Category: Status

Deborah Leitch

Photo of a young woman with Down syndrome; she has very fair skin and fine blonde hair, and her maroon glasses are slipping down her nose. She is smiling. Name: Deborah Leitch.
Died: August 29, 2019.
Age at death: 24.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: South Shore, Blackpool, England, UK.
Disability: Down syndrome.

Details:
Deborah’s mother let her die from “severe emaciation and neglect;” Deborah was found starved in her home, with a severe and untreated scabies infection.

She was described by her family as a cheerful girl who was “always smiling.” She loved horses, had a boyfriend, and had attended college and a day-care program.

Case Status:
Elaine Clarke (Mother), pleaded guilty to gross negligence manslaughter, sentenced to 6 to 9 years 7 months.
Robert Bruce (Household member), charged with allowing or causing the death of a vulnerable adult; charges dropped.

Source:
SAR Learning Brief – Jessica “Jessica” is Deborah’s pseudonym.
Debbie Leitch looked ‘like a skeleton’ before neglect death
Mother’s manipulation of social services left vulnerable woman to die of malnutrition in filthy bed
Mum who starved daughter to death will not have sentence increased
Mum who starved disabled daughter to death could see jail sentence increased
My monster ex starved our daughter to death – she’ll be out in just 6 years
Mum who allowed disabled daughter to die in squalor jailed
Mum abandoned daughter who starved to death in infested room
Evil mum starved disabled daughter to death in ‘maggot and faeces’ covered room
My ex starved our daughter to death while taking £215 a week in benefits
Mum left her disabled daughter to starve to death in ‘faeces-laden’ and ‘maggot-infested’ bedroom
My ex-wife starved our disabled daughter to death – I found out on Facebook
Pair appear in court accused of causing the death of ‘vulnerable’ disabled woman in South Shore
Blackpool woman’s death: Pair charged with manslaughter
Two charged with manslaughter over death of emaciated and neglected 24-year-old
Pair face charges over death of woman with Down’s syndrome by neglect
Two face charges after disabled girl was found dead with ‘severe emaciation’

Polly Bahadoor

Thin elderly woman with dark hair and light-brown skin, dressed in a pink shirt and shorts, smiling for the camera, sitting in a red wheelchair.Name: Polly Kunti “Mama” Bahadoor.
Died: August 25, 2019.
Age at death: 83.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Charlieville, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago.
Disability: Arthritis; wheelchair user.

Details:
Polly was bludgeoned to death.

She was a quiet, helpful woman who made and sold food to the neighbors. Energetic and “always moving”, she liked to have her nails painted and “pretty up”.

Case status:
Devanand Bahadur (Grandson), charged with murder.

Source:
Teen charged with killing his enfeebled grandma
Wheelchair granny, 85, beaten to death
83-year-old woman murdered in Charlieville
Trinidad: ‘Quiet’ granny’s murder stuns family
Relatives in shock

Amy Nguyen

Photo of a teenage girl in a flowered baseball cap, lavender Bratz t-shirt, and black-and-white giraffe-print skirt. Name: Amy Nguyen.
Died: August 20, 2019.
Age at death: 14.
Cause of death: Traumatic injury.
Location: Ontario, California, USA.
Disability: Unspecified special needs.

Details:
Amy and her 4-month-old sister Kaitlyn were found dead, with “visible injuries”, and their mother was arrested on suspicion of having killed them.

Amy loved colorful clothing. She was fond of bows, headbands, skirts, and bracelets, and often complimented others on their clothes. She doted on her baby sister. Her classmates called her “Sweet Amy”, and remember how welcoming she was to new students and anyone who felt out of place.

Case status:
Linda Nguyen (Mother), charged with murder.

