Status: Arrested/Charged – Disability Day of Mourning

Karen Pautler

No Photo Name: Karen Pautler.
Died: April 25, 2025.
Age at death: 75.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Fenton, Missouri, USA.
Disability: Frail elder, mental illness.

Details:
Karen’s husband allegedly shot her because he “was exhausted from taking care of her, but did not want her to die in a nursing home.”

Case Status:
Kenneth Pautler (Husband), charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action.

Sources:
Man accused of killing wife says he didn’t want her to die in a nursing home
Jefferson County man charged with wife’s murder; says he didn’t want her to die in a nursing home
Fenton-area man allegedly shoots, kills wife
Jefferson County man kills wife, says he didn’t want her to die in a nursing home

14-year-old girl

No Photo Name Unknown
Died: April 19, 2025.
Age at death: 14.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Salepoua’e, Samoa.
Disability: Physical disability.

Details:
This teenage girl’s family returned from their Sunday shopping trip to find her body behind the family’s bathroom, covered in leaves. Her uncle had been the only adult at home at the time, and neighbors said they often heard him verbally abusing the young woman.

Case Status:
Her uncle, age 29, has been charged with murder.

Sources:
Uncle charged for killing disabled teen
Uncle charged in death of disabled girl in Samoa
Uncle Charged with Murder of Disabled 14 Year Old Girl

Cristian Padilla

No Photo Name: Cristian Rodriguez Padilla.
Died: April 19, 2025.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Complications of cerebral palsy.
Location: Metairie, Louisiana, USA.
Disability: Quadriplegic cerebral palsy.

Details:
Cristian, who needed 24-hour monitoring due to his medical problems, died alone at home, according to police. His parents returned to find him unresponsive, but allegedly delayed calling emergency services. When paramedics finally arrived, far too late, Cristian was declared dead from natural causes. Police who arrested his mother and her boyfriend, said they had left him alone for “at least three hours.”

Case Status:
Karla Padilla Pavon (Mother), charged with negligent homicide.
Hovet Vela Espinoza (Mother’s boyfriend), charged with negligent homicide.

Sources:
Metairie mom booked with negligent homicide in quadriplegic 7-year-old son’s death
Two arrested for negligent homicide after child found dead in Metairie home, JPSO says
Metairie mom booked with negligent homicide in quadriplegic 7-year-old son’s death

8-year-old girl

No Photo Name Unknown.
Died: April 18, 2025 (Earliest news article).
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
This 8-year-old girl was strangled by her grandmother, who police say confessed to the crime, saying that she wished to spare the family the “burden” of caring for the young girl.

Case Status:
N. K. S. (Grandmother), charged with murder.

Sources:
Autism Memorial: 8-year-old girl
Dubai: Grandmother held for strangling 8-year-old autistic girl, says she wanted to help her son, daughter-in-law
Dubai: Grandmother strangles 8-year-old autistic girl; confesses to crime
UAE: Grandmother allegedly kills eight-year-old autistic granddaughter in Dubai to alleviate burden of care
Family Tragedy: Dubai Grandmother to Face Trial for Killing 8-Year-Old Autistic Granddaughter

43-year-old man

No Photo Name Unknown.
Died: April 18, 2025.
Age at death: 43.
Cause of death: Assault w/ weapons.
Location: Rajkot, Gujarat, India.
Disability: Deaf.

Details:
When this man was found murdered, police interviewed witnesses and analyzed CCTV footage and concluded that his partner had tried to enter the house, found the door locked with the deaf man asleep, and tried to force it open. When the victim woke, angry, his partner allegedly murdered him with an axe and a steel rod.

He was the supervisor of custodial services at a local cemetery.

Case Status:
His partner is charged with murder.

Sources:
Man held for murder of gay partner who was deaf

Secrett Curtis

No Photo Name: Secrett T. Curtis.
Died: March 31, 2025.
Age at death: 23.
Cause of death: Unspecified neglect.
Location: Chesterfield, Virginia, USA.
Disability: Autism, cerebral palsy.

