Status – Page 53 – Disability Day of Mourning

Joel Parks

Photo of Joel Parks, a young man with short dark hair and pale skin, smiling for the camera, wearing a navy blue jacket. Name: Joel “Bubby” Parks.
Died: September 22, 2019.
Age at death: 30.
Cause of death: Medication overdose.
Location: Bradenton, Florida, USA.
Disability: Autism, developmental delay from injury as an infant.

Details:
Joel took part in an Easter Seals day program. He played baseball on the Miracle League and was called “Home Run Joel” for his love of the sport.

Joel lived in a group home most of the week, but visited his grandmother on the weekends. His family called him “Bubby”. Although his grandmother told police she thought no one would care for him after she died, Joel’s mother and sister both say they were perfectly willing to step in; in fact, his sister was visiting when he died. Had that failed, Joel had state funding set aside to ensure his care continued if his grandmother died.

Joel’s grandmother allegedly killed him with an overdose of medication.

Case status:
Lillian Parks (Grandmother), charged with second-degree murder.

Source:
Florida Woman Charged With Killing Disabled Grandson By Drug Overdose
Autism Memorial: Joel Parks
Bradenton woman wanted disabled grandson with her in heaven. She ‘put him to sleep,’ cops say
Police: Bradenton woman purposely gave grandson drugs to overdose, charged with second-degree murder
Family speaks out after police say Bradenton man with disabilities was murdered by grandmother
Family speaks out after 87-year-old grandma is accused of killing autistic grandson
87-Year-Old Killed Her Disabled Grandson With Overdose, Police Say – The New York Times
Not A Unique Case: 87-Year-Old Murdered Disabled Grandson With Overdose
Miracle League baseball community mourns one of its own
Warrant charges woman with killing disabled grandson. There is a lot police don’t know
Grandmother admits to killing disabled grandson with drug overdose: cops
Florida woman says she killed disabled grandson by overdose, fearing no one would care for him after she died
87-year-old Florida grandma overdoses disabled grandson fearing no one would care for him after she dies
Bradenton grandmother accused of killing disabled grandson, fearing no one would care for him after she died
Family questions grandmother’s supposed motive for overdosing grandson

Jakie Toole

Photo of Jakie Toole, a smiling child in a white tank top. He has short dark brown hair and brown skin. A filter has been applied that adds yellow butterflies around his head. Name: Jakie Toole.
Died: September 11, 2019 (Body found), last seen April 2019.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Meridian, Mississippi, USA.
Disability: Unspecified special needs; mobility and communication impairment.

Details:
Jakie’s mother left him with a family friend to serve as a caregiver. His body was found in a garbage bag in her basement, and an autopsy showed he had died of trauma from a beating. The caregiver had led police to the body and told them she had burned him in a bathtub and beaten him for crying.

Case status:
Celeste Louise Smith (Caregiver), convicted of murder, sentenced to life.

Source:
Missing child’s caretaker charged with capital murder after body found in basement of Meridian home
Capital murder charge filed in Meridian basement body discovery case
Meridian woman charged with capital murder following discovery of a child’s remains
Body of special needs child found in garbage bag was beaten and burned, autopsy confirms
Autopsy: Body of special needs child found in garbage bag was beaten and burned
Body of child found in basement: Autopsy shows beating; chief says he was also burned
Mother of special needs child who was killed, found in bag, faces neglect charges
Mother charged with child neglect in case of missing special needs child

Charles Sartin

Name: Charles Douglas Sartin, Sr.
Died: September 9, 2019.
Age at death: 81.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Sabine Pass, Texas, USA.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
Charles’s daughter beat him to death.

Charles was a Navy veteran and the owner of the restaurant Sartin’s Seafood.

Case Status:
Kelli Sartin (Daughter), convicted of murder, sentenced to 30 to 81 years.

