Status: Sentenced – Disability Day of Mourning

Jean Morley

Name: Jean Morley.
Died: July 31, 2023.
Age at death: 92.
Cause of death: Suffocation.
Location: Fisher, New South Wales, Australia.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Jean’s husband suffocated her because he thought they had “lived too long”.

Case Status:
Donald Morley (Husband), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 9 years in prison and must serve at least half before parole. Expected to die in prison because of his age and health.

Sources:
Brit who suffocated his wife in ‘mercy killing’ is jailed for 9 years
Pensioner, 93, who suffocated dementia-stricken wife in ‘mercy killing’ jailed
Brit, 93, who killed wife, 92, is jailed for nine years in Australia
Brit who suffocated his wife in ‘mercy killing’ is jailed for 9 years
92-year-old Donald Morley will plead guilty to murder of his dementia-suffering wife, Jean
Murder accused withdraws bail application over alleged suffocation of Jean Morley
Elderly man charged with murder after allegedly suffocating wife

Gary Lew

No Photo Name: Gary Lew.
Died: April 11, 2023.
Age at death: 68.
Cause of death: Beating.
Location: Denton, Nebraska, USA.
Disability: Spina bifida, dementia; wheelchair user.

Details:
Gary was beaten to death by his daughter, son in law, cousin, and a family friend. Two young children witnessed the incident.

Case Status:
Christina Thornley (Daughter), pleaded no contest to six charges including abuse of a vulnerable adult, false imprisonment, being an accessory to murder, and evidence tampering; sentenced to 15 years.
Justin Thornley (Son in law), pleaded no contest to manslaughter, tampering with evidence, vulnerable adult abuse, false imprisonment, and criminal conspiracy; sentenced to 25 to 30 years.
Jacob Thornley (Cousin), pleaded no contest to manslaughter, abuse of a vulnerable adult, false imprisonment, evidence tampering and criminal conspiracy; sentenced to 29 to 30 years.
Braden Bongers, pleaded no contest to attempted assault; sentenced to 9 to 18 years.

Sources:
Final 2 of 4 suspects convicted in Omaha man’s murder sentenced to prison
Three men accept plea deals in beating death of wheelchair-bound Omaha man
Multiple suspects found guilty in Omaha man’s death after pleading ‘no contest’
3 of 4 suspects in Omaha man’s murder plead ‘no contest’

Carol Clark

Name: Carol Clark.
Died: April 9, 2023.
Age at death: 72.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Falls Township, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Stroke, diabetes, mobility impaired (Wheelchair user).

Details:
Carol’s body was found in a shed. Her son had drugged her with Fentanyl and then fatally shot her.

Case Status:
Sean Rivera (Son), agreed to plead guilty to homicide, kidnapping, aggravated assault, and drug possession with intent to deliver; plea deal is for life without parole.

Sources:
Falls man takes plea deal to avoid death penalty in murder of his mother
Man Accused Of Drugging & Shooting His Mother
Son Charged With Murder of Bucks Co. Woman
Falls man drugged mother, took her to Philadelphia and fatally shot her: Police
Bucks County man charged with killing his mother on her 72nd birthday

Sara Bateman

Name: Sara Bateman.
Died: March 30, 2023.
Age at death: 50.
Cause of death: Broken neck; strangled.
Location: Willenhall, England, UK.
Disability: Leg amputee, wheelchair user.

Details:
Sara’s boyfriend strangled her with a dog leash.

Case Status:
Matthew Hyde (Boyfriend), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 16 years to life.

Sources:
Sara Bateman: Man who strangled disabled girlfriend with dog lead jailed for life
Willenhall man jailed for life for murdering disabled partner
Police boss issues statement over murder of disabled Willenhall grandmother as new image released
Killer strangled amputee girlfriend to death with a dog lead
‘Caring’ woman murdered by partner who left body for son to find

Rosa Hargrave

Photo of a heavyset girl with pale skin and dark-brown hair in a ponytail. She is wearing a red SpongeBob Christmas shirt and pink print pajama bottoms. Name: Rosa “May May” Hargrave.
Died: March 2, 2023.
Age at death: 12.
Cause of death: Sepsis; untended wounds.
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
Disability: Autism, ADHD, asthma.

Details:
Rosa lived in unsanitary conditions, was poorly cared for, and often had to be treated for skin infections. She died of sepsis after one such infection went untreated until it spread to her bloodstream.

Rosa was a “girly girl” who loved all things pink; she enjoyed watching YouTube videos.

Case Status:
Rosa Hargrave (Mother), pleaded guilty to neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury, sentenced to 3 years house arrest and 4 years probation.
Charles Turner (Mother’s boyfriend), pleaded guilty to neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury, sentenced to probation.
Felicia Hargrave (Aunt), pleaded guilty to neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury, sentenced to probation.

