Short sentence – Page 11 – Disability Day of Mourning

Billie Jo Quintier

No Photo Name: Billie Jo Quintier.
Died: June 12, 2016.
Age at death: 52.
Cause of death: Neglect.
Location: Rosington, Alabama, USA.
Disability: Stroke; wheelchair user.

Details:
When Billie Jo was found unconscious, she weighed 65 pounds and had severe bedsores. Her home was in bad shape, and police immediately suspected neglect. After two days in the hospital, doctors found no brain activity and terminated life support.

Billie Jo had spent time working as a paralegal, but due to an alcohol addiction she lost her job and eventually her home. After she suffered a stroke, her boyfriend helped her get sober and helped take care of her. But over the years, her boyfriend died, and then her immediate family died. She had to move in with the friend whose poor care caused her death.

Case status:
Angela Butler (Housemate), charged with neglect and abuse of a disabled person; pleaded guilty, given a suspended sentence.

Source:
All in the Family • The Appalachian Crime Trail – via Podcast Addict
Baldwin woman charged in death, alleged elder abuse
Caretaker caused patient weight loss, severe bed sores
DISTURBING: Woman Arrested for Reckless Abuse of Elder
Robertsdale caregiver charged in death of patient

Jazmine Walker

Name: Jazmine Walker.
Died: May 25, 2016.
Age at death: 6 months.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Harvey, Illinios, USA.
Disability: Spina bifida; 8 weeks premature.

Details:
Jazmine died of starvation and neglect, weighing 4.8 pounds.

Case status:
Chequita D. Bell (Mother), convicted of involuntary manslaughter; sentenced to 10 years, paroled after 2 years 4 months.

Source:
After 3 kids die despite DCFS involvement, it urges faster probes
$1M bail set for mom accused of child endangerment after infant dies
Mom charged after death of 5-month-old in Harvey
Parents in custody after 5 1/2-month-old dies in Harvey
South Suburban Mom Held On $1 Million Bond After Infant Daughter Dies

Ruby Knox

Photo of Ruby Knox. She is a young woman with shoulder-length brown hair and pale skin, wearing a black, white, and red shirt. Name: Ruby Isabella Knox.
Died: May 16, 2016.
Age at death: 20.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Blenheim, New Zealand.
Disability: Autism, intellectual disability, spina bifida.

Details:
Weeks before the murder, Ruby Knox’s mother self-published a book about caring for her disabled daughter. In it, she said that she had “thoughts of ‘blowing up the hospital’ or of taking ‘serious violent action’.”

Her mother made good on those statements when she drugged and then smothered Ruby to death.

In her book, Ruby’s mother briefly mentions Ruby playing on the piano.

A review of the services available to Ruby and her mother found they were adequate.

Case status:
Donella Knox (Mother), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 4 years, scheduled to be released after less than two years.

Source:
The one voice that might have saved Ruby Knox
Blenheim mum Donella Knox jailed for murdering autistic daughter Ruby
Mother jailed for murder of autistic daughter
The Big Read: Case of Donella Knox who murdered autistic daughter Ruby a ‘once in a generation case’
Donella Knox published harrowing book a month before murdering autistic daughter
Blenheim woman Donella Knox details the struggles caring for her autistic daughter
Blenheim mother murdered autistic daughter after tolerating years of abuse
Protest for parents of autistic children after Donella Knox sentencing
Supporters plan protest to get Donella Knox out of jail and improve services after she murdered her autistic daughter
Murder of disabled daughter a ‘once in a generation’ case
Outrage as mum who murdered autistic daughter is jailed for four years
Autism Memorial: Ruby Knox
Autistic girl’s murder sparks external review
Blenheim woman Donella Knox shuts down protests, wants to ‘move on’
Donella Knox: A mother forced to fight for too long
Independent review of Donella and Ruby Knox’s treatment set for May
Donella Knox who killed autistic daughter is jailed
Autism NZ calls for respite care overhaul after Donella Knox case
On Donella Knox, her disabled daughter, and the so-called ‘mercy killing’
No Excusing the Murder of Autistics!
Health service review prompted by murder of autistic daughter to begin
Ruby Knox murder case: DHB reveals review details
Review of disability services about to start following Ruby Knox murder
‘Mercy killing’ mother Donella Knox to read review prompted by daughter’s death
Review prompted by Ruby Knox murder blasts NZ’s disability care
Mum who killed autistic daughter to be released from prison

