Short sentence – Page 10 – Disability Day of Mourning

John Zdon

Name: John Emile Zdon.
Died: August 31, 2016.
Age at death: 72.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA.
Disability: Frail elder, needed 24-hour care.

Details:
John’s daughter knew his health was getting worse, but she would not take him to the doctor because she was afraid he would be put in a nursing home. He was found malnourished and unresponsive and brought to the hospital, where he died.

He was an Air Force veteran and a fan of the Atlanta Braves.

Case Status:
Tammy Zdon (Daughter), pleaded guilty to manslaughter and permitting abuse on an elderly or disabled person, sentenced to 6 months in jail.

Source:
John Zdon Obituary (1944 – 2016) The Berkshire Eagle
Massachusetts caregiver admits to causing father’s death
North Adams woman faces caretaker abuse, involuntary manslaughter charges in father’s death

Mindy Speck

No Photo Name: Mindy Speck.
Died: August 22, 2016.
Age at death: 21.
Cause of death: Insulin overdose.
Location: Eastlake, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Autism, cerebral palsy, Type I diabetes.

Details:
When Mindy had a meltdown after having to spend a day in the hospital being treated for a urinary tract infection, Mindy’s mother gave her repeated doses of insulin until she collapsed from hypoglycemia. It wasn’t until the next day that Mindy’s mother called paramedics, and by then Mindy was dead.

Case status:
Sandra Speck (Mother), pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, sentenced to 88 days in jail and 100 hours of community service.

Source:
Ohio woman confesses to killing disabled daughter
Prosecutor Says Woman Confessed To Killing Disabled Daughter
Eastlake woman admits giving diabetic daughter fatal overdose of insulin
Eastlake woman pleads guilty to killing autistic daughter with insulin overdose
Prosecutor: Woman gave autistic daughter lethal insulin dose
Woman Pleads Guilty for her Daughter’s Fatal Insulin Overdose
Mom pleads guilty to giving autistic daughter lethal insulin dose
Ohio mom charged with murder in 21-year-old daughter’s death
Eastlake woman charged with murder
Prosecutor: Mom confessed to killing disabled adult daughter
Mother Kills Disabled Daughter, Claims She Was ‘Overwhelmed’ By Responsibility
Eastlake woman charged in daughter’s death ‘feels horrible,’ attorney says
Eastlake woman who admitted giving daughter fatal overdose of insulin sentenced
Mom sentenced for killing daughter with special needs

Ernestine Tindall

No Photo Name: Ernestine Tindall.
Died: August 13, 2016.
Age at death: 88.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Perlethorpe, England, UK.
Disability: Vascular dementia.

Details:
Ernestine’s husband strangled her because he was afraid that they would be moved to separate nursing homes. He claimed she had asked him to kill her, but the judge stated that,”This is not a case of assisted suicide. This is killing as a perceived act of mercy.”

Case status:
Jack Tindall (Husband), pleaded guilty to manslaughter, given a 12-month suspended sentence.

Source:
World War II vet, 96, strangled his dementia-suffering wife to death and laid her on a bed of lilies
Husband spared jail for mercy killing of wife with dementia
96-year-old man gets suspended prison term for killing dementia-suffering wife

Benjamin Mitchell

No Photo Name: Benjamin Mitchell.
Died: August 10, 2016.
Age at death: 3 weeks.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Sanford, Florida, USA.
Disability: Prematurity-related respiratory condition.

Details:
Benjamin and his twin brother were born prematurely; Benjamin had a lung condition that needed treatment, but his mother didn’t take him to the doctor or feed him enough. Benjamin died of starvation; his brother survived.

Case status:
Michelle Spinicchia (Mother), convicted of willful child abuse, sentenced to 2 years 6 months; spent 2 months in prison.

Source:
Seminole County mother arrested for death of malnourished twin son, deputies say
Baby’s mother arrested, accused of starving him to death
Sanford woman accused of neglecting child, causing his death
Inmate Release Detail

Catherine Purcell

No Photo Name: Catherine Purcell.
Died: July 24, 2016.
Age at death: 68.
Cause of death: Dehydration, sepsis.
Location: Kirkby, England, UK.
Disability: Korsakoff syndrome, emphysema.

Details:
Although they had four offers of help caring for her, Catherine’s husband and daughter refused them all. Instead, they left Catherine to starve on a filthy mattress. She died of dehydration, pneumonia, and infected bedsores.

Case Status:
Catherine Purcell Jr. (Daughter), found guilty of neglect, given a suspended 12-month sentence, 180 hours of community service, and a curfew for two months.
John Purcell (Husband), found guilty of neglect; given a suspended 18-month sentence, 270 hours of community service, and a curfew for three months.

Source:
Disabled mum ‘left to die in soiled bed while she was eaten by maggots’
Great-gran died in maggot-ridden “cesspit” due to “extreme neglect”
Dad and daughter guilty of neglecting Catherine Purcell who died while being eaten by maggots
Shocking details of ‘neglected’ gran; PROSECUTORS SAY NEGLECT DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTED TO 68-YEAR-OLD’S DEATH
Shocking messages sisters sent as mum lay dying in maggot-infested bed
Dad and daughter spared jail for neglecting mum who died in maggot-infested bed

Jeffrey Kittredge II

Photo of Jeffrey Kittredge II, a heavyset man with fair skin and short brown hair, smiling broadly. Name: Jeffrey A. Kittredge II.
Died: July 7, 2016.
Age at death: 20.
Cause of death: Sepsis.
Location: Barre, Vermont, USA.
Disability: Spina bifida, congenital brain defect.

