Short sentence – Page 2 – Disability Day of Mourning

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

Isaac Guillen

No Photo Name: Isaac Guillén.
Died: June 18, 2020 (Body found; died December 1, 2019).
Age at death: 45.
Cause of death: Drugged and strangled.
Location: Godelleta, Valencia, Spain.
Disability: Unspecified degenerative disease.

Details:
Isaac’s wife allegedly convinced her 17-year-old son that Isaac wanted to die due to his disability. Together, they drugged and strangled Isaac. Authorities say that her actual motive for killing Isaac was economic greed.

Isaac was a former police officer.

Case Status:
Biatriu (Wife), accused of murder.
Unnamed stepson, sentenced to 2 years for assisting suicide (court chose this charge because he believed he was assisting suicide rather than committing murder).

Source:
GODELLETA CRIME: Mother and son on trial over killing of disabled former police officer in Spain’s Valencia
They judge the minor accused of murdering her husband with his mother in Valencia – Digis Mak

Sherrell Martin

Name: Sherrell “Bud” Martin.
Died: June 13, 2020.
Age at death: 71.
Cause of death: Trauma.
Location: Wilmington, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; used walker.

Details:
According to police, Bud and his ex-sister-law had been arguing for a few days–an argument she ended by beating him around the head with his own walker. Before he died a few hours later, Bud told police who had beaten him.

He was a retired machinist who liked fishing and playing cards.

Case status:
Donna Reynolds (Ex-sister-in-law), convicted of aggravated battery; sentenced to 3 years; released on parole after 1 year 3 months in custody.

Source:
Wilmington Woman Charged With Attacking Disabled Ex-Brother-In-Law Who Later Died
Disabled Man Dies After Attack, Wilmington Woman Arrested: WPD

Kylie Mickens

Name: Kylie L. Mickens.
Died: June 8, 2020.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Buford, Georgia, USA.
Disability: 1p36 deletion syndrome.

Details:
Kylie died from malnutrition and dehydration due to medical neglect. Her disability made it difficult for her to swallow, but her parents removed the feeding tube she needed to eat in favor of trying to feed her by mouth; she gradually starved, weighing only 7 pounds at death.

Case status:
Jerrail Maurice Mickens (Father), charged with felony murder and first-degree cruelty to children; died before trial.
Porscha Danielle Mickens (Mother), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, sentenced to 20 years probation.

Source:
Mother of 5 year-old who died at 8lbs sentenced to 20 years probation
Mother of 5-year-old took girl to countless doctors before death, attorney says
Mother of 5-year-old who died weighing 7 pounds gets probation
Girl, 5, who weighed seven pounds when died had a rare disorder
Georgia couple accused of starving daughter to death held without bond
Attorney denies murder allegations for clients, claims 5-year-old had short life expectancy from rare condition
Girl, 5, who weighed seven pounds when died had a rare disorder

Sharon Theleman

No Photo Name: Sharon Theleman.
Died: November 19, 2019.
Age at death: 51.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Fenton, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability, visually impaired, mobility impaired.

Details:
Sharon lived at an assisted living facility. Her mother, who was worried about developing dementia, took her out of the facility and to a hotel, where she stabbed Sharon to death and attempted suicide. Police found a note that said she was doing it as a favor to Sharon’s brothers, so they would not be “burdened” with caring for her.

Case status:
Marjorie Theleman (Mother), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder; sentenced to 2-10 years.

Source:
St. Louis County woman sentenced in death of disabled daughter
Missouri woman who killed disabled daughter sentenced
Webster Groves woman gets 10-year term for fatally stabbing disabled daughter at hotel
Missouri woman who killed disabled daughter sentenced
Mother charged with stabbing daughter in attempted murder-suicide in Fenton hotel
Missouri woman, 78, accused of killing daughter in hotel in attempted murder-suicide
St. Louis Police: Mother took daughter from care facility, killed her
Police: Mother took daughter from care facility, killed her

Mildred Costanza

No Photo Name: Mildred Costanza.
Died: October 4, 2019.
Age at death: 78.
Cause of death: Painkiller overdose in the setting of chronic neglect.
Location: Wausau, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Frail elder.

Details:
Mildred’s daughter, who ostensibly cared for her, kept her in deplorable conditions and did not take her to the doctor even when she developed a serious infection. Weakened by hunger and neglect, Mildred died of a Tramadol overdose. She weighed only 75 pounds.

Case status:
Mary Tessmer (Daughter), pleaded guilty to recklessly subjecting an individual at risk to abuse, causing death; sentenced to 2 years in prison and 2 years parole.

Source:
Ringle woman pleads guilty to neglecting 78-year-old mother, causing her death
Woman charged in death of elderly mother who overdosed
Ringle woman accused of chronic neglect in mother’s death
Marathon County woman sentenced in mother’s death