Status: Other – Page 3 – Disability Day of Mourning

Mary Smith

Photo of Mary Smith, a heavyset woman with dark-brown skin and shoulder-length hair in ringlets. She is wearing lipstick and a white blouse, and squinting at the camera. Name: Mary Jane Smith.
Died: May 22, 2018.
Age at death: 88.
Cause of death: Sepsis.
Location: Denver, Colorado, USA.
Disability: Dementia, Parkinson’s disease.

Details:
Mary Jane’s daughter took her out of her nursing home and took her home. There, Mary was severely neglected. She didn’t get enough food to eat or adequate medical care, and she developed bedsores. Doctors repeatedly informed Mary’s daughter that she needed care. Finally, Mary was brought to the hospital, weighing only 72 pounds, and died days later.

Mary Jane owned a beauty shop, ran a day care, and worked as a nurse’s aide.

Case status:
Death declared homicide.
Gladys Smith (Daughter), status unknown.

Source:
Denver coroner rules 88-year-old woman’s death a homicide due to neglectful care
88-year-Old Woman’s Death In Denver Declared Homicide
Mary Jane Smith Obituary – Denver, CO

Shashank and Adeep Reddy

No Photo Name: Adeep (Aditya) Reddy.
Age at death: 9.

Name: Shashank (Prashanth) Reddy.
Age at death: 10.

Died: April 21, 2018.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Macherla, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Disability: Autism, physically and mentally disabled.

Details:
Adeep and Shashank were allegedly strangled to death by their father.

Case status:
Brhamananda Reddy (Father), wanted and at large.

Source:
Andhra Pradesh: Man strangulates 2 autistic sons in Guntur
Two kids with ‘autism’ found dead under suspicious circumstances in Andhra
Depressed man kills disabled sons
Autism Memorial: Shashank and Adeep Reddy

Abraham Cardenas

Photo of Abraham Cardenas, a little boy with olive skin and dark hair, smiling for the camera. He is wearing a red striped shirt and red pants, and is sitting on a scooter board. Name: Abraham E. “Abe” Cardenas.
Died: April 5, 2018.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Sweden, New York, USA.
Disability: Learning disability.

Details:
Abraham was stabbed and decapitated by his mother.

He was a first-grader whose teachers remember his enthusiasm for school. He especially loved drawing.

Case status:
Hanane Mouhib (Mother), charged with murder, found not responsible by reason of mental disease or defect; in state custody.

Source:
Friends and loved ones of murdered Sweden boy speaking up
Hanane Mouhib indicted in brutal killing of 7-year-old son in Brockport
Sweden mom charged in brutal slaying of her 7-year-old son
N.Y. mom arrested for decapitating 7-year-old son with knife
Abraham E. “Abe” Cardenas (2011-2018)

Liese Sparks

No Photo Name: Liese Colleen Sparks.
Died: February 23, 2018.
Age at death: 57.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Tallahassee, Florida, USA.
Disability: Chronic illness; mobility impaired, unable to walk.

Details:
Liese’s son had a history of threatening and mistreating her, but she depended on him to care for her because of her limited mobility.

While she was in the hospital, Liese’s son allegedly entered her room and stabbed her to death.

Case status:
Alexander Sparks (Son), charged with premeditated murder, found incompetent to stand trial, committed.

Source:
Son who stabbed mother at hospital found incompetent for trial
He apparently did it right after a nurse had checked on her
Son charged with stabbing mom to death in her hospital room told cops she ‘was a bad influence’
Son Charged with Stabbing Mother to Death in Tallahassee Hospital
Support My Moving Fund organized by Liese Sparks
Man who killed mom in hospital battled mental illness

Lerae Bush

Name: Lerae Britain Moeller Bush.
Died: February 10, 2018.
Age at death: 85.
Cause of death: Fire.
Location: Bloomington, California, USA.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
Lerae died in a fire while living with a man who had been caring for her and telling others that he was her son. He started out doing housework for her, then moved on to managing her finances. Allegedly, he eventually kept her locked in a one-room garage without utilities. He tried, but failed, to inherit her estate. Police say Lerae’s caregiver started the fire in which she died.

Lerae was “aristocratic and eccentric”, a retired educator who loved the arts.

Case status:
Noel Montes Cazares, a.k.a. Giovanni Bush, charged with arson, murder, neglect of a dependent and obstruction of justice. Charges dismissed because a key piece of evidence was ruled inadmissible, but may be re-filed.
Misty Allen, charged with assisting a criminal and obstruction of justice; charges dismissed.