Leslie Denn

No Photo Name: Leslie John Denn.
Died: May 9, 2016.
Age at death: Adult.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Borrowdale, Zimbabwe.
Disability: Depression.

Details:
Leslie was shot in the back of the head. His fiance claimed he had been suicidal, and he had indeed been under treatment for depression, but police ruled it a murder. Leslie’s fiance was charged with murder, having been with him when he died, having burned the mattress on which he was lying, and having reported his death as a suicide; however, she was acquitted at trial due to an inability of the prosecution to bring sufficient evidence to convict her.

Leslie was a businessman who had been the board chairman of CMED and managing director of Nemchen.

Case status:
Pilary Ashton (Fiance), acquitted of murder. The judge’s statement in the case berated the police, prosecution, and forensics department for failure to follow protocol, including failure to analyze crucial gunshot residue samples, which may have led to a “serious miscarriage of justice”.

Source:
CMED Boss Found Dead, Girlfriend Accused Of Murdering Him Set Free As Judge Yet Again Blasts The Police And NPA For A Shoddy Job
‘CMED boss murdered’
Zimbabwe: Fiancee in the Line of Fire… Inquest Into Cmed Boss’ Death Opens
Zimbabwe: CMED Chairman Commits Suicide
Zimbabwe: CMED Boss Was ‘Suffering From Depression’
Leslie John Denn CMED boss shot dead not suicide
Shock twist to death of CMED Official who allegedly committed suicide
CMED boss commits suicide

Patricia Gordon

No Photo Name: Patricia Gordon.
Died: April 28, 2016.
Age at death: 63.
Cause of death: Smothered.
Location: Troon, Scotland, UK.
Disability: Health anxiety, depression, lung cancer.

Details:
Patricia hated doctors and didn’t want to go to see one, but was worried that she had lung cancer. One day when she was in pain, instead of taking her to a doctor, her husband smothered her to death with a pillow.

Although he admitted to killing her, the murder charge was dropped after a family member explained to the court how sick Patricia had been and how hard it had been for her husband to care for her.

Case status:
Ian Gordon (Husband), convicted of culpable homicide, sentenced to 3 years, 4 months; sentence overturned, released.

Source:
Pensioner cleared of murder after smothering his wife
Husband who smothered wife to death with pillow cleared of murder
Troon pillow killer Ian Gordon jailed for three years
Judges overturn sentence for man who killed his wife
Husband jailed for culpable homicide over ‘mercy killing’ of terminally wife admonished following appeal

Emily Perrin

Photo of Emily Perrin, a small blonde girl sitting on a bed. She is wearing a light blue dress and holding a doll wearing a matching blue dress. Name: Emily Rose Perrin.
Died: April 10, 2016.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Dupo, St. Louis, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Cystic fibrosis.

Details:
Emily was a pre-kindergarten student a day short of her fifth birthday when her mother smothered her.

She loved pretending to be a princess.

Case status:
Mary Lockett (Mother), charged with first degree murder, found not guilty by reason of insanity.

Source:
Mother charged with murdering her cystic fibrosis-suffering daughter, 4, a day before her birthday
Mother charged in Dupo child’s death
Dupo mom accused of killing 4-year-old daughter found not guilty by reason of insanity
Ten reports of abuse weren’t enough to save ‘Princess’ Emily

Ronald McCabe

Photo of Ronald McCabe. He is a middle-aged man wearing glasses and a suit with a rose pinned to the lapel. He has fair skin, dark brown hair and a mustache. Name: Ronald McCabe.
Died: March 7, 2016.
Age at death: 56.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.
Disability: Paralysis resulting from severe head injury.

