather in a murder-suicide.

Case status:
His 85-year-old stepfather, deceased.

Source:
85-Year-Old Man Shoots, Kills Wheelchair-Bound Stepson
Police investigate murder-suicide of elderly man and stepson in Garden Grove

Shefali Samanta

No Photo Name: Shefali Samanta.
Died: May 11, 2018.
Age at death: 42.
Cause of death: Burns.
Location: Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
Disability: Mental illness/developmental disability.

Details:
Shefali returned home to find that her mother was furious that she had left the house at night. Her mother allegedly doused her in gasoline, set her on fire, and let her burn to death.

Case status:
Anjali Samanta (Mother), charged with murder.

Source:
Day Before Mother’s Day, Woman Sets Her Special Needs Daughter Ablaze
West Bengal: Woman unable to bear mentally-challenged’ daughter’s ‘weird’ activities burns her to death

Christopher Bosselman

Photo of a small boy sitting on the ground, leaning toward the camera and smiling. He has fair skin and short blond hair, and is wearing a blue and white striped shirt. Name: Christopher Kenneth “CK” Bosselman.
Died: May 3, 2018.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Heat stroke.
Location: Waterford, Connecticut, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Christopher, who went by CK, had to live in filthy conditions at home. He was five years old when his mother locked him in her car on a warm day. CK died of heat stroke, and his mother reported him missing. Initially assumed to be an accident, CK’s death raised suspicion when police reportedly searched his mother’s phone and found she had been making searches on hot-car deaths before her son died.

From CK’s obituary:
“CK loved Paw Patrol, especially the character Rubble. He loved coloring and singing. Some of his favorite songs were “Heaven is a place on earth” (Belinda Carlisle), ‘Bad at love’ (Halsey), ‘Your love’ (The Outfield), and ‘No one’ (Alicia Keys). He loved Starbucks Frappuccinos, Oreos and ice cream.”

Case status:
Whitney Bosselman (Mother), pled guilty to injury to a minor, sentenced to 8 years, sentence suspended, and 3 years of probation.

Source:

Waterford mother receives suspended sentence in death of 5-year-old son
Waterford Police: Mother arrested in connection to death of 5-year-old son found in hot car
PD: 5-year-old boy found dead inside car in Waterford
Warrant: Mom Made ‘Concerning’ Phone Searches Before Son Died
Police: Waterford child who died in mother’s car lived in deplorable conditions
Police: Mom made ‘concerning Google searches’ before autistic son’s hot car death
Waterford Police Charge Mother of 5-Year-Old Boy With Autism Who Died In Hot Car
Christopher Kenneth Bosselman Obituary – Uncasville, CT
Autism Memorial: Christopher Bosselman

Tyler and Aidan Talmage

Photo of Tyler, Aidan, and Arianna Talmage. They are children with light-olive skin and brown hair, photographed sitting in a row of airplane seats and smiling for the camera. Name: Tyler Talmage.
Age at death: 14.

Name: Aidan Talmage.
Age at death: 10.

Died: May 3, 2018.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA.
Disability: Bipolar disorder, autism.

Non-Disabled Victim: Arianna Talmage, age 6.

Details:
Aidan and Tyler, and their little sister Arianna, were shot by their mother in a murder-suicide. She had been having trouble paying medical bills.

Aidan loved animals, especially chickens, and liked playing catch. Tyler had pet guinea pigs. Arianna liked dancing and playing with Play-Doh.

Case status:
Astra Volk (Mother), deceased.

Source:
UPDATE: Post indicates Grand Forks family found shot to death struggled with financial problems
Family’s deaths a grim discovery for ‘quiet’ street
Mom and her three kids killed by gunshots in Grand Forks
‘It’s a bad dream that doesn’t end’: Friends, family of Grand…
Family friends speak out on GF murders
Police confirm Grand Forks mother killed children, herself in home
‘We love you:’ Mourners remember lives of Grand Forks shooting…
Campaña de Astra Volk : Living Expenses Due To Medical Bills
Autism Memorial: Tyler and Aidan Talmage

Frans Pitjeng

No Photo Name: Frans Thille Pitjeng.
Died: April 28, 2018.
Age at death: 48.
Cause of death: Homicide.
Location: Atteridgeville, South Africa.
Disability: Mental disability, epilepsy.

Details:
Frans was killed and dismembered by his father.

Case status:
Lazarus Pitjeng (Father), charged with murder, died in jail before start of trial.

Source:
Dad accused of killing mentally disabled son for muti dies in jail
‘Decent’ man accused of chopping up son
71 year old Atteridgeville man accused of his son’s murder appeared in court

Shashank and Adeep Reddy

No Photo Name: Adeep (Aditya) Reddy.
Age at death: 9.

Name: Shashank (Prashanth) Reddy.
Age at death: 10.

Died: April 21, 2018.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Macherla, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Disability: Autism, physically and mentally disabled.

Details:
Adeep and Shashank were allegedly strangled to death by their father.

Case status:
Brhamananda Reddy (Father), wanted and at large.

Source:
Andhra Pradesh: Man strangulates 2 autistic sons in Guntur
Two kids with ‘autism’ found dead under suspicious circumstances in Andhra
Depressed man kills disabled sons
Autism Memorial: Shashank and Adeep Reddy