Short sentence – Page 2 – Disability Day of Mourning

Jasmine Singletary

Name: Jasmine Singletary.
Died: July 13, 2021.
Age at death: 14.
Cause of death: Internal injury.
Location: Pensacola, Florida, USA.
Disability: A neuromuscular disorder.

Details:
Jasmine had been admitted to the hospital for an infection, and was alone in her room with her mother and grandmother when she was found dying of massive injuries to her ribs and liver–injuries that had not been there at admission. Police, who questioned her mother, say her mother admitted to bludgeoning her with a table after Jasmine cursed at her.

Case Status:
Jessica Bortle (Mother), convicted of battery and child abuse, sentenced to 1 year and 1 day in prison.

Source:
Woman Gets One Year For Hospital Death Of Her Special Needs Daughter : NorthEscambia.com
Mother sentenced to 1 year in prison for Pensacola hospital death of special needs daughter
Mom sentenced to 1 year in prison in blunt force trauma death of special-needs daughter
Mom accused of ‘obliterating’ special needs daughter’s liver, killing child for ‘cussing’ and ‘throwing and breaking crayons’ while in hospital bed
Florida Woman Allegedly Kills Special Needs Daughter Inside Hospital Room, Rips Her Kidney Open
Mother charged with homicide of her daughter with special needs while in the hospital
Woman Killed Her Special Needs Daughter Insider Her Hospital Room, PPD Says : NorthEscambia.com
Pensacola Police: Bonifay woman killed daughter in hospital room
Mother killed special needs teen daughter inside Florida hospital room, police say

Winifred Grover

Name: Winifred Grover.
Died: June 21, 2021.
Age at death: 89.
Cause of death: Smothered.
Location: Grays, Essex, England, UK.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Winifred’s daughter killed her mother by smothering her. In court, she admitted to the killing, but claimed that she was so depressed from the stress of caregiving that she should not be blamed for her actions.

Case Status:
Cheryl Banks (Daughter), charged with murder; cleared of murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility, sentenced to 2 years in prison, suspended for 2 years, and a 90 day rehabilitation order.

Sources:
Daughter sentenced for killing dementia-stricken mother in ‘truly tragic case’
Daughter killed mum over false fears she was going to prison, court hears
Essex woman smothered dementia-stricken mum to death, court hears
Woman, 60, ‘smothered mother, 89, to death’, court hears
Court told how daughter killed her dementia-stricken mother at their Grays home and then tried to kill herself
Woman, 60, cleared of murder after smothering dementia-stricken mother, 89

Aaliyah Artis

Name: Aaliyah Nicole Artis.
Died: June 8, 2021.
Age at death: 12.
Cause of death: Lung injury, malnutrition, poor living conditions.
Location: Xenia, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Aaliyah’s body was found in her house, which was in such poor condition it was condemned. She died from a lung injury, complicated by poor nutrition and poor living conditions.

According to Aaliyah’s obituary, she “enjoyed watching cartoons, coloring, riding her bike, playing outside, and dancing with her sisters.”

Case Status:
Mary Artis (Mother), convicted of child endangerment; sentenced to 2 1/2 years.

Sources:
Autism Memorial: Aaliyah Artis
Ohio mom charged after 12-year-old girl dies from living in ‘deplorable’ conditions
Police: No evidence 12-year-old Greene County girl’s death purposeful; mother indicted for child endangering
Xenia police investigating 12-year-old girl’s death
Aaliyah Nicole Artis Obituary – Visitation & Funeral Information
12-year-old girl found dead at Xenia home in ‘filthy condition’
Police investigating death of 12-year-old girl
Aaliyah Artis: Reforms called for in wake of Xenia child’s death

Eileen Pearce

No Photo Name: Eileen Pearce.
Died: June 5, 2021.
Age at death: 89.
Cause of death: Smothered.
Location: Bexleyheath, London, England, UK.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Eileen’s son smothered her.

Case Status:
Kevin Pearce (Son), pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility, sentenced to “240 days of unpaid work and a 30-day rehabilitation requirement”.

Sources:
Bexleyheath son who smothered mum with dementia to death is spared jail
Son Spared Jail for “Mercy Killing” of Dementia-Suffering Mother
Carer admits smothering his dementia-suffering mum, 89, in her own bed
Bexleyheath carer admits to killing his dementia-suffering bedbound mum at home

9-year-old boy

No Photo Name Unknown.
Died: April 21, 2021.
Age at death: 9.
Cause of death: Drowning.
Location: Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
This 9-year-old boy lived with his father in a house with an old, dirty swimming pool out back. There was no fence around the pool, nor safety locks on the door to the outside. Child protective services has reported that he had once been found wandering alone outside.

On the day he died, the boy’s father reported that he had left the back door open, and the boy had fallen into the pool. Instead of calling emergency services, he called the child’s mother, and then only called emergency services when she told him to do so. At first reluctant to retrieve the child from the pool because he was afraid of water and could not swim, he finally fished him out with a rake and did CPR. The boy was declared brain-dead at the hospital.

Case Status:
Gareth Grant (Father), pleaded no contest to aggravated manslaughter; sentenced to one year of community control and five years of probation.

