Relationship: Parent – Page 55 – Disability Day of Mourning

Skyler Craighead

No Photo
Name: Skyler Craighead.
Died: November 18, 2013.
Age at death: 5 months.
Cause of death: Starvation/dehydration.
Location: La Vergne, Tennessee, USA.
Disability: DiGeorge syndrome, feeding tube, heart defect.

Details:
Skyler died of starvation and dehydration while in the care of her parents.

Case status:
Sinead Omer (Mother) and Terry Craighead (Father), both charged with aggravated child neglect, felony murder in perpetration of aggravated child neglect, aggravated child abuse and felony murder in perpetration of aggravated child abuse. First trial ended in mistrial; second trial proceeding.

Source:
Sinead Omer, mother accused of killing infant in 2013, faces new child abuse charges
Mother Charged with Starvation Death of Baby in 2013 Accused of Faking Illness in Infant in 2018
La Vergne parents face trial in infant’s starvation death
La Vergne Parents Charged In Baby’s Death Go To Trial

Dameian Gulley

Photo of Dameian Gulley, an adolescent boy with fair skin and curly brown hair, standing in front of some leafy branches. Name: Dameian “Luke” Gulley.
Died: November 18, 2013.
Age at death: 14.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Visalia, California, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Luke’s stepfather strangled him.

His obituary says that he often “volunteered his time at a nursing home in Tulare, CA where he would call out Bingo and paint fingernails.”

Case status:
Miguel Angel Villegas Pacheco (Stepfather), convicted of murder, sentenced to 25 years to life.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Dameian “Luke” Gulley
Tulare County judge sentences Visalia man to 25 years to life for murder of stepson
Dameian Gulley: Obituary
Stepfather arrested in Gulley’s death
‘We knew we had foul play’
Visalia step-father arrested for the murder of 14-year-old Damiean “Luke” Gulley
Stepfather Left Voice Mail Asking for Help
Central California man arrested in stepson’s death

Qyzra Walji

Photo of Qyzra Walji, a young woman with straight brown hair and tan skin, smiling broadly. A wheelchair head rest is visible behind her head. Name: Qyzra Walji.
Died: October 31, 2013.
Age at death: 21.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: London, Ontario, Canada.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
When she was about six years old, Qyzra’s parents immigrated to Canada from Tanzania, so that she could get good education and health care.

She was a bright student whose friends remember her smile fondly; she was always smiling. She liked fashion, pop culture, and boys.

She wrote an article in Girls’ Life about her experiences. You can read it here:
The Story Of A Girl With Cerebral Palsy

When their temporary visas expired and the government of Canada planned to deport them, Qyzra’s father shot her and her mother Shyroz in a murder-suicide.

Case status:
Mohamed Walji (Father), deceased.

Source:
Mohamed Walji killed his wife and severely disabled daughter, then himself, but questions remain
Listening to Qyzra
The Story Of A Girl With Cerebral Palsy
Waljis? relative says Immigration at root of family’s desperation
A building super, his wife and disabled daughter were found dead
London police confirm family of murder-suicide died from gunshot wounds
Police search for motive in tragic murder-suicide death of London, Ontario family | National Post
Triple death was murder-suicide

Steven Copo-Horton

Name: Steven Copo-Horton.
Died: October 28, 2013.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Drowning.
Location: Emerton, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Disability: Angelman syndrome.

Details:
Steven drowned in the bathtub. Prosecutors say he could not have gotten into the bathtub on his own.

“All [Steven] wanted to do was kiss and cuddle everyone,” his mother remembers.

Case status:
Charbel Younes (Stepfather), charged with murder. After being released on bail, he broke his wife’s arm and shot at his other stepson. Court subsequently denied bail. Acquitted.

Source:
Stepdad acquitted of murder at retrial
Drowned teen couldn’t have got in bath
Charles Younes trial: Man denies murder of disabled stepson in bathtub
Tradie charged with drowning murder of his disabled teenager stepson
Stepfather charged over teen’s bathtub death
‘Concerning history of violence’: Couple split one week before teen found dead in bath
Man charged with murder over 2013 bathtub drowning of teen
Man who drowned disabled stepson ‘broke ex-wife’s arm and shot a gun’

Antonio Brooks

Photo: A young African-American boy wearing a white shirt. He has large brown eyes and a turned-up nose; his hair is very short. Name: Antonio Brooks.
Died: October 28, 2013.
Age at death: 14.
Cause of death: Peritonitis.
Location: Hampton, Virginia, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Antonio’s father kicked him in the stomach, and then neglected to take him to the doctor. Antonio died two days later from his injuries.

Case status:
Anthony Brooks (Father), pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter. Due to be released Sept. 2026.

