Remembering the Disabled Murdered by Caregivers
Non-custodial sentences, sentences less than 5 years, acquittals, and similar outcomes
Name: Jorene White.
Died: July 23, 2010.
Age at death: 46.
Cause of death: Sepsis.
Location: Madisonville, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Severe arthritis.
Details:
Jorene’s husband neglected her. She died of infected bedsores.
Case status:
Darrel White (Husband), convicted of neglect; 5 years of probation.
Source:
Darrel White Allowed Bed-Ridden Wife Jorene White to Be Eaten Alive by Maggots
Name: Zain Syed Akhter.
Died: July 19, 2010.
Age at death: 5.
Disability: Autism.
Name: Faryaal Rashid Akhter.
Died: July 20, 2010.
Age at death: 2.
Disability: Developmental delay; her mother thought she also had autism.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Dallas, Texas, USA.
Details:
Zain and Faryaal’s mother tried to make them drink bathroom cleaner; when they wouldn’t do it, she strangled them.
Case status:
Saiqa Akhter (Mother), found not guilty by reason of insanity; hospitalized.
Source:
Autism Memorial: Zain and Faryaal Akhter
Dallas mom, Saiqa Akhter, killed her two children because they were autistic: 911 recording
Mother cites kids’ autism as motive for their slayings in call to 911 operator
Texas Mom Says She Killed Kids Because They Were Austistic
Name: Louis “Nap” Lockett.
Died: July 16, 2010.
Age at death: 73.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: St. Louis, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Cancer.
Details:
Louis’s wife shot him in the chest and killed him. She claims that she had intended only to hit him in the head with the gun, and it went off while she was hitting him.
Case status:
Josephine Lockett (Wife), convicted of involuntary manslaughter of a family member, sentenced to 3 years in prison.
Source:
Josephine Lockett kills husband during argument over $87
People vs. Josephine Lockett
Name: Rylan Rochester.
Died: June 1, 2010.
Age at death: 6 months.
Cause of death: Smothered.
Location: Denver, Colorado, USA.
Disability: None, but Rylan’s mother believed he was autistic.
Details:
Rylan’s mother, convinced he was autistic, smothered him to death.
Case status:
Stephanie Rochester (Mother); ruled not guilty by reason of insanity.
Source:
Autism Memorial: Rylan Rochester
Name: Beryl Webb.
Died: May 14, 2010.
Age at death: 75.
Cause of death: Smothered.
Location: Wadsley, Sheffield, UK.
Disability: Fibromyalgia, arthritis, histrionic personality disorder, cancer survivor.
Details:
Beryl’s husband smothered her.
Case status:
George Webb (Husband), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 2 years; sentenced to 12 months, suspended, on appeal.
Source:
Man killed disabled wife
Pensioner who smothered wife in ‘mercy killing’ is freed from jail by appeal judges | Daily Mail Online
Name: Glen Freaney.
Died: May 13, 2010.
Age at death: 11.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Penarth Vale, Glamorgan, Wales, UK.
Disability: Autism.
Details:
Glen was strangled by his mother.
Case status:
Yvonne Freaney (Mother); pled guilty to manslaughter and walked free from court with a supervision order.
Source:
Autism Memorial: Glen Freaney
Mother killed autistic son with coat belt, court hears
‘He was laughing when I strangled him. Then I knew he was happy’: Mother ‘killed’ severely autistic son after facing lifetime of care
“Glen Freaney”, Find a Grave
“Despairing mother who strangled autistic son walks free from court”, Daily Mail
Name: Wesley Wayne Lawson.
Died: March 7, 2010.
Age at death: 39.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Lake Wales, Florida, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.
Details:
Wesley’s mother neglected him; he died of starvation weighing 55 pounds. When he died, his bedsores were so severe that his bones could be seen.
Wesley liked playing the harmonica and wheelchair dancing. He competed in the Special Olympics.
Case status:
Vernetta Lawson (Mother), pleaded no contest to aggravated manslaughter of a disabled adult, sentenced to five years probation.
Source:
Woman Spared Jail Time in Starvation Death of Her Disabled Son
Wesley Wayne Lawson Obituary
Name: Dominique J.
Died: February 10, 2010.
Age at death: 47.
Cause of death: Wrists and throat cut.
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Disability: Down syndrome.
Details:
Dominique’s mother was afraid that her daughter would need institutional care; so she cut her daughter’s throat and wrists, killing her.
Dominique’s mother reported that her daughter had been assaulted and molested in an institution when she was younger. Dominique was supposed to go live with a sibling when her mother was no longer able to care for her.
Case Status:
Ronnie J. (Mother), convicted of murder, but not given a custodial sentence.
Source:
Ronnie J. toch veroordeeld
Dode vrouw in woning Korte Marnixkade
‘Moeder moet leven’ met de moord op dochter
Vrouw (84) doodde haar gehandicapte dochter: ‘Mijn Dootje is nu veilig’
Dominique Blank – Moordzaken.com
Name: Betty Anne “BA” Gagnon.
Died: November 20, 2009.
Age at death: 48.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Disability: Intellectual disability.
Details:
BA was beaten and starved by her sister and sister’s husband. Eventually she died from a blow to the head, weighing 65 pounds.
Case status:
Denise Scriven (Sister), convicted of “failing to provide the necessities of life” and sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Michael Scriven (Brother-in-law), convicted of “failing to provide the necessities of life” and sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Source
Betty Anne Gagnon’s caregivers get jail terms in death
Inquiry into mentally disabled woman’s death likely to raise uncomfortable questions
Betty Anne Gagnon death inquiry hears of caregivers’ descent into drugs, depression
Paula Simons: Who killed Betty Anne Gagnon? We may not like the answers
Denise Scriven testifies that break down prevented her from caring for her disabled sister
Woman who served time for death of sister testifies that breakdown prevented her from caring for sibling
Betty Anne Gagnon’s sister testifies about suicide plan, drug use
Fatality inquiry into disabled woman’s death makes 13 recommendations
Report into death of mentally disabled woman in Alberta calls for better programs
Name: Walter Knox Hildebrand Jr.
Died: November 2009.
Age at death: 20.
Cause of death: Fatal seizure.
Location: Willows, California, USA.
Disability: Autism, epilepsy.
Details:
Walter was beaten and starved by his brother. He died from a seizure because his epilepsy was aggravated by his brother’s abuse.
Case status:
Stuart Allen Hildebrand (Brother), pled guilty to abuse, served 59 days in jail.
Source:
Willows, California: Man jailed for abuse and neglect in connection with the death of his brother, Walter Knox Hildebrand Jr.
Beating not cause of death
Autism Memorial: Walter Hildebrand Jr.