Status: Sentenced – Page 4 – Disability Day of Mourning

Kyisha Price

Name: Kyisha Lanae Price.
Died: May 27, 2022.
Age at death: 13.
Cause of death: Sepsis; bedsores/contact dermatitis.
Location: Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; bedridden.

Details:
Kyisha was left uncared-for in her bed, where she eventually died from sepsis due to bedsores and contact dermatitis.

Kyisha was a cheerleader at school, and a member of a dance team. She enjoyed drawing, dancing, singing, swimming and acting, and wanted to be a singer or actress someday.

Case Status:
Kristi Franklin Taylor (mother), pleaded guilty to first-degree domestic battery and manslaughter, sentenced to 30 years.

Sources:
Little Rock woman sentenced to 30 years in death of bedridden teen daughter from neglect
Miss Kyisha Lanae Price – View Obituary
Death Ruled Homicide after Review

Eli Hart

Name: Eli Hart.
Died: May 20, 2022.
Age at death: 6.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Mound, Minnesota, USA.
Disability: Townes-Brock syndrome.

Details:
Eli was found dead in the trunk of his mother’s car after she shot him dead with a shotgun.

Eli liked to play with matchbox cars and wanted to be a firefighter when he grew up. He had recently learned how to fish, and had such a talent for it that he caught more fish on his first day than his father, who owns a bait shop and had been fishing all his life.

Case Status:
Julissa Thaler (Mother), convicted of first- and second-degree murder, sentenced to life without parole.

Sources:
Julissa Thaler sentenced to life in prison for murdering 6-year-old son, Eli Hart
Father of slain 6-year-old takes stand in mom’s trial: ‘He was everything to me’
Mental health records sought by lawyer representing woman accused of killing 6-year-old son
Woman charged with shooting 6-year-old son whose body was found in trunk during traffic stop
Father was trying to reclaim custody of boy found slain in trunk in Mound
Family of boy killed in Mound says state didn’t do enough to protect him ‘They ignored us’
Funeral and Headstone, organized by Nikita K
Family remember the boy found dead in Mound, ‘Eli was the sweetest kid’
2 Arrested After Boy’s Body Found In Trunk; Victim Identified As Eli Hart
Mother, 28, is arrested after son, 6, is found in car trunk

Jamie Ward

No Photo Name: Jamie Ward.
Died: May 18, 2022.
Age at death: 50.
Cause of death: Throat cut.
Location: Greenfield, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Chronic pain; degenerative disk disease.

Details:
Jamie’s body was found in her home, with her husband. He reportedly told police that he had killed Jamie because she asked him to kill her; but news articles make no mention of a suicide note or any indication that she had wanted to die. Police describe the incident as a “domestic violence homicide”.

Case Status:
Braeden Ward (Husband), pleaded guilty to first-degree reckless homicide, sentenced to 12 years in prison and eight years on extended supervision.

Sources:
The medical examiner said Jamie Ward was dead for two weeks before her decomposing body was found.
A Greenfield man pleaded guilty to a reduced charge in the stabbing death of his wife
Greenfield Man Pleads Guilty To New Charge After Wife’s Stabbing Death
Husband says he killed wife to end suffering, drained blood from body
Milwaukee Co. man stabbed wife to death because she wanted to die, complaint states
A Greenfield man has been charged in the stabbing death of his wife. He says she lived with chronic pain and asked him to help her die.
Greenfield Man Charged With Homicide After Wife Found Stabbed To Death
Greenfield homicide: Braeden Ward accused of fatally stabbing wife
Husband ‘stabbed wife & left body to rot – but WASHED corpse to hide smell’
Woman dead 2 weeks found in home, husband to face homicide charge
Police ID woman killed in Greenfield homicide

Jaxson Morrow

Photo of a toddler with fine, straight brown hair, dark-brown eyes, and light skin, smiling. He is wearing a green T-shirt that reads, Kiss me, I'm Irish. Name: Jaxson Morrow.
Died: May 2, 2022.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Unspecified neglect.
Location: St. Joseph, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Jaxson was found dead on his family’s couch, weighing 31 pounds. His parents are accused of neglecting him for a long time; he had been locked in his room, where he had broken the bottom of the door so he could stick his hand out.