Sources:
Sabine Pass woman convicted of murdering father in 2019, sentenced to 81 years behind bars
Jury convicts Kelli Sartin of murdering father at his Sabine Pass home
Kelli Sartin to jury before hearing sentence: “Put me under a prison”
Charles Sartin Obituary – Death Notice and Service Information
Affidavit: Restaurant founder’s daughter left his dead body in bedroom for 5 days

“DH”, Newborn Baby Girl

No Photo Name: Unknown; initials “DH”.
Died: September 9, 2019.
Age at death: Newborn.
Cause of death: Fall injury.
Location: Namangan, Uzbekistan.
Disability: Bow legs.

Other Victim: “MT”, newborn baby girl, non-disabled.

Details:
“DH” was a newborn still in the hospital nursery when her mother was told she had a disability. Police say her mother reacted to the news by throwing her out of the hospital window; then, she grabbed a baby that wasn’t hers and threw her out of the window too. According to the police, it was to cover up the crime. Both newborns died from their injuries.

Case status:
D. Kh (Mother), arrested.

Source:
Mum throws daughter and another baby from window after learning girl is disabled
Woman Throws Newborn Daughter, Another Baby From Hospital Window Over Girl’s ‘Disability,’ Both Dead
Mum, 23, throws her newborn girl and another baby out of hospital window
Namanganda bolasi nuqson bilan tug‘ilgan ona o‘zining va boshqa ayolning farzandini o‘ldirdi

Hector Pizarro

Name: Hector J. Pizarro.
Died: September 4, 2019.
Age at death: 16.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Congenital disability, autism, epilepsy, mobility impaired.

Details:
Hector had been known to child protective services for some time. At one point, he was found to weigh only 60 pounds and monitored by child welfare until he gained weight to 68-70 pounds. But once watchful eyes were averted, Hector was once again neglected.

Hector’s mother brought him to the emergency room, weighing 42 pounds. He died shortly thereafter from malnutrition, with a bedsore covering one side of his body, making it clear that he was neglected to death. Her neighbors had been completely unaware that Hector even lived there.

Case status:
Iraida M. Pizarro-Osorio (Mother), convicted of chronic child neglect resulting in great bodily harm, sentenced to 4 years probation.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Hector Pizarro
Milwaukee woman sentenced to 4 years’ probation in death of son
Autism Memorial: Hector Pizarro
16-year-old Milwaukee boy weighed 42 lbs.; mother charged with his death
Mom charged in death of 16-year-old son who weighed just 42 pounds
Milwaukee mom charged with starving her son to death
16-year-old boy weighs 42 pounds at death, mother charged
Milwaukee mom charged with neglect of teenage son, weighed just 42 pounds at time of death
Mother charged in death of disabled, 42-pound teen

Skylea Carmack

Photo of a girl with light, freckled skin, brown hair pulled back, smiling for the camera. Name: Skylea Carmack.
Died: September 4, 2019.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Gas City, Indiana, USA.
Disability: Developmental disability, possibly autism.

Details:
Skylea’s stepmother strangled her, then reported her missing, saying she had vanished from her home. Police issued a Silver Alert, announcing that Skylea had a history of running away to her mother’s home and might have an autism awareness blanket with her. Skylea’s body was found behind her home several days later.

Skylea was one of six siblings.

Case status:
Amanda Carmack (Stepmother), convicted of murder, neglect of a dependent, strangulation, and domestic battery; sentenced to life without parole.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Skylea Carmack
Jury recommends life without parole for Indiana woman convicted of killing 10-year-old stepdaughter
BREAKING: Missing 10-year-old girl found strangled in shed behind home [Police]
Skylea Carmack: Autopsy confirms girl found dead in shed was strangled as stepmom remains jailed for her
Court docs: Stepmom killed Gas City girl over charm bracelet. Abuse, confinement marked her last hours.

Amzin Shaw

Name: Amzin “Bibi Jasmin” Shaw.
Died: September 3, 2019.
Age at death: 63.
Cause of death: Smoke inhalation.
Location: Queens, New York, USA.
Disability: Stroke.

