Short sentence – Page 19 – Disability Day of Mourning

Hayley Bell

Photo of a sleeping fair-skinned toddler girl, draped in cloth. Name: Hayley Dea Bell.
Died: August 1, 2013.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Pneumonia, malnutrition.
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Disability: Developmental disability; tube-fed; epilepsy.

Details:
Hayley’s mother refused services and took her daughter out of school. Hayley died of starvation and pneumonia, weighing 12 kilograms (26 pounds).

Case status:
Elisha Bell (Mother), caregiver. No charges.

Source:
Starved, sick and unschooled: Did child protection fail Hayley?
Bell, Hayley Dea

Lola Mae Stout

No Photo Name: Lola Mae Stout.
Died: July 14, 2013.
Age at death: 73.
Cause of death: Heat stroke.
Location: Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Disability: Stroke, goiter, schizophrenia.

Details:
Instead of getting medical care for their ailing mother, Lola Mae’s sons and husband loaded her in the back of the van where they all lived along with 35 starving animals. As they loaded her in, she collapsed, but they ignored her and went on a two-hour drive to Phoenix. The van had no air conditioning; when they arrived, they found her dead.

Case status:
Alan Stout (Son), sentenced to 2 years probation for vulnerable adult abuse and animal cruelty.
Gregory Stout (Son), sentenced to 2 years probation for vulnerable adult abuse and animal cruelty.
Alva Stout (Husband), sentenced to 2 years probation for vulnerable adult abuse and animal cruelty.

Source:
Men get probation for abuse in mother’s death
AZ woman found dead in van carrying 35 animals

Amelia Dew

No Photo Name: Amelia Dew.
Died: June 19, 2013.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Gosport, England, UK.
Disability: Myotonic dystrophy.

Details:
When Amelia was brought to the hospital with a massive head injury, her stepfather, who had been watching her, claimed she had hit her head on a chair she was strapped into during tube-fed meals. Amelia died four days later.

Initially, her stepfather was arrested, but not charged. Two years later, doctors who examined Amelia came forward, stating that her injuries were highly consistent with shaken baby syndrome.

Case status:
Robin Dowse (Stepfather), no charges.
Inquest underway.

Source:
The inquest into the death of two-year-old Amelia Dew has been halted due to police receiving new information
Inquest into Gosport toddler’s death due to restart after police probe ends
Police investigation into Gosport toddler’s death reopened

Alex Spourdalakis

Photo of a teenage boy, smiling, with fair skin and dark hair in a buzz cut; he is wearing a gray striped shirt. The photo is propped up with a bunch of yellow roses. Name: Alex Spourdalakis.
Died: June 9, 2013.
Age at death: 14.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: River Grove, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Alex’s mother and caregiver tried to kill him with an overdose of painkillers; when that didn’t work, they stabbed him to death.

Case status:
Dorothy Spourdalakis (Mother), pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, sentenced to 4 years; released immediately on credit for time served.
Jolanta Agatha Skrodzka (Godmother), pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, sentenced to 4 years; released immediately on credit for time served.

Source:
Autism Memprial: Alex Spourdalakis
Suburban mom admits to stabbing autistic son to death
Mother, godmother plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter of severely autistic teen
Mother, godmother who killed autistic teen released from prison
How Murder Victims With Disabilities Get Blamed For Their Own Deaths
New Report Discovers That the Media Normalizes the Murders of People with Disabilities

Miss Seo

No Photo Name: Seo (First name unknown).
Died: June 2013.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Yeosu, South Korea.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
This four-year-old girl’s mother strangled her to death.

Case status:
Ms. Seo (Mother); sentenced to 3 years.

Source:
Seo, 4-year-old female, name unknown
Korean Mother Kills Her Autistic Child, Gets 3 Years in Prison

John Satanoski

Name: John Louis Satanoski.
Died: May 7, 2013.
Age at death: 65.
Cause of death: Neglect.
Location: Bunnell, Florida, USA.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
John depended on his niece to care for him, but she left him alone for a week while she visited friends. When he was found, John was unconscious, and died a week later.

Case status:
Holly Lyn Norris (Niece), pleaded guilty to manslaughter, sentenced to 2 years.