Case Status:
Brian Morrow (Father), pleaded no contest to second-degree murder, sentenced to 22-50 years.
Mia Morrow (Mother), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 25-50 years.

Sources:
Dad who was ‘sick of’ school calling CPS joins wife in prison for starving 8-year-old son to death
St. Joseph man sentenced to 22-50 years for 8-year-old son’s death
Mom who was ‘sick’ of being reported to CPS sentenced to prison for killing 8-year-old with autism who weighed only 31 pounds
Mother sentenced to 25 to 50 years for son’s death
St. Joseph man charged in death of 8-year-old son takes plea deal
Report: St. Joseph parents had eight CPS visits prior to son’s death
Autism Memorial: Jackson Morrow
Mother of 8-year-old boy pleads guilty to murder
Berrien County woman pleads guilty in death of her 8-year-old son
Berrien County man pleads not guilty in death of his 8-year-old son
LOGAN releases statement on death of Berrien County boy
Parents accused of murdering their son, 8, were ‘sick of having CPS’ called on them
Michigan Parents Who Were Allegedly ‘Sick of’ Being Reported to CPS Are Now Charged with Murdering 8-Year-Old Autistic Son
West MI parents charged with murder after 8-year-old son with autism found dead on family couch

Baili Cowell

No Photo Name: Baili Cowell.
Died: April 24, 2022.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Unspecified caretaker neglect.
Location: Toledo, Ohio, USA.
Disability: “Functionally impaired”.

Details:
Baili was found dead in her home. Police, who arrested her mother, say she had been left immobile, allowing pressure sores to develop, that she was dehydrated, and that she had not been taken to medical appointments.

Case Status:
Shelly Gantka (Mother), pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, sentenced to 6 months in jail and 5 years probation.

Sources:
Woman who neglected bedridden daughter gets jail time, 5 years’ probation for death
Toledo woman sentenced to probation in connection to her daughter’s death
Mother charged in April death of daughter in Toledo
Mother arrested, charged with involuntary manslaughter in death of her teenage child
Woman pleads not guilty to involuntary manslaughter of daughter

Heather Baynard

Name: Heather Leigh-Anne Baynard.
Died: April 11, 2022.
Age at death: 14.
Cause of death: Neglect.
Location: Gaffney, South Carolina, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Heather arrived at the hospital unresponsive and was soon declared dead. Police who examined her home discovered that she had been kept in filthy conditions; on autopsy, the coroner reported that she had been severely neglected for many months, causing her medical condition to worsen and eventually become fatal.

Heather loved music, especially Mikey Mason and Disney Jr. She liked pretty lights, bright colors, and traveling.

Case Status:
David Eugene Baynard (Father), convicted of murder, felony child abuse, and unlawful neglect of a child, sentenced to 20 years to life.
Bobbie Jo Baynard (Mother), convicted of murder, felony child abuse, and unlawful neglect of a child, sentenced to 20 years to life.
Edward Baynard (Brother), convicted of murder, felony child abuse, and unlawful neglect of a child, sentenced to 20-60 years.