Details:
Bibi Jasmin died in a fire allegedly set by her niece’s boyfriend, who was staying rent-free with her and her niece. She had recently had a stroke, and used a cane and sometimes a wheelchair, and was unable to get out of the house. Apparently, she had attempted to evict the couple because they did not help her pay for rent or utilities and, when asked, her niece’s boyfriend threatened to kill her.

Bibi Jasmin was one of 17 siblings and had several grandchildren.

Case status:
Rampersaud Persaud (Boyfriend of niece), charged with murder and arson.

Source:
Murder charge in Queens Village fire
Queens Village Man Charged in Death of Wheelchair-bound Property Owner who Evicted Him
Former Tenant Accused Of Setting Deadly Fire Due In Court On Murder, Arson Charges
Man Charged With Murder As Woman Dies in Queens Fire: NYPD
Man charged with murder in Queens fire that killed woman: police
Ungrateful tenant charged in deadly arson that killed Queens homeowner: ‘Her kindness got her killed’

Dinah Durham

No Photo
Name: Dinah Durham.
Died: September 2, 2019.
Age at death: 65.
Cause of death: Sepsis.
Location: Mableton, Georgia, USA.
Disability: ALS.

Details:
Dinah was starved and left alone in her wheelchair until she developed severe pressure sores that quickly became infected. She died from sepsis, weighing only 75 pounds.

Case status:
Christopher Lee Durham (Son), charged with felony murder, neglect, and exploiting an elderly or disabled person
James Stephen Stanfield Jr. (Son), charged with felony murder and neglect.

Source:
Cobb brothers indicted, accused of murder, neglect in disabled mother’s death
They left their mother sitting in her own feces for 2 weeks before she died. Now, they face felony charges
Cobb men charged with murder following disabled mother’s death
Mableton brothers killed elderly mother, police say

Janet Lewis

No Photo Name: Janet Lewis.
Died: September 1, 2019.
Age at death: 76.
Cause of death: Stabbing.
Location: Hullbridge, Essex, England, UK.
Disability: None; husband convinced she would have a stroke and need to go to a nursing home.

Details:
Janet’s husband was convinced that he was getting dementia and that Janet was going to have a stroke, and that he would need to put her in a nursing home and pay £800 a day for her care. He stabbed her to death and attempted to hang himself, but survived.

Janet’s husband does not have dementia; he was diagnosed with anxiety and “obsessive worrying”, declared competent to stand trial, and convicted of murder.

Case status:
Robert Lewis (Husband), convicted of murder, sentenced to 16 years.

Source:
Hullbridge murder trial: Robert Lewis jailed for murder of wife Janet
Hullbridge murder trial: Robert Lewis guilty of murdering wife Janet
Janet Lewis death: Husband ‘had abnormal mental functioning’
Hullbridge: Robert Lewis murdered wife Janet after ‘obsession’ with dementia

Barbara Walsh

No Photo Name: Barbara Walsh.
Died: August 31, 2019.
Age at death: 85.
Cause of death: Sepsis, pressure sores, bone fractures.
Location: Clinton Township, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Disabled elder.

Details:
Barbara was found on the floor of her apartment by paramedics, where she had been for two days, and died a few weeks later in the hospital. She had been abused and neglected by her daughter, leaving her with multiple bone fractures, many bruises, and a large untreated bedsore, and was bleeding into her brain; the medical examiner concluded that blunt trauma had contributed to her death.

Case Status:
Ann Marie Walsh (Daughter), convicted of first-degree vulnerable-adult abuse; sentenced to 4 years 9 months to 15 years.
Acquitted of murder because the jury could not determine whether she intended to “commit great bodily harm” when she abused her mother.

Sources:
Walsh acquitted in mom murder trial
Experts disagree on what contributed to death of eldelry Clinton Township woman
Clinton Township woman acquitted of murder, convicted of elder abuse in death of mother
Clinton Township woman denies she abused mother in two police interviews
Clinton Township woman bound over on felony murder charge in mother’s death