Details:
Ronald was shot by his son, who came to his care home and killed him there.

Before his disability he had worked as a manager at Home Hardware.

Case status:
Adam McCabe (Son), charged with second-degree murder; pleaded guilty to manslaughter, sentenced to two years in an alcohol rehab center.

Source:
Ronald McCabe Obituary
Man found dead in long-term care home; 32-year-old charged with murder
Man killed at Kitchener long-term care home
Man, 32, charged with 2nd-degree murder in death at Kitchener care home
Murder charges pending over death at Kitchener care home
Man who killed dad in Kitchener nursing home says he wanted to ‘end his suffering’
Son sentenced to treatment centre after killing his father

Priscilla Edwards

No Photo Name: Priscilla Edwards.
Died: February 21, 2016.
Age at death: 78.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: London, England, UK.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease, partial deafness.

Details:
Priscilla tried to make a cup of tea for her daughter, but she was too frail. Her daughter said she didn’t want the tea; then she strangled Priscilla with a scarf.

Priscilla’s daughter had a history of violence against her and against her own daughter.

Priscilla was a retired midwife.

Case status:
Regina Edwards (Daughter), found guilty of manslaughter by diminished responsibility, sentenced to 10 years to life, to be served at a secure mental institution.

Source:
Woman who killed mother with scarf ‘was failed by health trust’
Mentally ill woman killed her elderly mother because she thought she looked like a WITCH
London woman who killed mother because she thought she was a ‘witch’ jailed for life
Woman jailed for life after strangling her elderly mother with silk scarf because she ‘looked like a witch’

Nancy Parker

No Photo Name: Nancy Parker.
Died: February 20, 2016.
Age at death: 75.
Cause of death: Infection.
Location: Haverhill, Massachusetts, USA.
Disability: Disabled elder; bowel disease, unable to care for herself.

Details:
Nancy was left on the floor of her home for five days by her daughter and granddaughter. She was eventually taken to the hospital, but died of infection.

Case status:
Katherine Saintil-Brown (Daughter), convicted of negligent homicide, criminal neglect of an elder adult and failure to report adult abuse; sentenced to 1-3 years and mental health counseling.
Meritel Saintil (Granddaughter), convicted of negligent homicide, sentenced to 2-4 years in prison.

Source:
Woman jailed for her mom’s death in Exeter
Woman found guilty of causing her mother’s death
Daughter pleads not guilty in mother’s death
Woman convicted of negligent homicide in grandmother’s death
N.H. Paramedics Find Neglected Elderly Woman in Squalor
Deliberations continue in elder abuse death trial Jury to decide fate of granddaughter charged with negligent homicide

Jeffrey Rak

No Photo Name: Jeffrey Alan Rak.
Died: February 14, 2016.
Age at death: 58.
Cause of death: Trauma in the setting of chronic illness.
Location: Burlington Township, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Alcoholism, epilepsy, COPD, heart disease, cirrhosis, chronic illness.

Details:
Jeffrey’s son hit him in the face; soon thereafter, he died.

Case status:
Daniel Rak (Son), acquitted of murder but convicted of aggravated domestic battery, sentenced to 4 years probation.

Source:
People v. Rak
Burlington Twp. man acquitted of murder gets probation for domestic battery
Attorney: Light ‘bop’ from son didn’t kill Burlington Township man
JEFFREY ALAN RAK DVM’s Memoriam on Daily Herald
Elburn man charged with father’s murder wants statements banned from trial
Prosecutors: Burlington murder suspect’s statements were voluntary
Man charged with killing his father in Burlington Township
Police: Signs of struggle at scene of Burlington Township death