Source:
Friends say goodbye to Amy and Kaitlyn Nguyen
Woman accused of killing her two children to undergo mental evaluation
California Mother Under Investigation For Murder Of Her Daughters And Attempted Suicide
Ontario mother’s suicide notes detailed plan to kill her two daughters, ages 4 months and 14 years, police say | FOX 10 Phoenix
Mom is responsible for deaths of 2 girls found in Ontario home, police say
Ontario Mother Left Suicide Notes Indicating Plan to Kill Her 2 Daughters First, Police Say
Linda Nguyen: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know
LA-area mother left note detailing plan to kill her children, arrested in their death

Vanessa Mayfield

Selfie of a young woman with dark skin and very curly short black hair, big hoop earrings, and a T-shirt that looks like a sports jersey and spells out "SEXY".Name: Vanessa Faye Mayfield.
Died: August 17, 2019.
Age at death: 31.
Cause of death: Head trauma.
Location: Fort Worth, Texas, USA.
Disability: Unspecified, likely developmental disability or mental illness.

Details:
Vanessa was experiencing homelessness and was known among the homeless community in Fort Worth for her honesty, stubbornness, wild hair, and hearty laugh. She was the mother of a new baby.

Her fiance had a job at a restaurant and she hoped he’d be able to provide for her. Instead, he allegedly assaulted and killed her.

Case status:
Jared Seavey (Fiance), convicted of murder, sentenced to 30-99 years.

Source:
Man who murdered fiancee outside Fort Worth church sentenced to 99 years
Suspect in homeless woman’s murder was fiance who claimed to be ‘out of town,’ friend says
Woman found dead on stairwell outside a Fort Worth church; 21-year-old man arrested

Adam Schneider

No PhotoName: Adam Schneider.
Died: August 15, 2019.
Age at death: 39.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Richmond, Indiana, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
After his mother died, Adam moved in with his brother. He was neglected until finally he was brought to the hospital with severe bedsores and malnutrition, and died from the effects of starvation two days later.

Case status:
Henry Lee Andrus III (Brother), charged with neglect of a dependent leading to death and neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury.

Source:
Brother charged with neglect in death of 39-year-old man with cerebral palsy

Victor Villa

No Photo
Name: Victor Villa.
Died: August 10, 2019.
Age at death: 75.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Oceanside, California, USA.
Disability: Hemiparesis after stroke.

Details:
Victor was scalded with hot liquid, then stabbed to death. His wife, who had told friends that she no longer wanted to care for him, was charged with his murder.

Case status:
Alcira Villa (Wife), charged with murder.

Source:
Oceanside woman, 78, accused of murder in disabled husband’s death

Patricia Whitney-Jones

Photo of an older woman with white hair and pale skin, in a formal blouse and silver necklace.Name: Patricia Ann Whitney-Jones.
Died: August 7, 2019.
Age at death: 76.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Ferndale, Washington, USA.
Disability: Unspecified health conditions, including mobility impairment.

Details:
Patricia was shot by her husband, who then called police and shot himself before they arrived. He left notes explaining that he had killed Patricia because he couldn’t afford to treat her medical conditions.

Patricia worked as an executive assistant for San Diego State University and the Kumeyaay Tribal Council. After her retirement, she enjoyed doing genealogy research and gardening. She had two daughters, one son, four grandsons and a great-granddaughter; she liked traveling across the country to visit her family.

Patricia loved her two dogs, which she called her “fur-babies”. The dogs were taken to the Humane Society when she was killed.

Case status:
Brian S. Jones (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Elderly couple found dead in apparent murder-suicide, note says they could not afford medical care
Couple dead in apparent murder-suicide left notes saying they couldn’t afford medical care, police say
Ferndale couple found dead in apparent murder-suicide
Patricia Whitney-Jones’s Obituary

Cristina Pangalangan

Photo of a young girl sitting in a wheelchair, lips pursed, looking annoyed. She has fair skin and her brown hair is messy.Name: Cristina Pangalangan.
Died: August 5, 2019.
Age at death: 13.
Cause of death: Heat stroke.
Location: Colleton County, South Carolina, USA.
Disability: Developmental disability, wheelchair user.

Details:
Cristina’s mother deliberately left her in the car for five hours on a hot August day. According to investigators, she checked on Cristina twice, once at noon, before continuing to leave her in the car, and then again at 3pm where she claimed to discover the car was locked and she and her boyfriend had to leave to get a spare set of keys. When first responders who received a call about a child in a locked car arrived on the scene, they found that Cristina had died.

Her eighth-grade teachers remember her as a “very motivated student” who smiled at everyone.

