Remembering the Disabled Murdered by Caregivers
Name: Toyoko Amano.
Died: February 13, 2022.
Age at death: 72.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Osaka, Japan.
Disability: Unspecified; bedridden.
Details:
Police say Toyoko’s husband called police and admitted to strangling her. When they went to her home, they found her dead and arrested her husband.
Case Status:
Seiji Amano (Husband), arrested on suspicion of murder.
Sources:
80-year-old man arrested over bedridden wife’s murder
Name: Melvin Weller.
Died: February 11, 2022.
Age at death: 62.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Palm Springs, Florida, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; mobility impaired, poor grip strength.
Details:
Police were called to Melvin’s home and found him dead on his kitchen floor, having been stabbed more than 140 times. His wife was arrested on suspicion of murder.
The two were in the midst of divorce proceedings, and had been working out how to split up the couple’s real estate. After the divorce, Melvin planned to retire to Jamaica, where he had been born.
Case Status:
Joan Burke (Wife), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, sentenced to 35 years.
Sources:
Florida woman charged with murder after allegedly stabbing husband 140 times
FL woman, 61, is accused of stabbing her disabled husband to death
61-Year-Old Woman Stabbed Her Physically Disabled Husband More Than 140 Times: Police
Police: Palm Springs woman, 61, stabbed husband more than 140 times
Jamaica Observer Limited
Florida woman facing murder charges after allegedly stabbing her husband more than 140 times
Name: Edward Kessler.
Died: February 7, 2022.
Age at death: 64.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Elizaville, New York, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; vulnerable elder.
Details:
Ed had been living with a couple for more than twenty years when he was found dead. Police suspect the couple of abusing him, stealing from him, and ultimately causing his death by strangulation.
Case Status:
Cassandra Fischer (Housemate), pleaded guilty to attempted murder and grand larceny; sentenced to 15 years.
Ryan Woods (Housemate), pleaded guilty to attempted murder, sentenced to 15 years.
Sources:
Two Columbia County residents admit to strangling man to steal his money
Elizaville couple charged in death of elderly housemate
2 Elizaville residents plead not guilty to murder charges
Edward Kessler’s mysterious death in Columbia County is a homicide, official says
State police continue investigating February Columbia County death
Name: Jasbir Kaur.
Age at death: 81.
Disability: Unspecified; bedridden.
Name: Kamaljit Kaur.
Age at death: 55.
Disability: Down syndrome.
Died: February 7, 2022.
Cause of death: Laceration/Blood loss.
Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
Details:
Jasbir and Kamaljit were found dead at their home after their Jasbir’s husband, Kamaljit’s father, reportedly called a family member and told her that he had killed them, that he did not want to “see their pain”. The family member called police, who made the arrest.
Case Status:
Purushottam Singh Gandhok (Husband), arrested and charged with murder.
Sources:
A 90-year-old Purshottam Singh Gandhok justifies the killing of his wife and daughter
A 90-year-old murderer getting better in Arthur Road jail
Ex-Army Man Slits Throats Of Bedridden Wife, Daughter In Mumbai
Wanted To End My Life: Senior Who Killed Wife And Daughter | Mumbai News – Times of India
Mumbai: 89-year-old ex-Army man slits throats of ailing wife, daughter
Mumbai: Fed up of their health issues, 89-year-old man kills wife, mentally unwell daughter
‘I killed them both, was not able to do all the household chores’
Name: Jamie Garcia III.
Died: February 6, 2022.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.
Disability: Autism.
Details:
Jamie was stabbed to death, and police arrested his mother on suspicion of having killed him.
Case Status:
Carina Romero (Mother), charged with murder.
Sources:
Autism Memorial: Jamie Garcia III
Woman arrested after dead child found inside southeast OKC home by police
‘He was beautiful’: Oklahoma family remembers 7-year-old boy found brutally stabbed to death
Child found dead inside Oklahoma City home identified by police
“He was beautiful,” Family remembers 7-year-old boy found brutally stabbed to death in OKC
Name: Jason Wilke.
Died: February 1, 2022.
Age at death: 34.
