Status: Other – Page 11 – Disability Day of Mourning

Heidi Good-Swiacki

Name: Heidi Good-Swiacki.
Died: March 25, 2013.
Age at death: 52.
Cause of death: Asphyxiation.
Location: Solvang, California, USA.
Disability: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Details:
Heidi died when her ventilator failed. At the time, she was in the care of her mother and a hired caregiver. The caregiver left to go shopping, and in the meantime, the ventilator failed. Her mother and caregiver were charged with deliberately sedating her and disconnecting the ventilator, but the jury deadlocked on her mother’s trial, and the caregiver’s conviction was overturned.

Heidi wrote a blog using an eye-based input device. In the introduction to her blog, she said, “I will share my ALS story which will hopefully encourage others. It will show that quality of life comes in many forms… Since I have had ALS I have seen many miracles.”

She was a deeply spiritual woman with two children, and she started a company to set up accounting systems for new wineries. Although non-verbal and ventilator-dependent, Heidi saw her life as “filled with laughter, trust and love”.

Case status:
Marjorie Good (Mother); jury deadlocked on involuntary manslaughter charge; charges dropped.
Wanda Nelson (Caregiver), convicted of involuntary manslaughter; conviction overturned because conspiracy could not be proved.

Source:
Case dismissed for caretaker convicted of involuntary manslaughter of ALS patient Heidi Good
Solvang woman acquitted of murdering her daughter
Case dismissed for caretaker convicted of involuntary manslaughter of ALS patient Heidi Good
Tragic Tale of ALS Patient Heidi Good Swiacki’s Death Emerges in Criminal Grand Jury Transcripts
Good Times

Isabella Wiens

Photo of a baby with pale skin and wispy red hair, smiling and showing her baby teeth. Name: Isabella Wiens.
Died: March 16, 2013.
Age at death: 21 months.
Cause of death: Undetermined, in the setting of abuse.
Location: Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
Disability: Developmentally delayed. Removed from her mother absent any evidence of abuse, because her mother is learning disabled.

Details:
Isabella died while in foster care. The autopsy showed evidence of abuse, including a swollen brain and healing fractures, but her cause of death is listed as undetermined.

Case status:
Foster home closed.
Isabella’s mother is suing the province.

Source:
B.C. ministry will review toddler Isabella Wiens’ death in care
B.C. mother sues province after infant daughter dies in foster care
Coroner’s Report

Jessie Dziomba

Photo of a teenage boy with light skin and a buzz cut. He is wearing a striped shirt and has a solemn expression. Name: Jessie James Dziomba, born Jessie Palmer.
Died: March 4, 2013.
Age at death: 19.
Cause of death: Influenza, infection.
Location: Lockport, New York, USA.
Disability: Developmental disability.

Details:
Police who investigated the home after Jessie was found dead say that Jessie and his brothers were routinely locked into their rooms by their adoptive parents. When Jessie got sick, his adoptive parents allegedly did not care for him nor take him to the doctor. Jessie died of his illness. His two brothers survived and were removed from the home.

Jessie liked playing sports and video games.

Case status:
Joy and John Dziomba (Adoptive parents). Case status unknown.

Source:
Guardian appointed for brothers of disabled Lockport man who died in March
How did Jessie die?
Jessie James Dzombia AKA Palmer

Breeana Robinson

Name: Breeana Robinson.
Died: January 29, 2013.
Age at death: 21.
Cause of death: Murder.
Location: Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
Disability: Congenital condition causing blindness.

Details:
Breeana had been a cheerleader for the Gold Coast Titans and wanted to become a dancer on a cruise ship.

Unfortunately, she became involved with a man who had a history of harassing women. He began to send her abusive text messages. He isolated her from her family. Then she was found dead, having fallen from an 11th-floor apartment balcony.

Those who knew her boyfriend immediately suspected that he had driven her to suicide, although her boyfriend insisted that she had committed suicide because she was depressed about her disability.

In 2018, Sunday Night covered the case, and new witnesses came forward. After expert analysis and the new eyewitness testimony, it was alleged that Breeana had not committed suicide after all; she had been pushed from that balcony to her death. In early 2019, almost six years after her death, Breeana’s boyfriend was finally arrested.

Case status:
Dan Shearin, aka Jayden Moorea (Boyfriend). Initially pleaded guilty to text harassment; given a six-month sentence with two months suspended; appealed and had the sentence canceled. Arrested; charged with murder; charges dropped ten years after initial charges because prosecutors decided they did not have a reasonable chance of a conviction.