Details:
Secrett, who had CP and autism, lived with her aunt. She was declared dead shortly after she arrived at the hospital. Doctors called the authorities because she was severely malnourished. Police who searched her house say she had been kept in a mold-infested room, on filthy bedding.

Case Status:
Tina T. Curtis (Aunt), charged with abuse and neglect of a vulnerable adult leading to their death.

Sources:
Chesterfield woman charged with neglect leading to niece’s death
Suspect Arrested in Death of Vulnerable Adult

Jean Hoesing

Name: Jean Ann Hoesing.
Died: March 16, 2025.
Age at death: 74.
Cause of death: Blood loss.
Location: Perry, Iowa, USA.
Disability: Bipolar disorder, multiple sclerosis.

Details:
Jean’s husband called emergency services and reported that he had killed her to “put her out of her misery.” Responders arrived to find Jean dead in her bedroom with her throat cut.

Case Status:
Richard Hoesing (Husband), charged with first-degree murder.

Sources:
Perry man killed his wife ‘to put her out of her misery,’ suspect tells police
Jean Anne Hoesing – View Obituary & Service Information
Husband, 75, tells cops he killed his sick wife ‘to put her out of her misery’

Johny Thomas

Photo of a middle-aged Indian man with short curly black hair, trimmed mustache and beard, and brown skin; he is wearing a white dress shirt. Name: Johny Thomas.
Died: March 12, 2025.
Age at death: 67.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma, broken ribs.
Location: Perumbavoor, Kerala, India.
Disability: Tuberculosis.

Details:
Johny’s son allegedly came home drunk and started beating Johny’s wife. Police say that Johny’s son, when questioned, confessed to turning on Johny and beating him to death. Bedridden with tuberculosis, Johny was vulnerable to injury and unable to defend himself effectively.

Case Status:
Meljo Johny (Son), arrested on suspicion of murder.

Sources:
Perumbavoor man arrested for stomping bedridden father to death

Benjamin Murphy

Name: Benjamin David Murphy.
Died: March 6, 2025.
Age at death: 33.
Cause of death: Abuse, medical neglect.
Location: Scappoose, Oregon, USA.
Disability: Autism, wheelchair user.

Details:
Benjamin’s death was reported to the police three days after the fact. Upon investigating, police arrested his mother and sibling; court documents stated that his death was “in the course of or as a result of intentional torture” and “by neglect and maltreatment consisting of neglect of medically necessary services,” but did not elaborate further.

Case Status:
Katherine Raina (Mother), charged with first-degree murder, murder by abuse, criminally negligent homicide, criminal mistreatment, and abuse of a corpse.
Hillary Murphy (Sibling), charged with first-degree murder, murder by abuse, criminally negligent homicide, criminal mistreatment, and abuse of a corpse.

Sources:
Mother and daughter arrested in Scappoose for murder and abuse of family member
Scappoose duo faces murder charges after man’s death of ‘neglect and maltreatment’
Mom, sibling accused of murdering family member in Scappoose denied bail

Yashasvi Pawar

No Photo Name: Yashasvi Pawar.
Died: February 20, 2025.
Age at death: 17.
Cause of death: Poisoned.
Location: Naupada, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Disability: Congenital disability; mobility impaired, nonspeaking.

Details:
Police believe that Yashasvi’s mother, frustrated because Yashasvi’s recent illness caused her to cry out in pain through the night, poisoned her with medication. Yashasvi’s mother, grandmother, and a family friend were captured on CCTV carrying her body into a car, intending to take it to be cremated. All three have been charged with murder.

Case Status:
Snehal Pawar (Mother), charged with murder; at large/wanted.
Surekha Mahangade (Grandmother), arrested on suspicion of murder.
An unidentified family friend, charged with murder; at large/wanted.

Sources:
Woman poisons differently abled, bedridden daughter to death in Naupada