Case status:
Rita Pangalangan (Mother), convicted of murder, sentenced to 37 years.
Larry King (mother’s boyfriend), convicted of murder, sentenced to 32 years.

Source:
New bill aims to help get justice for victims of deadly child abuse
SC v. King, Pangalangan: Disabled Teen Death Trial
WATCH LIVE: Couple on trial for developmentally disabled teen’s hot car death
Testimony begins in murder trial of disabled 13-year-old in Colleton Co.
Mother, boyfriend left disabled Lowcountry girl to die in hot car, solicitor says
SC v. King, Pangalangan: Mom, her boyfriend sentenced in teen’s murder
Couple found guilty in death of 13-year-old with cerebral palsy left in car
Sick mum deliberately left disabled daughter to cook to death in baking car
Trial for murder of special needs Walterboro girl will begin in late August
Delayed murder trial painful for loved ones of Walterboro girl left to die in hot car
Department of Social Services facing lawsuit after girl with special needs dies in car
Lowcountry mother charged with murder in teen’s hot car death resigns from teaching job
13-year-old special needs girl found dead in car in SC; 2 people arrested, authorities say
Report: Two charged with murder after deliberately leaving disabled 13-year-old in car for several hours
Man, woman charged with murder in Colleton County after girl’s death in hot car
Teacher, boyfriend charged in 13-year-old’s death
Teacher mum ‘left disabled daughter, 13, to die in roasting hot car for 5 hours’
Colleton girl’s accused killers had multiple brushes with police amid rocky relationship
Authorities identify 13-year-old girl who died after being left in car
Mom, boyfriend left disabled girl in vehicle 5 hours before death, Colleton deputies say
Teacher of the Year ‘left her disabled teenage daughter to die in roasting car’
Cristina Pangalangan hot car death: Rita Pangalangan & Larry King charged w/ murder
Mother, Boyfriend Charged With Murder After 13-Year-Old Girl With Special Needs Dies in Hot Car
Woman leaves kids in hot car week after sister died in their mom’s hot car, SC police say

Malachi Lawson

A small boy with thick glasses, front teeth missing, hair in cornrows, wearing a soccer shirt. He has dark-brown skin and black hair.Name: Malachi Lawson.
Died: August 4, 2019.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Burns.
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Disability: Walked with a limp; possibly autism

Details:
Malachi’s mother and stepmother initially reported him missing. Police say that, when questioned, they admitted they had burned him by making him sit in a bathtub full of hot water after he had a potty-training accident. Malachi’s body was found in a dumpster.

Malachi loved Paw Patrol and Mickey Mouse. He liked dancing and his favorite color was blue. He had been taken into foster care, but returned to his mother and her partner.

Case status:
Alicia Lawson (Mother), pleaded guilty to neglect resulting in death, sentenced to life with all but 30 years suspended and 5 years probation.
Shatilka Lawson (Stepmother), found guilty of neglect resulting in the death of a minor, first-degree child abuse, reckless endangerment, tampering with evidence and false statement; sentenced to 30 years in prison and 5 years probation.

Source:
Alicia Lawson Pleads Guilty In Death Of 4-Year-Old Son Malachi Lawson
Missing Baltimore 4-Year-Old Found Dead in a Dumpster: Police
‘Remembering Our Superhero’ | 4-Year-Old Malachi Lawson Laid To Rest Tuesday
Family says goodbye to 4-year old Baltimore boy with songs, praise and a comic book in a tearful service
Autism Memorial: Malachi Lawson

Sbusiso Mhlanga

No PhotoName: Sbusiso Quin Mhlanga.
Died: July 28, 2019 (Body found); missing November 20, 2014.
Age at death: Adult.
Cause of death: Homicide.
Location: Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Disability: Unspecified, wheelchair user.

Details:
Sbusiso lived with his younger brother, who allegedly murdered him for “not using the correct dish to relieve himself”. Police say he buried his brother’s body, dumped his wheelchair in the river, and collected his brother’s disability pension for the next few years.

Case status:
His brother, charged with murder, theft, and obstruction of justice.

Source:
Brother arrested for killing his sibling