Source:
Breeana Robinson death: Cruise ship singer’s bizarre musical about girlfriend who fell to her death from his balcony – after murder charges were sensationally dropped
Man who allegedly threw girlfriend off Gold Coast high-rise committed to stand trial
A young cheerleader’s final moments before she fell from a balcony
Cruise ship singer accused with throwing his blind cheerleader girlfriend to her death breaches bail
Entertainer Dan Shearin regrets pleading guilty in Breeana Robinson harassment
Man charged over the alleged murder of his cheerleader girlfriend
‘You pray for this day’: Man charged with murder of Gold Coast cheerleader
Man charged with murder of girlfriend, who fell from balcony six years ago
Ex charged with murdering cheerleader
‘It’s still raw’: Family reveals pain after man charged with cheerleader’s murder
Dan Shearin arrested in relation to the death of Breeana Robinson
Family of cheerleader who plunged to from balcony say she didn’t fall

Taariq Cross

Name: Taariq Cross.
Died: July 11, 2012.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Hit by car.
Location: Orlando, Florida, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Taariq was left unsupervised and was fatally hit by a car. He had often been left to fend for himself, and just days previously had nearly been hit by a car while unsupervised.

Case status:
Latasha Kendrick (Mother). Not charged.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Taariq Cross
Innocents lost: Taariq Cross, 7
FHP: Autistic boy run over, killed
Taariq Cross: Family wants answers after autistic boy’s tragic death
Petition: Kendrick should face criminal charges for death of Autistic 7yr old son

Alayah-Rose Savarese

Name: Alayah-Rose Savarese .
Died: June 25, 2012.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Ruptured stomach.
Location: New York City, New York, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Alayah died from a ruptured stomach. Her case was known to social services, and there had been multiple complaints of neglect and reports of bruises on Alayah’s body.

Case status:
Nicole Diggs (Mother) and Oscar Thomas (mother’s boyfriend); charged with neglect, but the charges were dropped. They later inherited $2.1 million that had been placed in trust for Alayah’s care.

Source:
Alayah-Rose Savarese

Russell Fox

Name: Russell Wayne Fox.
Died: March 4, 2012.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Pneumonia.
Location: Suwannee County, Florida, USA.
Disability: ADHD, developmental delay, cystic fibrosis.

Details:
Russell was denied medical care and not fed enough. He died at the age of 8 from complications of cystic fibrosis. Medical neglect was a contributing factor.

Russell “enjoyed playing outside and watching Spongebob Squarepants.”

Case status:
Lesa Rose Fox (Adoptive mother), not charged. In 2018, she was sentenced to 2 years for a presumably unrelated aggravated assault.

Source:
Russell Wayne Fox
Russell Fox, 8

Cora Sam

No Photo Name: Cora Sam.
Died: October 10, 2011.
Age at death: 60.
Cause of death: Sepsis.
Location: Los Angeles, California, USA.
Disability: Cerebral malformation; likely stroke.

Details:
Cora died of malnutrition and blood poisoning from infected bedsores, weighing 66 pounds.

Case status:
Amy Sam Ho (Sister), found guilty of second-degree murder and dependent adult abuse resulting in death; sentenced to 15 years; conviction overturned due to ineffective defense counsel, with possibility of new trial.

Source:
Woman’s murder and elder abuse conviction reversed in death of her sister in Montebello
Woman, 62, Sentenced To 15 Years For Neglect Of Disabled Sister That Ended In Sibling’s Death
Montebello woman sentenced for abuse, murder of disabled sister
Woman Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison For Murdering Sister
Officials identify Montebello woman whose death is under investigation

Jori Lirette

Photo of Jori Lirette, a young boy with fair skin and short blond hair in a buzz cut, wearing an orange striped polo shirt. Name: Jori Lirette .
Died: August 15, 2011.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Decapitation.
Location: Thibodaux, Louisiana, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Jori Lirette was killed and decapitated by his father, who had been talking about killing him to “put him out of his misery” since Jori was born.

Case status:
Jeremiah Wright (Father); not guilty by reason of insanity.

Source:
Hundreds mourn murdered boy, 7
Court: Dad threatened to kill slain son as baby
Man Who Decapitated 7-Year-Old Son, Left His Head In Driveway Learns His Fate

Christina Meeks

Photo of a toddler girl with pale skin and strawberry-blond hair in pigtails, smiling; she is wearing a pink shirt. Name: Christina Noel Meeks.
Died: June 20, 2011.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Heart attack.
Location: Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA.
Disability: Developmental delay; heart disease.

Details:
Christina died of a heart attack the day after an alleged violent sexual assault by her uncle. Nurses at the hospital reported extensive bruising.

Case status:
Robert Meeks Jr. (Uncle), child sexual abuse, charges dropped with the possibility of re-filing charges.
Betty Hall (Grandmother), neglect, charges dropped with the possibility of re-filing charges.

Source:
Child Neglect Charge Dismissed In Muskogee Girl’s 2011 Death
Affidavit Details Abuse Allegations In Muskogee Girl’s Death