Status – Page 32 – Disability Day of Mourning

Deborah Diamond

No Photo Name: Deborah Diamond.
Died: June 30, 2021.
Age at death: 73.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Sheffield, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Chronic illness, chronic pain.

Details:
Deborah’s husband shot her. She was hospitalized, but died 23 days later from her injuries.

Case Status:
Ronald Diamond (Husband), pleaded no contest to aggravated murder, murder, and felonious assault; sentenced to life without parole.

Sources:
Court rejects Sheffield man’s appeal in wife’s 2021 murder
Lorain County Safe Harbor: Silent Witnesses

Photo of a young Black teenage boy, wearing jeans, black T-shirt, and baseball cap, sitting in a lawn chair. In the background is a neatly mown lawn and some parked cars. Name: Jallen McConnie.
Died: June 28, 2021.
Age at death: 15.
Cause of death: Beaten.
Location: New York City, New York, USA.
Disability: PTSD, ADHD, oppositional-defiant disorder, possible autism.

Details:
Jallen lived in Georgia, but he was visiting his cousin in New York City’s Upper West Side. An ambulance was called to the apartment; medics found Jallen unresponsive, his body battered, and brought him to the hospital where he was declared dead. His cousin–who had allegedly beaten him for interrupting him while he was watching TV–was arrested.

Case Status:
Mitcaux Booker (Cousin), charged with assault, endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person, and acting in a manner injurious to a child.

Sources:
NYC Man Allegedly Beat His Teen Cousin to Death for Interrupting Netflix
Jallen Terrell McConnie | The Wilson Times
15-year-old boy found dead in Manhattan apartment a homicide; man arrested
Disabled teen mercilessly beaten to death in Upper West Side apartment for interrupting cousin’s Netflix time, police say
Man Charged With Assault In Death Of 15-Year-Old Boy On UWS: NYPD

Janet Kotopka

Gravestone reading, "Janet R Kotopka, 1943 to 2021." Name: Janet Kotopka.
Died: June 23, 2021.
Age at death: 78.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
When he was arrested for shooting her, Janet’s husband told investigators he was “exhausted and couldn’t take care of her any longer,” and that he worried about the cost of moving her to a nursing home.

Case Status:
John Kotopka (Husband), charged with first-degree murder; died before trial.

Source:
Lincoln man accused of killing his wife with Alzheimer’s dies in hospital
Lincoln man accused of fatally shooting his wife who had Alzheimer’s pleads not guilty to murder
Lincoln man accused of killing wife who had Alzheimer’s charged with first-degree murder
80-Year-Old Resented Taking Care Of Wife Who Suffered From Alzheimer’s. So He Killed Her
80-year-old kills wife of 57 years because she had Alzheimer’s, Nebraska cops say
Lincoln man accused of killing ailing wife now charged with murder
Husband Who Shot His Elderly Wife Now Faces Murder Charge | Nebraska News | US News
Nebraska man charged in fatal shooting of wife of 57 years

Winifred Grover

No Photo 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

Lauri Deatherage

Photo of a smiling woman with straight auburn hair and fair skin. Name: Lauri Anne Deatherage.
Died: June 18, 2021.
Age at death: 48.
Cause of death: Shot.
Location: Robbinsdale, Minnesota, USA.
Disability: Disabled veteran.

Details:
Less than a week after her second marriage, Lauri was allegedly shot and killed by her ex-husband.

Lauri made custom cards and dresses for the Renaissance fair.

Case Status:
Robert D. McCloud (Ex-husband), charged with second-degree intentional murder, died before trial.

Source:
Brooklyn Center man suspected of killing ex-wife dies
Air Force vet allegedly killed by ex-husband just days into new marriage
Minn. Woman Allegedly Shot and Killed by Ex-Husband Less Than a Week After Getting Remarried
Obituary for Lauri Anne Deatherage (Winkelman) at Gearty-Delmore – Robbinsdale Chapel
Man Allegedly Murders His Ex-Wife Days After Attending Her Wedding to New Husband

Ayan Shaikh

No Photo Name: Ayan Shaikh.
Died: June 15, 2021.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Homicide.
Location: Pune, Maharashtra, India.
Disability: Global developmental delay.

Details:
Ayan and his mother Aliya were killed by his father, who then committed suicide. According to police, the couple often argued about Ayan’s disability.

Case Status:
Abid Shaikh (Father), deceased.

Source:
Woman, her son found murdered in different areas of Pune; police look for missing husband
India News | Woman-child Murder: Husband Still Missing, Multiple Probe Teams Formed
Pune woman-son murder case: Husband’s body found, suicide suspected
Pune Man’s Body Found After ‘Murder’ of Wife, 8-year-old Autistic Child
Pune: Missing man found dead days after his wife and son were murdered, cops suspect suicide

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

72-year-old woman

No Photo Name Unknown.
Died: June 7, 2021.
Age at death: 72.
Cause of death: Suffocation.
Location: Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Parkinson’s disease, diabetes.

Details:
The 72-year-old woman was found in her burning house; she had been dead for several days. Her granddaughter was arrested on suspicion of smothering her and setting the house on fire.

She enjoyed listening to music from the 1950’s; on TV she watched the evening news, the Price is Right, Law and Order, Forensic Files and Jeopardy.

Case Status:
Elizabeth M. Durkee (granddaughter), pleaded guilty to first-degree intentional homicide and arson; sentenced to 22 years to life.

Source:
Fort Atkinson woman sentenced to life in prison for killing grandmother, setting fire to house
Homicide defendant alleges grandmother’s death was mercy killing
Homicide charges filed against Fort woman accused of killing grandmother in fatal house fire
Homicide charges filed against Fort Atkinson woman after fatal house fire
Woman facing murder, arson charges in connection to fatal Fort Atkinson fire
Fort Atkinson woman charged with arson and homicide in grandmother’s death, discovered after fire

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

Joseph Barney

Name: Joseph Barney.
Died: June 1, 2021.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Malnutrition, battered child syndrome.
Location: Bronx, New York City, New York, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Joseph, who lived with his mother and her boyfriend, was brought to the hospital and declared dead there. His body weighed 30 pounds, less than two-thirds of what a child his age should have weighed, and showed signs of battered child syndrome.

Joseph liked watching videos of subway trains. Monkeys were his favorite animal, and his favorite foods were pizza, ice cream, candy, fruit snacks, and Capri Suns.

Case Status:
Michael Ransom (Mother’s boyfriend), charged with murder, and aggravated manslaughter of a person under 11.
Sharay Barney (Mother), charged with murder, and aggravated manslaughter of a person under 11.

Sources:
Autism Memorial: Joseph Barney
Parents Indicted on Murder, Manslaughter Charges in Alleged Starvation Death of NYC Boy
Woman and Boyfriend Charged for Death of 8-year-old Autistic Son
Bronx parents indicted in starvation death of 8-year-old boy
Mom, Boyfriend Charged in Death of 8-Year-Old Autistic Boy in the Bronx
Autism Memorial: Joseph Barney
Parents charged with murder in malnourished 8-year-old son’s death
Death of 8-year-old autistic boy in the Bronx ruled a homicide, cops say
Malnutrition probed in death of 8-year-old Bronx boy
Autistic 8-year-old Bronx boy’s death ruled a homicide, was victim of repeated beatings
Autistic NYC boy, 8, dies — possibly from severe malnutrition