Details:
Jeffrey loved the outdoors and enjoyed sports. As a child he participated in bowling and wheelchair soccer and eventually began coaching sports. He also liked fishing and wildlife.

Jeffrey’s father and father’s girlfriend neglected him until he died from blood poisoning caused by infected bedsores.

Case status:
Jeffrey Kittredge (Father), found guilty of neglect of a vulnerable adult, sentenced to 3-5 years in prison and 5 years probation.
Jennifer Cote (Father’s girlfriend), pleaded guilty to Medicare fraud and neglect of a vulnerable adult, sentenced to 1-3 years.

Source:
Montpelier man sentenced in connection with disabled son’s death
Montpelier woman gets 1-3 years in death of vulnerable adult
2 charged after man died from septic shock due to bed sore
Jeffrey A. Kittredge II
Pair charged in 20-year-old’s bed-sore death
Dad, girlfriend charged after disabled son died of septic shock from bed sores

Patricia Kearney

Photo of Patricia Kearney, a woman with tanned skin and short dark-blonde hair. She is wearing glasses and a tank top. She is looking off to the left of the photo. Name: Patricia Kearney.
Died: July 6, 2016.
Age at death: 56.
Cause of death: Blunt-force injury, head trauma.
Location: Tonga.
Disability: An “incurable nerve disorder”.

Details:
Patricia died from multiple blunt-force injuries to her head and body, including a blow to the head that caused bleeding in the brain. Her husband said she fell down the stairs, but witnesses reported seeing Patricia’s husband beating her to death.

Case status:
Dean Fletcher (Husband), arrested for murder; escaped from Tonga police, arrested by US police. US refused extradition and released him in Hawaii without charges.

Source:
A death in paradise
Man who won’t be extradited to Tonga for wife’s murder says he’s innocent
Tonga disappointed with US denial of extradition for murder accused

Jordan Burling

Name: Jordan Burling.
Died: June 30, 2016.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Pneumonia.
Location: Leeds, England, UK.
Disability: Developmental and behavioral problems, mobility impaired.

Details:
At sixteen years old, Jordan’s family took him out of school, claiming they were home-schooling, and neglected him.

Jordan was left on an air mattress by his family. There, he slowly died of malnutrition and infected bedsores. He died of pneumonia, weighing only 37 kg (82 pounds).

The body of Jordan’s baby brother was found in Jordan’s closet. It could not be determined whether he had been born alive.

Jordan liked WWE wrestling, video games, and football.

Case status:
Dawn Cranston (Mother), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to four years.
Denise Cranston (Grandmother), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to four years.
Abigail Burling (Sister), convicted of causing or allowing a vulnerable adult’s death, sentenced to 18 months.

Source:
‘No-one’ responsible for grandson’s death
Mum and gran accused of neglecting teen who ‘rotted to death’ in family home
Family on trial after dead teen and baby found in Leeds house
Teen ‘starved to death by mum, sister and gran was as thin as death camp victim’
Son ‘left to rot to death was as thin as a WW2 death camp victim’
Emaciated man’s family ‘reclusive’
Emaciated son was ‘pale and drawn’
The teenager left to waste away
Women jailed after teen ‘rotted to death’
Shocking pictures show teenager left to ‘rot to death’ by his mother and gran
Women jailed after teen ‘rotted to death’

Shaelynn Lehano-Stone

Name: Shaelynn Lehano-Stone.
Died: June 28, 2016.
Age at death: 9.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Hilo, Hawaii, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Shaelynn was starved and deprived of water and medication by her parents and grandmother. She died of pneumonia caused by malnutrition.

Case status:
Kevin Lehano (Father), pleaded no contest to manslaughter, sentenced to 10 years probation.
Tiffany Stone (Mother), pleaded no contest to manslaughter, sentenced to 10 years probation.
Henrietta Stone (Grandmother), charged with second-degree murder.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Shaelynn Lehano-Stone
Father receives probation in child starvation death
Woman found guilty of manslaughter in death of 9-year-old daughter
Family of 9-year-old Big Island girl who starved to death is suing the state for wrongful death
Shaelynn Lehano-Stone
Hilo girl allegedly starved to death was once ward of state
CPS had been in contact with Hawaii girl starved to death since she was a toddler
Father faces mental exam in alleged child starvation
Suit alleges state’s to blame for starvation death of 9-year-old Hilo girl

Kathryn Ashe

Photo of Kathryn Ashe. She is a middle-aged African-American woman with dark brown skin and frizzy, graying black hair. She is wearing a bright orange T-shirt and looks like she was photographed while she was talking. Name: Kathryn Ashe.
Died: June 24, 2016.
Age at death: 66.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Tampa Bay, Florida, USA.
Disability: Physical disability.

Details:
Kathryn, frail and not able to take care of herself, was abandoned by her roommates, who had been acting as caregivers to some extent. They moved out of the house they all lived in, leaving her behind. The house had no air conditioning and was uninhabitably filthy. Though the former roommates stopped in to “check on” her, they never called for medical help even though Kathryn’s condition was visibly getting worse. They never helped her or even gave her food or water. Eight to ten days after she was abandoned, Kathryn was dead.

Case status:
Jennifer Susan Poulos and Debra Germain Poulos were both charged with neglect of an elderly or disabled adult. The charges were dropped because the two women were determined not to have been legally responsible for Kathryn’s care.

Source:
Pinellas woman starves to death among roaches, rotting garbage
Gulfport Woman’s Death Under Investigation
2 arrested for elderly neglect resulting in death
Gulfport police: 66-year-old woman left to die in squalor and heat
Death of 66-year-old Gulfport woman highlights risks of senior citizens who choose to live alone