Short sentence – Disability Day of Mourning

Amy Modrow

Name: Amy Lynn Modrow.
Died: February 17, 2024.
Age at death: 9.
Cause of death: Asthma.
Location: Hopkins, Minnesota, USA.
Disability: Asthma.

Details:
Amy was at a sleepover at a friend’s house when she had an asthma attack. She used her inhaler, but the one she had hadn’t been prescribed for her; it was her grandmother’s, and her own inhaler prescription hadn’t been filled. Her friend’s mother called Amy’s mother and offered her to take her to the doctor, but her mother refused and took Amy home.

Amy’s asthma worsened, with her mother refusing to take her to the hospital, until she was blue from lack of air and Amy’s aunt called a family friend, who carried the girl to the parking lot and called 911. When medics arrived, Amy’s heart had stopped, and although they managed to resuscitate her, she was declared brain dead and taken off life support a week later.

Case Status:
Rachel Modrow (Mother) pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter, sentenced to 41 months in prison.

Sources:
Mother pleads guilty to manslaughter in daughter’s asthma death – CBS Minnesota
Mom let 9-year-old daughter die from asthma attack after refusing to take her to hospital
Case Search – Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO)
Amy Lynn Modrow (2014-2024) – Find a Grave Memorial

Martha Rutledge

Name: 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, provided no 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; pleaded guilty to neglect of a vulnerable adult, sentenced to 1 year probation.
and Nancy Rutledge (Daughter), charged with abuse or neglect of a vulnerable person resulting in death; pleaded guilty to neglect of a vulnerable adult, sentenced to 1 year probation.

Sources:
No prison for 2 Rock Hill sisters after their 99-year-old mother died in ‘horrific’ state
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

Juneanne Fannell

Name: Juneanne Fannell.
Died: April 5, 2023.
Age at death: 82.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Rio Rancho, New Mexico, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; bedridden; hospice patient.

Details:
Juneanne’s caregiver called police to report that she was “out of control” and needed to be removed from her own home. Juneanne, for her part, told police that she felt she was in danger and needed help because there were firearms in the home. Police responded to her address, but they only complimented Juneanne’s caregiver’s “nice guns” and made no attempt to help Juneanne.

On the recording of the visit, officers start to leave, and Juneanne begs them to stay because she is afraid. Her caregiver comments, “You’re fine until I kill you.” Juneanne points this threat out to the police, but her caregiver tells the police to leave, and they do, evidently dismissing her complaints.

Juneanne was fatally shot hours after police left her home.

Case Status:
Henry Cardana (Caretaker), pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, sentenced to 2 years prison, 2 years parole, 2 years probation.

Sources:
Cardana sentenced to six years for voluntary manslaughter, memorandum details months before incident
82-year-old killed hours after cops ignored cries for help
Rio Rancho woman killed after police respond to her home
Rio Rancho woman killed after police respond to her home

Titus Davenport

Name: Titus Davenport.
Died: January 20, 2023.
Age at death: 6.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Salem, Oregon, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Titus’s stepmother beat him so badly that he died from a brain bleed. She tried to claim the injuries were self-inflicted, but the autopsy report disagreed with her claims.

Case Status:
Cierra Wiedner (Stepmother) pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide and was sentenced to 5 years.

Sources:
Autism Memorial: Titus Davenport
Salem woman sentenced to 5 years for fatal abuse of 6-year-old stepson
Woman charged months after Salem 6-year-old’s death
Salem woman indicted in death of domestic partner’s 6-year-old son: Court documents
Dad, domestic partner booked, released in death of Salem child

Teruko Fujiwara

Concrete bridge and white railing above water. A bunch of yellow flowers has been left at the curb. — Flowers left for Teruko Fujiwara at the scene of her death.

Name: Teruko Fujiwara.
Died: November 2, 2022.
Age at death: 79.
Cause of death: Drowning.
Location: Oiso, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.
Disability: Unspecified; wheelchair user.

Details:
Ms. Fujiwara’s husband had been her caregiver for 40 years since she was injured and started using a wheelchair. The two were planning to enter an assisted-living facility, and Ms. Fujiwara was looking forward to it. But her husband did not want to accept help; he took her to the pier and pushed her out of her wheelchair and into the ocean, where she drowned. Police say he admitted to the murder, saying he was “worn out” from looking after her.

Ms. Fujiwara leaves behind two grown sons.

Case Status:
Hiroshi Fujiwara (Husband), convicted of murder, sentenced to 3 years.