Sources:
Family Jailed for Killing Girl, 14, With Cerebral Palsy Taken to Hospital With Rotting Legs
South Carolina family neglected disabled daughter — whose rotted legs looked like ‘raw meat’ — so severely she died
Parents, Son Sentenced For Murder After Police Find Rotting Special Needs Daughter In South Carolina House Of Horrors
Disabled teen wasted away in roach-filled crib as parents and brother jailed
‘Worst case of neglect we’ve seen’: Family sentenced for murder of teen with disabilities
Couple, Son Sentenced to Decades in Prison in Death of 14-Year-Old Special Needs Girl
S.C. parents, son convicted of killing daughter who ‘showed extreme signs of disintegration’
Upstate couple and son found guilty in murder of daughter, officials say
Gaffney Family Found Guilty in 2022 Murder of Special Needs Daughter
Unspeakable cruelty of parents who left their disabled daughter to die
Parents, son charged in Upstate girl’s death after she suffered in ‘deplorable conditions,’ warrants say
Family of 14-year-old speaks out after her death, murder charges filed against parents
Girl’s death called ‘horrible,’ ‘worst case’ neglect Upstate officials have ever seen; parents charged
Heather Leigh-Anne Baynard Obituary (2022)

Thomas Conley

No Photo Name: Thomas Conley.
Died: March 20, 2022.
Age at death: 63.
Cause of death: Head injury, blood loss.
Location: Sherman, Connecticut, USA.
Disability: Anemia, alcoholic liver disease.

Details:
Thomas’s husband hit him in the head. Already weakened by poor health, Thomas died from blood loss from several scalp wounds.

Case Status:
James Maharg (Husband), convicted of murder and evidence tampering, sentenced to 35 years in prison and 10 years special parole.

Sources:
Sherman man convicted in husband’s death sentenced to 35 years
Sherman man James Maharg found guilty in murder of his husband
Sherman man’s ‘compromised’ health contributed to his death, says expert for defense in murder trial
New details emerge in Sherman murder
Alcohol may have fueled Sherman murder

Tre-Shaun Brown

Name: Tre-Shaun Brown.
Died: March 18, 2022.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Beckley, West Virginia, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Tre-Shaun’s mother’s boyfriend attacked Tre-Shaun with a hammer and stabbed his mother. Tre-Shaun’s mother ran to a neighbor, who was able to save Tre-shaun’s little sister but couldn’t save Tre-Shaun.

Neighbors remember Tre-Shaun as a nice kid who used to ride his bike around the apartment building.

Case Status:
Rashad “Rico” Thompson (Mother’s boyfriend), convicted of first-degree murder, malicious wounding, child abuse resulting in death, and two counts of domestic battery; sentenced to 35 years to life.

Sources:
Beckley man sentenced to lengthy prison term after killing 7-year-old boy
Rashad Thompson found guilty of first degree murder after beating child to death
Mother testifies in Rashad Thompson murder trial
Jury visits scene of Beckley murder
Jury shown crime scene photos depicting child’s death
Neighbors mourn boy, show support for mom
TRE’SHAUN “BUBBY” BROWN
Autism Memorial: Tre-Shaun Brown

5-year-old boy

No Photo Name Unknown.
Died: March 15, 2022.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Incheon, South Korea.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
This five-year-old boy was strangled by his father, who was his sole caretaker.

Case Status:
His father; sentenced to 5 years in prison and an 80-hour child abuse prevention program.

Sources:
Single father gets 5-yr imprisonment for choking intellectually disabled son to death

Melvin Weller

Name: Melvin Weller.
Died: February 11, 2022.
Age at death: 62.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Palm Springs, Florida, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; mobility impaired, poor grip strength.

Details:
Police were called to Melvin’s home and found him dead on his kitchen floor, having been stabbed more than 140 times. His wife was arrested on suspicion of murder.

The two were in the midst of divorce proceedings, and had been working out how to split up the couple’s real estate. After the divorce, Melvin planned to retire to Jamaica, where he had been born.

Case Status:
Joan Burke (Wife), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, sentenced to 35 years.

Sources:
Florida woman charged with murder after allegedly stabbing husband 140 times
FL woman, 61, is accused of stabbing her disabled husband to death
61-Year-Old Woman Stabbed Her Physically Disabled Husband More Than 140 Times: Police
Police: Palm Springs woman, 61, stabbed husband more than 140 times
Jamaica Observer Limited
Florida woman facing murder charges after allegedly stabbing her husband more than 140 times