Source:
More than 3 years later, charges against man in art patron’s death dismissed. Why?
Man accused of arson, murder out of jail on house arrest
Bloomington police arrest girlfriend of man accused of burning down woman’s home in plot to inherit estate
Bloomington man arrested in California charged with arson, murder
Man charged with murder, arson, neglect in Handy Road fire
Man arrested in California on murder charges in Handy Road fire
Suspect in Monroe County arson, murder claimed to be victim’s son
Police: Man charged with murder used fake name to pose as woman’s son, lit her home on fire

Zoe Whitford

Name: Zoe Whitford.
Died: February 10, 2018.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Suffocation.
Location: Dublin, Ireland.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
When Zoe attended a Montessori school, the principal noticed that her behavior was different and told her mother that she ought to have an assessment. At the assessment, she was given a diagnosis of borderline-to-mild autism, but her mother was convinced that she had severe autism with pathological demand avoidance. She thought Zoe would never get the right services and it would ruin her other child’s life.

Her mother suffocated her with a Minnie Mouse pillow; she died three days later in the hospital.

Case status:
Her mother, charged with murder, found not guilty by reason of insanity, committed to mental hospital.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Zoe Whitford
Irish mum charged with murder of her three-year-old daughter
Mother who smothered autistic daughter committed to Central Mental Hospital after bed made available
Woman who smothered her daughter was suffering from severe depression with psychotic features, court hears
Woman found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity
Mother smothered girl (3) after autism diagnosis, court told
Mother smothered toddler daughter with Minnie Mouse pillow as she called out for her father, court told
Mother accused of child’s murder was ‘overwhelmed’
Mother who admits suffocating her three-year-old daughter was ‘obsessed’ over autism, court hears
Mother not guilty of murder by reason of insanity
Mother who admits suffocating girl (3) ‘obsessed’ over autism, court told
Mother accused of child’s murder ‘obsessed’ over autism

Andrea Bartlett

Name: Andrea Bartlett.
Died: February 9, 2018.
Age at death: 38.
Cause of death: Neglect.
Location: Grand Island, Nebraska, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy, epilepsy, developmental disability.

Details:
Andrea was living with her parents when her day-care provider reported that she was malnourished and dehydrated. It was the latest of multiple reports made about Andrea. Adult protective services finally checked on her and took her to a hospital, but she she died nine days later.

She liked music, crinkling paper, and watching the fish in a fish tank.

Case status:
Kathy Bartlett (Mother); no charges filed.

Source:
Nebraska public guardian office points to 58-pound woman’s death in report showing flaws in system
Death of 58-pound disabled woman draws concern from state’s Office of Public Guardian
Andrea Bartlett, 38

Adeline Hill

Name: Adeline Hill.
Died: January 29, 2018.
Age at death: 66.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; wheelchair user.

Details:
Adeline and her daughter Renee Cosom, age 42, were shot dead. Police found her daughter’s boyfriend at the house and took him in for questioning.

Case status:
Daughter’s boyfriend; suspect, no charges.

Source:
Adeline Hill, age 66
Victims in Northeast Philadelphia shooting identified
Boyfriend Questioned in Murders of Woman and Her Mother
Man questioned after mother, daughter killed in NE Philly

Lorene Hopkins-Pequignot

Name: Lorene “Bug” Hopkins-Pequignot.
Died: January 12, 2018.
Age at death: 69.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Fieldale, Virginia, USA.
Disability: Bipolar disorder.

Details:
Lorene was strangled. Her husband told police it had been a home invasion, but they arrested him, and he was charged with her murder.

She was a retired secretary with a talent for decorating and housekeeping. She read her Bible often.

Case status:
Thomas Richard Pequignot, charged with first-degree murder. In July 2022, Thomas was declared incompetent to stand trial due to progressive dementia and hospitalized indefinitely.

Source:
Victim’s family surprised when husband indicted on charges of murder in 2018 death of woman in Fieldale
New evidence delays start of Henry County murder trial
Victim’s family surprised when husband indicted on charges of murder in 2018 death of woman in Fieldale
How did my sister die? Woman wants answers about year-old case from Henry County Sheriff’s Office

Kakoli Das

No Photo Name: Kakoli Das.
Died: January 9, 2018.
Age at death: 46.
Cause of death: Abuse.
Location: Behala, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
Disability: Deaf; schizophrenia, physical disability.

Details:
When Kakoli’s niece died of dengue, Kakoli’s sister and her husband blamed her for the death. Neighbors reported that she and her mother, also disabled, were often beaten and starved, until one day Kakoli was found dead.

Case status:
Keya Mullick (Sister) and her husband, detained by neighbors, under investigation.

Source:
Deaf-mute woman killed in ‘assault’ by kin at Behala
Woman death sparks unrest