Cause of death: Sepsis; bedsores.
Location: Michigan City, Indiana, USA.
Disability: Mental disability; mobility impaired.
Details:
Jason was brought to the hospital in terrible condition, with multiple untreated and badly contaminated pressure sores. He died several days later in the hospital from sepsis; his mother was arrested.
Case Status:
Mary Lee Wilke (Mother), charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death.
Sources:
Elderly woman charged with neglect in death of disabled son
Jason M. Wilke Obituary
Mom Charged in Death of Bedridden Son
Elderly woman faces neglect charge after disabled son dies
Name: Brenda Raines.
Died: January 29, 2022.
Age at death: 53.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Odessa, Texas, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome.
Details:
Brenda’s family allegedly left her alone for days at a time without feeding her or keeping her clean. She was found dead, severely underweight, having died from starvation.
Case Status:
Christine Raines Claros (Sister, caregiver), charged with murder and injury to a disabled person.
Justin Raines (Family member, caregiver), pleaded guilty to injury to a disabled person, sentenced to 10 years deferred adjudication and 600 hours of community service.
Elvira Luera (Family member, caregiver), pleaded guilty to injury to a disabled person, sentenced to 10 years deferred adjudication and 600 hours of community service.
Sources:
Disabled woman’s death leads to guilty plea
Texas trio indicted in starvation death of woman with Down Syndrome, now charged with murder
3 arrested in January death of woman with Down Syndrome
3 suspected in starvation death of Odessan
3 arrested for their involvement in January death of woman with Down Syndrome
Name: Karmity Faythe Hoeb.
Died: January 25, 2022.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Diabetic ketoacidosis.
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Diabetes.
Details:
Karmity’s parents fed her mostly soda mixed with baby formula in a bottle. When she became sick, her parents didn’t seek medical care for several days, and Karmity died of a diabetes-related brain injury. She also had badly damaged teeth and had never seen a dentist.
Karmity loved racing toy cars and having her picture taken.
Case Status:
Tamara Banks (Mother), pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, sentenced to 9 to 13 1/2 years.
Christopher Hoeb (Father), pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter.
Sources:
US Woman Jailed For Killing Her Daughter, 4, By Feeding Her Diet Of Mountain Dew
‘Not an excuse’: Mom gets prison for death of diabetic 4-year-old fed mostly soda
Parents plead guilty in death of diabetic 4-year-old mostly fed soda through baby bottle
Obituary information for Karmity Faythe Hoeb
Name: Sara McKeddie.
Died: January 22, 2022.
Age at death: 32.
Cause of death: Brain injury.
Location: Arnprior, Ontario, Canada.
Disability: Injuries from car accident; required caregiver.
Details:
Sara was badly beaten by her husband, suffering broken ribs, internal injuries, and a brain injury that would lead to her death about a month later.
Her two boys, ages 5 and 3 when she died, are being raised by her sister.
Case Status:
David Michael Dubois (Husband), pleaded guilty to manslaughter, sentenced to 12 years minus time served.
Sources:
David Dubois to serve almost 10 years for manslaughter near Arnprior
McNab/Braeside man charged with murder 9 months after woman’s death
Obituary of Sara Jean McKeddie
Name: Mandy Noe.
Died: January 21, 2022.
Age at death: 38.
Cause of death: Unspecified homicide.
Location: Jolly Springs, Tennessee, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.
Details:
Mandy’s uncle was in jail after a domestic dispute when her aunt called the police and reported Mandy missing. Shortly after that, police say, her uncle admitted to killing her, and her aunt led them to the place where they had buried her. The county sheriff told reporters that Mandy’s uncle had decided he “couldn’t handle her anymore” because of her disability.
Case Status:
Christopher Thompson (Uncle), charged with 2nd degree murder and tampering with evidence.
Jessica Thompson (Aunt), charged with accessory after the fact to 2nd degree murder, tampering with evidence, and filing a false report.
Sources:
Tennessee Man Allegedly Confesses To Killing Intellectually Disabled Niece With Wife’s Help
Weakley County couple charged with murder after family member’s body discovered on property