Source:
Pleading Guilty to Manslaughter Death of Invalid Uncle, Woman Now Faces Up to 15 Years in Prison
Bunnell woman charged with manslaughter in uncle’s death

Isabella Wiens

Photo of a baby with pale skin and wispy red hair, smiling and showing her baby teeth. Name: Isabella Wiens.
Died: March 16, 2013.
Age at death: 21 months.
Cause of death: Undetermined, in the setting of abuse.
Location: Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
Disability: Developmentally delayed. Removed from her mother absent any evidence of abuse, because her mother is learning disabled.

Details:
Isabella died while in foster care. The autopsy showed evidence of abuse, including a swollen brain and healing fractures, but her cause of death is listed as undetermined.

Case status:
Foster home closed.
Isabella’s mother is suing the province.

Source:
B.C. ministry will review toddler Isabella Wiens’ death in care
B.C. mother sues province after infant daughter dies in foster care
Coroner’s Report

Breeana Robinson

Name: Breeana Robinson.
Died: January 29, 2013.
Age at death: 21.
Cause of death: Murder.
Location: Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
Disability: Congenital condition causing blindness.

Details:
Breeana had been a cheerleader for the Gold Coast Titans and wanted to become a dancer on a cruise ship.

Unfortunately, she became involved with a man who had a history of harassing women. He began to send her abusive text messages. He isolated her from her family. Then she was found dead, having fallen from an 11th-floor apartment balcony.

Those who knew her boyfriend immediately suspected that he had driven her to suicide, although her boyfriend insisted that she had committed suicide because she was depressed about her disability.

In 2018, Sunday Night covered the case, and new witnesses came forward. After expert analysis and the new eyewitness testimony, it was alleged that Breeana had not committed suicide after all; she had been pushed from that balcony to her death. In early 2019, almost six years after her death, Breeana’s boyfriend was finally arrested.

Case status:
Dan Shearin, aka Jayden Moorea (Boyfriend). Initially pleaded guilty to text harassment; given a six-month sentence with two months suspended; appealed and had the sentence canceled. Arrested; charged with murder; charges dropped ten years after initial charges because prosecutors decided they did not have a reasonable chance of a conviction.

Source:
Breeana Robinson death: Cruise ship singer’s bizarre musical about girlfriend who fell to her death from his balcony – after murder charges were sensationally dropped
Man who allegedly threw girlfriend off Gold Coast high-rise committed to stand trial
A young cheerleader’s final moments before she fell from a balcony
Cruise ship singer accused with throwing his blind cheerleader girlfriend to her death breaches bail
Entertainer Dan Shearin regrets pleading guilty in Breeana Robinson harassment
Man charged over the alleged murder of his cheerleader girlfriend
‘You pray for this day’: Man charged with murder of Gold Coast cheerleader
Man charged with murder of girlfriend, who fell from balcony six years ago
Ex charged with murdering cheerleader
‘It’s still raw’: Family reveals pain after man charged with cheerleader’s murder
Dan Shearin arrested in relation to the death of Breeana Robinson
Family of cheerleader who plunged to from balcony say she didn’t fall

Quinten Wood

Photo of a teenage boy with pale skin and messy brown hair; he has his head tilted back. He is wearing a flannel shirt. Name: Quinten “Q-Man” Wood.
Died: January 4, 2013.
Age at death: 15.
Cause of death: Pneumonia.
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.
Disability: Chromosome 9 Ring.

Details:
Quinten’s father neglected him; he died of pneumonia related to starvation.

Quinten was a fan of Star Wars and Daft Punk.

Case status:
Michael Wood (Father), pleaded guilty to neglect, given a suspended sentence and one year of probation.

Source:
Valerie Wood-Harber Got Justice for Her Brother – and Other Disabled Kids
Justice for Quinten
Father, DHS Employees Facing Charges In Quinten Wood Death
How a disabled boy’s heartbreaking story inspired real legislation

Hilary Milner

No Photo Name: Hilary Milner.
Died: November 1, 2012.
Age at death: 55
Cause of death: Chest trauma; injury to heart and lungs.
Location: Leeds, England, UK.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Hilary died shortly after being beaten by her husband.

Case status:
Trevor Milner (Husband); assault with bodily harm; 4-month suspended sentence.

Source:
Leeds dementia sufferer died hours after attack by husband
Obituary