Relationship: Sibling – Page 4 – Disability Day of Mourning

Melissa Pierce

Name: Melissa Pierce.
Died: May 24, 2019.
Age at death: 47.
Cause of death: Malnutrition/dehydration.
Location: Chesterfield, Virginia, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy, intellectual disability.

Details:
Melissa’s body was found in her bed; she had died of malnutrition and dehydration due to neglect. She lived with family and her sister was listed as her primary caregiver.

Case status:
Davina Blackwell (sister), charged with felony murder.

Source:
Death of disabled Chesterfield woman has been ruled a case of neglect and homicide
Chesterfield woman charged with felony murder and neglect in sister’s death
‘Killed by who?’ Family says Chesterfield woman found dead in her home wasn’t neglected
Medical Examiner: Chesterfield woman died of ‘starvation and dehydration’; Death ruled homicide

Heidi R.

Name: Heidi R.
Died: April 28, 2019.
Age at death: 49.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Turnhout, Belgium.
Disability: Mild intellectual disability.

Details:
Heidi lived with her sister and her sister’s girlfriend. One night, Heidi’s sister took her for a walk along the river, where she allegedly strangled her and dumped her body in the water.

Heidi was an outgoing chatterbox. She worked in a sheltered workshop, and was looking forward to moving back to Arendonk and having a home of her own. At work, she was known as cheerful and helpful, liked by both management and co-workers.

Case Status:
Inge R. (sister), arrested on suspicion of murder.
Daisy VM (sister’s girlfriend), arrested on suspicion of murder.

Source:
Niet één maar twee verdachten voor moord op gehandicapte vrouw: “Slachtoffer stond relatie in de weg”
“Heidi zat nog vol toekomstplannen”: moordslachtoffer stond op punt om weer naar eigen stekje te verhuizen
Inge R. (50) aangehouden voor moord op gehandicapte zus: gewurgd voor ze ‘verdronk’
Nieuwe verdachte voor moord op gehandicapte vrouw uit Turnhout

Julie Burdett

No Photo Name: Julie Burdett.
Died: January 15, 2019.
Age at death: 61.
Cause of death: Pressure ulcers, malnutrition.
Location: Leicester, England, UK.
Disability: “A disease similar to multiple sclerosis”; wheelchair user.

Details:
Julie died from extreme pressure sores. Allegedly, she was not moved or fed properly, and before she died, was left alone in her bedroom for two weeks.

Case Status:
Philip Burdett (Brother), convicted of gross negligence manslaughter, sentenced to 3 years.
Ralph Burdett (Father), convicted of allowing death, sentenced to 2 years, suspended for 2 years.

Sources:
‘Extreme hoarder’ Philip Burdett jailed for gross negligence manslaughter after death of vulnerable sister
Brother of vulnerable woman jailed for gross negligence manslaughter
Julie Burdett: Woman left to die ‘surrounded by filth’ after her father and brother failed to care for her, court told
Immobile woman ‘left to die alone in agony by extreme hoarder father’

Mark Randolph

Name: Mark Randolph.
Died: September 15, 2018.
Age at death: 50.
Cause of death: Blunt neck trauma.
Location: Gloucester, New Jersey, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; disabled in a car accident.

Details:
Mark Randolph’s family knew something was wrong when one day he didn’t send them his usual good-morning text message. When they checked on him, they found him dead. He had died from blunt trauma to the head and neck, allegedly inflicted by his own brother.

He worked as a cook before his car accident. He appointed himself as “the neighborhood’s dad”, buying ice cream for the neighbors from the ice cream truck and playing catch with the children. His family remembers him as charitable and friendly.

Case status:
Shawn Randolph (Brother), charged with murder.

Source:
Man charged with killing brother who ‘would do anything for him,’ family said
Man charged with killing brother claims self defense in text messages
Man charged with brother’s murder in Camden County

Ronald Blankenship

No Photo Name: Ronald Blankenship.
Died: August 20, 2018.
Age at death: 64.
Cause of death: Bronchopneumonia.
Location: Monticello, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; diabetes, mobility impaired.

Details:
Ronald lived with his sister and nephew, who were supposed to care for him. He died of severe, untreated bronchopneumonia and was found in filthy surroundings.