Sources:
Obsession to care for disabled wife by himself led man to kill her
Husband, 82, gets 3 years in drowning death of paralyzed wife
81-year-old Japanese man arrested for murder after pushing wife’s wheelchair into sea
81-yr-old man in Japan arrested for allegedly killing wife he took care of for 40 yrs
Man accused of pushing wife in wheelchair into sea, killing her
Man, 81, pushes wheelchair-bound wife, 79, into the sea as he was ‘too tired of taking care of her’

Mary Kelting

Black and white photo of a smiling, light-skinned woman with her dark hair in a bob, held back by a hair band. Name: Mary Kathryn Kelting.
Died: September 1, 2022 (Declared dead; died approx. August 28-29).
Age at death: 73.
Cause of death: Pneumonia, malnutrition, heart disease.
Location: Davenport, Iowa, USA.
Disability: Stroke.

Details:
Mary died from neglect.

She enjoyed scrapbooking and painting ceramics. Her favorite movie was “Guardians of the Galaxy” and she loved Groot. She was a retired medical transcriber who had also worked as a dental hygienist and X-ray tech.

Case Status:
Jason B. Kelting (Son), pleaded guilty to felony neglect or abandonment of a dependent person, given a deferred judgment and three years of probation.

Sources:
Davenport man charged with neglecting bedridden mother causing death
Davenport man gets 3 years probation for neglecting bedridden mother who died
Davenport man charged with neglecting bedridden mother causing death
Mary Kelting Obituary – Davenport, IA

Katherine Sokolich

No Photo Name: Katherine Sokolich.
Died: July 3, 2022.
Age at death: 63.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Ballwin, Missouri, USA.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
Katherine’s brother, who was her court-appointed guardian and responsible for taking care of her, beat her because he was frustrated with taking care of her. After he called 911 and reported that she was injured, Katherine was hospitalized, but later died of a brain bleed due to head trauma.

Case Status:
Anthony Sokolich (Brother, guardian), pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, sentenced to probation.

Sources:
Police say 70-year-old Missouri man killed disabled sister
Man accused of beating disabled sister to death
70-Year-Old Missouri Man Beat His Disabled Sister to Death: Authorities
Disabled woman dies after attack by ‘frustrated’ caretaker brother near Ballwin, police say

Baili Cowell

No Photo Name: Baili Cowell.
Died: April 24, 2022.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Unspecified caretaker neglect.
Location: Toledo, Ohio, USA.
Disability: “Functionally impaired”.

Details:
Baili was found dead in her home. Police, who arrested her mother, say she had been left immobile, allowing pressure sores to develop, that she was dehydrated, and that she had not been taken to medical appointments.

Case Status:
Shelly Gantka (Mother), pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, sentenced to 6 months in jail and 5 years probation.

Sources:
Woman who neglected bedridden daughter gets jail time, 5 years’ probation for death
Toledo woman sentenced to probation in connection to her daughter’s death
Mother charged in April death of daughter in Toledo
Mother arrested, charged with involuntary manslaughter in death of her teenage child
Woman pleads not guilty to involuntary manslaughter of daughter

James Lewis

Name: James Rashard Lewis.
Died: September 29, 2021.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Throat cut.
Location: Waco, Texas, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
James was found dead at home, with his throat cut. His father, who police say was covered in blood and attempted to evade arrest, was charged with murder.

Neighbors often saw James running back and forth in the hallways and up and down the steps of their apartment complex.

Case Status:
Bronchae Defraunce Lewis (Father), charged with capital murder, found not guilty by reason of insanity; to be evaluated for 100 days at a state mental institution; case to be reviewed yearly.

Sources:
Waco man charged in death of autistic son found not guilty by reason of insanity
Waco man indicted in September death of 10-year-old son
Waco 10-year-old slain Wednesday identified
Affidavit details how Waco man allegedly murdered 10-year-old son
Waco man charged in brutal killing of autistic son regains competency to stand trial
Waco man charged in brutal killing of autistic son regains competency to stand trial

Kaysen Blackshear

Name: Kaysen Blackshear.
Died: July 19, 2021.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Medical neglect.
Location: Springdale, Ohio, USA.
Disability: A genetic disorder that causes seizures and developmental delay.

Details:
Kaysen was brought to the hospital with brain swelling, injuries to her face and back, and a chipped tooth. Her mother allegedly delayed seeking medical help for her for some time before she finally called for an ambulance. Kaysen died in the hospital. Police say her mother admitted to withholding food, water, and medical care in the hope that Kaysen would die.

Kaysen was active and inquisitive and would chew on anything she could get her hands on.

Case Status:
Bryce Foster (Mother), pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, sentenced to 3 years.

Source:
Woman sentenced for involuntary manslaughter in 5-year-old daughter’s death
Springdale mom charged in 5-year-old daughter’s death
Wish List: Single mother seeks car for daughter’s medical needs.
Police: Charges filed against mother in death of Springdale 5-year-old
Coroner: 5-year-old girl dies of apparent homicide, Springdale police investigating
Police investigating after 5-year-old girl dies from injuries
Wish List: Mother seeks vehicle to ease travel to daughter’s medical appointments
Springdale 5-year-old arrived ‘non-responsive’ and injured to hospital before death