Source:
Hampton man pleads in autistic son’s death
Father arrested after son’s death ruled a homicide
Documents: Hampton father did not get medical attention for son
Testimony: Hampton boy’s death could have been prevented
Autism Memorial: Antonio Brooks

Lucas Mascini

Bulletin board covered with children's drawings with Dutch text, memorializing Lucas and Rosa. — Classmates’ memorial drawings for Lucas and Rosa V.

Name: Lucas Mascini (also called Lucas V).
Died: October 2, 2013.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Apeldoorn, Netherlands.
Disability: “Severely disabled”.

Details:
Lucas and his six-year-old sister Rosa were murdered by their mother. Police say she told them she had been delusional and had been having trouble caring for her children, “especially her disabled son”.

Case status:
Aurélie V. (Mother); convicted of murder, sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Source:
Aurèlie V., de moeder die haar twee kinderen vermoorde stond vandaag voor de rechter
Moeder bracht haar kinderen om tijdens ‘nachtmerrie’
Hof veroordeelt Apeldoornse moeder tot 12 jaar cel voor doden van haar twee kinderen
Mother claims she was delusional when she killed her kids
Moeder doodde haar twee kinderen ‘in een waan’

Jaelen Edge

A photo of a brown-skinned boy with a buzz cut, wearing a T-shirt, sitting on a deck chair, looking to the side, frowning. Inset: Photo of a brown-skinned young girl with brown skin and black hair pulled back, chin in her hand, smiling, wearing a coral blouse. Name: Jaelen Edge.
Died: September 14, 2013.
Age at death: 13.
Cause of death: Drowning.
Location: Santa Ana, California, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Jaelen was poisoned and then drowned by his mother, who also killed his ten-year-old sister Faith.

Case status:
Marilyn Edge (Mother); pleaded guilty to murder; sentenced to life without parole.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Jaelen Edge
Ariz. Mother Allegedly Kills Children To Prevent Father From Getting Custody
Marilyn Edge Update: Ariz. mom accused of poisoning daughter, autistic son, charged with murder
Mother Accused of Poisoning Children in OC Asks Judge for Death
Marilyn Edge update: Documents shed light on what murder suspect was going through
Arraignment postponed for Marilyn Edge, mother charged in children’s deaths
Grand jury testimony: Mom’s plot to kill children involved sleeping pills, drowning
Mother pleads guilty
Mother sentenced to life in prison for murder of 2 kids in Santa Ana

Yu

Blurry photo of a baby boy lying asleep on a red blanket; he has tan skin and black hair, and is wearing a red top and blue jeans. Name: Yu (Family name unknown).
Died: September 9, 2013.
Age at death: 16 months.
Cause of death: Poisoned, smothered.
Location: Shenyang, Liaoning province, China.
Disability: Club foot.

Details:
Yu’s father allegedly poisoned him with pesticides, then smothered him and threw his body off a bridge. The police concluded that the boy’s disability, along with an unhappy marriage, had caused the father to become depressed and become unable to resist the impulse to murder his son.

Case status:
Feng (Father); charged with homicide.

Source:
Young father poisons toddler, smothers him and throws him from bridge

Nathalyz Rivera

Photo of Nathalyz Rivera, a baby with light-tan skin and black hair, wearing a big white hair ribbon. She has her eyes wide open and her tongue poking out of her mouth a little. Name: Nathalyz Rivera.
Died: September 9, 2013.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome (visually impaired, unable to walk or talk).

Details:
Nathalyz and her siblings were starved and neglected by their parents, fed only once a day. Nathalyz, the youngest, could not hold a bottle to feed herself. When she died of starvation, her parents were arrested.

Her two brothers and two sisters survived and were moved to foster homes.

Case status:
Carmen Ramirez (Mother), convicted of 3rd-degree murder, manslaughter, negligence; sentenced to 30-60 years in prison.
Carlos Rivera (Father), convicted of 3rd-degree murder, manslaughter, negligence; sentenced to 30-60 years in prison.

Source:
Mother ‘used daughter’s disability checks to party at casinos months before her 3-year-old starved to death on filthy floor’
Parents of fatally starved girl get long prison terms

Jake Harkins

Photo of a boy with fair skin and sandy hair, wearing a white shirt. Name: Jake Harkins.
Died: September 6, 2013.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Jake’s father shot him to death in a murder suicide.

Case status:
Jake Harkins Sr. (Father), deceased.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Jake Harkins
Domestic incident leaves two dead, 1 injured
Dad Kills Son, Self, Shoots Wife in “Gruesome” Murder-Suicide: Police
Memorial Dedicated at NE Phila. School to Autistic Boy Who Died