When Ronald was found dead, police also found a young woman with Down syndrome, who had been adopted by one of Ronald’s relatives; she was taken into adult protective services. Three dogs and three cats, also neglected, were taken by animal control; two of the dogs, Cocker Spaniels named Chance and Puddy, were too sick to survive and had to be euthanized.

Case status:
Christie Brown (Sister), convicted of criminal abuse or neglect of a disabled person and aggravated cruelty to a companion animal.
Mason Brown (Nephew), convicted of criminal abuse or neglect of an elderly person, sentenced to 5 years in prison and 1 year on parole.
Justin Tatman (Power of Attorney), charged with criminal neglect, charges dropped.

Source:
Neglect charges on one defendant dropped
Monticello man found guilty of neglect after death of uncle
Bond set for three in neglect case | Piatt County Journal-Republican
3 arrested in connection with death of Monticello man

Sharmila Devi

No Photo Name: Sharmila Devi.
Died: August 4, 2018.
Age at death: 36.
Cause of death: Throat cut.
Location: Loharu, Haryana, India.
Disability: Mobility impaired/bedbound, mentally impaired.

Details:
Sharmila’s brother slit her throat with a screwdriver. To police, he claimed that he had “liberated” her because “nobody took care of her”.

Case status:
Pawan Kumar (Brother), arrested.

Source:
Man slits bedridden sister’s throat with screwdriver in Haryana town

Elsie Greene

Name: Elsie Mae Greene.
Died: July 17, 2018.
Age at death: 65.
Cause of death: Sepsis; bedsores.
Location: Cumberland Furnace, Tennessee, USA.
Disability: Parkinson’s disease.

Details:
Elsie’s brother and his wife left her on a thin mattress, in filthy conditions with no air-conditioning in the hot Tennessee summer. She developed bedsores and eventually died from sepsis.

Case Status:
William “Bill” Norris Greene (Brother), convicted of negligent homicide, given 8-year suspended sentence.
Deadra Tidwell Greene, convicted of negligent homicide, given 8-year suspended sentence.

Sources:
Couple convicted of negligent homicide in death of bed-ridden sister
Couple sentenced to probation in death of medically disabled woman left on floor mattress

Dinesh Sharma

No Photo Name: Dinesh Sharma.
Died: March 21, 2018.
Age at death: 45.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Sitarganj, Uttarakhand, India.
Disability: Paralysis due to stroke following an accident.

Details:
Dinesh and his brother had gotten into an argument when his brother allegedly pulled a gun and shot him dead.

Case status:
Kalyan Dutt Sharma (Brother), arrested on suspicion of murder.

Source:
Ex-serviceman kills disabled brother following argument, arrested

Cody Nachtrab

Portrait photo of Cody Nachtrab, a teenager with dark hair and light skin and a wispy mustache. He is smiling for the camera. He is wearing a pale-green dress shirt. Name: Cody T. Nachtrab.
Died: March 12, 2018.
Age at death: 23.
Cause of death: Smoke inhalation.
Location: Deer Creek, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Developmental disability.

Details:
Cody died of smoke inhalation in a fire set by his sister.

He liked tractors and enjoyed playing with his toy cars. His favorite movie was Shrek. He had a collection of backpacks.

Case status:
Dana L. Nachtrab (Sister), convicted of homicide by negligent handling of fire and arson; sentenced to seven years in prison followed by five years on extended supervision.

Source:
Woman faces homicide charges following brother’s death in house fire
Clintonville woman charged with starting fire that killed developmentally disabled brother
Woman charged with starting fire that killed developmentally disabled brother
Obituary for Cody T. Nachtrab | Eberhardt-Stevenson Funeral Home & Crematory
Deer Creek fire: Sister sentenced in brother’s arson death

Kakoli Das

No Photo Name: Kakoli Das.
Died: January 9, 2018.
Age at death: 46.
Cause of death: Abuse.
Location: Behala, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
Disability: Deaf; schizophrenia, physical disability.

Details:
When Kakoli’s niece died of dengue, Kakoli’s sister and her husband blamed her for the death. Neighbors reported that she and her mother, also disabled, were often beaten and starved, until one day Kakoli was found dead.

Case status:
Keya Mullick (Sister) and her husband, detained by neighbors, under investigation.

Source:
Deaf-mute woman killed in ‘assault’ by kin at Behala
Woman death sparks unrest