Sources:
Indy mom avoids jail time after daughter dies from infected wound
Obituary for Rosa May Hargrave | Fountain Square Mortuary
3 charged with neglect in death of Indy 12-year-old, mice and feces found inside home
Autism Memorial: Rosa Hargrave

Sarah Albone

Name: Sarah Albone.
Died: February 25, 2023.
Age at death: 38.
Cause of death: Head injury, airway obstruction.
Location: Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, England, UK.
Disability: Multiple sclerosis.

Details:
Sarah’s partner violently killed her and dumped her body in a trash bin; then he convinced her family she was still alive by claiming she was in a hospital for treatment and faking text messages. Even before the murder, he was known to be an abusive and controlling partner.

Case Status:
Matthew Waddell (Partner), convicted of murder, sentenced to a minimum of 32 years.

Sources:
Biggleswade murder trial hears man hid partner’s body in suitcase
Biggleswade: Matthew Waddell guilty of body-in-suitcase murder
Judge calls for Bedfordshire Police to review handling of domestic homicide case

Edna Berry

No Photo Name: Edna Berry.
Died: February 21, 2023.
Age at death: 80.
Cause of death: Bludgeoned with hammer and chisel.
Location: Clacton, Essex, England, UK.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
When Edna kicked and scratched her husband, he lost his temper and attacked her with a hammer and chisel, causing major head injuries. He called emergency services and confessed to the crime. He was arrested; she died at the hospital.

Case Status:
John Berry (Husband), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 10 years to life.

Sources:
Husband, 85, used hammer and chisel to murder wife with Alzheimer’s

Teruko Fujiwara

Concrete bridge and white railing above water. A bunch of yellow flowers has been left at the curb. — Flowers left for Teruko Fujiwara at the scene of her death.

Name: Teruko Fujiwara.
Died: November 2, 2022.
Age at death: 79.
Cause of death: Drowning.
Location: Oiso, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.
Disability: Unspecified; wheelchair user.

Details:
Ms. Fujiwara’s husband had been her caregiver for 40 years since she was injured and started using a wheelchair. The two were planning to enter an assisted-living facility, and Ms. Fujiwara was looking forward to it. But her husband did not want to accept help; he took her to the pier and pushed her out of her wheelchair and into the ocean, where she drowned. Police say he admitted to the murder, saying he was “worn out” from looking after her.

Ms. Fujiwara leaves behind two grown sons.

Case Status:
Hiroshi Fujiwara (Husband), convicted of murder, sentenced to 3 years.

Sources:
Obsession to care for disabled wife by himself led man to kill her
Husband, 82, gets 3 years in drowning death of paralyzed wife
81-year-old Japanese man arrested for murder after pushing wife’s wheelchair into sea
81-yr-old man in Japan arrested for allegedly killing wife he took care of for 40 yrs
Man accused of pushing wife in wheelchair into sea, killing her
Man, 81, pushes wheelchair-bound wife, 79, into the sea as he was ‘too tired of taking care of her’

Eda Karr

No Photo Name: Eda Lyn Karr.
Died: October 18, 2022.
Age at death: 63.
Cause of death: Unspecified neglect.
Location: Stevensville, Montana, USA.
Disability: Parkinson’s disease.

Details:
Eda’s son took his mother out of her nursing home, neglected her until she died, and then hid her body while he continued to collect her retirement checks.

Case Status:
Ronan Sterling-Shanahan, aka Justin Whitfield (Son), convicted of negligent homicide and tampering with evidence, sentenced to 30 years.

Sources:
Stevi man sentenced to 30 years in mother’s death

Mae Brown

No Photo Name: Mae Brown.
Died: October 15, 2022.
Age at death: 87.
Cause of death: Beating.
Location: Bronzeville, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Disabled elder, wheelchair user.

Details:
Mae was found beaten to death in her apartment. Earlier the same day, police had been called to her apartment twice, first by her daughter who accused her of stealing her disability payments, and then by Mae, who told police her daughter would not leave her apartment. Police arrested Mae’s daughter, who had returned after being forced to leave and beat her mother to death.

Case Status:
Shearly Gaines (Daughter), pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, sentenced to 20 years and must serve 100% of that sentence.

Sources:
Woman pleads guilty to killing 87-year-old mother found dead in wheelchair in Bronzeville apartment
Woman pleads guilty to killing 87-year-old mother found dead in wheelchair in Bronzeville apartment
Death investigation: 87-year-old woman found dead in Bronzeville apartment ruled homicide, ME says
87-year-old woman beaten to death at senior living apartment building on South Side
‘It’s scary’: Woman, 87, found beaten to death in wheelchair at senior home complex, officials say
Woman Charged In Murder Of 87-Year-Old Woman In Douglas Apartment Complex
Garfield Park woman charged with murder of 87-year-old in Bronzeville senior complex
Woman charged with killing 87-year-old mother in CHA senior apartment on South Side
Bond denied for woman charged with killing 87-year-old mother on Chicago’s South Side
No bail for 69-year-old woman accused of murdering her 87-year-old mother at South Side senior apartments
Woman accused mom of stealing disability money before 87-year-old was found beaten to death: court