Source:
Port St. Lucie man enters plea deal sparing him prison time in drowning of 9-year-old son
Port St. Lucie Police Detectives Arrest Man for Aggravated Manslaughter of a Child in Drowning Death of His Son
Father jailed on aggravated manslaughter of a child charge after son’s death in Port St. Lucie
Man arrested in connection with son’s drowning death in Port St. Lucie
Dad arrested for manslaughter after 9-year-old autistic son found at bottom of pool
Port St. Lucie man charged with manslaughter in autistic son’s drowning
Autism Memorial: 9-year-old boy

Larry Hawks

Photo of a man in a baseball cap printed with an eagle. He has dark hair, light skin, and a full beard. His shirt is red; he has his hands behind his head and is leaning back. Name: Larry Grey Hawks.
Died: November 4, 2020.
Age at death: 42.
Cause of death: Sepsis, thrombosis.
Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
Disability: Myelomeningocele spina bifida, Hirschsprung’s disease, brain malformation.

Details:
Larry was found at home, not breathing, and was pronounced dead. An autopsy determined he had died from blood poisoning from bedsores and blood clots from prolonged immobility, and his caregivers were arrested.

Case Status:
Sandra Oliver Hawks (Mother), pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and neglect of a disabled adult by failing to provide care causing serious injury, sentenced to 13-25 months.
Crystal Dawn Hawks (Sister), pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and neglect of a disabled adult by failing to provide care causing serious injury, sentenced to 13-25 months.

Source:
Mother, sister sentenced after disabled man dies of neglect, Forsyth County District Attorney says
Autopsy: Winston-Salem man died from complications from bedsores and other issues. Mother and sister accused of neglect.
Winston-Salem mother, daughter face charges in homicide investigation after death of relative who was ‘severely disabled’
The mother and sister of a Winston-Salem homicide victim face charges in the man’s death
Winston-Salem mother, daughter charged with involuntary manslaughter, neglect in death of disabled man
Larry Hawks Obituary (1978 – 2020) – Forsyth, NC – Winston-Salem Journal

Joseph Hammond

Name: Joseph “JJ” Hammond.
Died: November 3, 2020.
Age at death: 15.
Cause of death: Dehydration, malnutrition.
Location: Moline, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
JJ was found dead in his home. An autopsy concluded he had died of dehydration and malnutrition, with several untended large wounds on his body.

Case Status:
Jennifer Keim (Mother), pleaded guilty to criminal abuse, sentenced to 4 years probation.
Justin M Keim (Stepfather), pleaded guilty to child endangerment, sentenced to 2 years probation.

Source:
Man pleads guilty in death of disabled 15-year-old stepson
Moline woman sentenced in 2020 death of disabled son
Moline woman pleads guilty in 2020 death of disabled son
Moline mother charged with her son’s murder is out on bond
Moline woman charged with murder in death of disabled 15-year-old son
Moline Mother Arrested On Murder Charges
Woman arrested in connection with murder of 15-year-old disabled son
Additional person charged in relation to Moline first-degree murder case
Two arrested in connection with death of 15-year-old boy with disabilities from Moline
Friends defend Moline woman charged with murder of 15-year-old son

Timothy Gramlich

Name: Timothy Gramlich.
Died: October 18, 2020.
Age at death: 52.
Cause of death: Untreated urinary tract infection.
Location: Abington, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome.

Details:
Timothy died from sepsis secondary to an untreated urinary tract infection. According to police, he was found uncared-for in filthy conditions, his brother was his sole caretaker, and he had not been to the doctor since the early 2000s.

Case Status:
Harry Gramlich (Brother), found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, sentenced to 6-12 months in jail and 5 years probation.
Elizabeth Anne Gramlich (Sister), pleaded guilty to neglect of a care-dependent person, sentenced to 10 years probation.
Joseph T. Gramlich (Brother), pleaded guilty to neglect of a care-dependent person, sentenced to 10 years probation and a $1,000 fine.

Source:
Montco Man Sentenced to Jail, Probation in Death of Disabled Brother
A Glenside man was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in his disabled brother’s death
Judge weighing fate of Abington man accused of manslaughter, neglect in death of brother with Down syndrome
Trial begins for Abington man accused of manslaughter and neglect in death of brother who had Down syndrome
Sister Of Neglected Man With Down Syndrome Who Died In Montco Pleads Guilty
Two more siblings of dead Abington man face charges of neglecting care dependent person
Police: Abington man with Down syndrome died after brother left him emaciated, neglected
Montgomery County man charged with murder and neglect in the death of his disabled brother
Brother Charged After Disabled Man Dies From Neglect: Montco DA
Timothy W. Gramlich Obituary – Visitation & Funeral Information

Fat-lun Wong

No Photo Name: Fat-lun Wong.
Died: September 5, 2020.
Age at death: 21.
Cause of death: Suffocation.
Location: Hong Kong, China.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Investigators believe that Fat-lun’s mother strangled him with a plastic tablecloth.

Fat-lun was a student at Tsui Tsin Tong School, a residential care home for children with intellectual disabilities. At age 21, he had just grown too old to stay there.

Case status:
Xueping Chen (Mother), pleaded guilty to manslaughter; sentenced to 1 year, to be served in a psychiatric hospital to treat her depression.

Source:
Hong Kong mother sent to psychiatric ward for killing mentally disabled son
Hong Kong police arrest mother after son dies in suspected murder-suicide bid
Mom held at hospital over death of handicapped son
Mother charged over handicapped son’s death

Ryu Sakayama

No Photo Name: Ryu Sakayama.
Died: July 17, 2020.
Age at death: 17.
Cause of death: Strangulation.
Location: Kyoto, Japan.
Disability: Unspecified mental disability.

Details:
Ryu’s mother strangled him as he slept. She told police she was tired of caring for him.

Case status:
Ayano Sakayama (Mother), convicted and sentenced to 2 years, suspended for 3 years.

Source:
Woman gets suspended sentence for killing mentally disabled son
Mom arrested for allegedly choking disabled son to death in west Japan
Woman arrested over death of mentally disabled son