Status: Sentenced – Page 4 – Disability Day of Mourning

Timothy Ferguson

Name: Timothy Ferguson.
Died: July 6, 2022.
Age at death: 15.
Cause of death: Malnutrition, hypothermia.
Location: Norton Shores, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Autism with speech and motor impairment.

Details:
Timothy died from a combination of starvation and hypothermia. His mother had been feeding him very little, often just bread soaked in hot sauce, and had been forcing him to take ice baths. His mother insisted that he was “faking” his disability.

Case Status:
Shanda Vander Ark (Mother), convicted of murder and first-degree child abuse; sentenced to 50-100 years for child abuse and life without parole for murder.
Paul Ferguson (Brother), pleaded guilty to first-degree child abuse, sentenced to 30-100 years.

Sources:
Man who helped mum torture disabled brother to death begs mercy at sentencing
Killer jailed for disabled younger brother’s death after tearful ‘mercy’ plea
Michigan man faces up to 100 years in jail for torturing and starving autistic brother to death
Muskegon Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Starvation Death of Disabled Brother in Michigan
3 things to know before mom is sentenced for torturing son to death
Michigan law clerk is jailed for life for torturing her disabled son
Mum who tortured and starved disabled son expressionless as jailed for life
Michigan woman sentenced to life in prison in starvation death of 15-year-old son – CBS Detroit
‘We know who you are’: Judge and victim’s siblings call out mom who fatally tortured son
MI v. Shanda Vander Ark: Tortured Son Murder Trial
Tortured Son Murder Trial: Shanda Vander Ark Cross-Examination
Testimony begins in trial of Norton Shores mom accused of killing her teen with special needs
Hot sauce, ice baths, motion sensors | What prosecutors accuse a Norton Shores mom of doing to slain son
Michigan mom found guilty of starving her disabled son to death
Michigan woman found guilty of murder and child abuse in starvation death of son
Michigan mother found guilty of murder in starvation death of her disabled 15-year-old son – CBS News
Norton Shores mother heads to trial for murder, child abuse of teenage son
Norton Shores mom accused of torturing, killing son faced ‘similar allegations’ in custody case
Woman charged with homicide, child abuse of teenage son in Norton Shores
43-year-old woman arrested for open murder of teen in Norton Shores
Woman charged with murder, abuse in death of underfed teen
MI Woman Charged After Son Dies, Tortured With Ice Baths and More
A mother charged with the death of her child
Autism Memorial: Timothy Ferguson
‘Sadistic’: Mother charged with abuse, murder of teen

Katherine Sokolich

No Photo Name: Katherine Sokolich.
Died: July 3, 2022.
Age at death: 63.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Ballwin, Missouri, USA.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
Katherine’s brother, who was her court-appointed guardian and responsible for taking care of her, beat her because he was frustrated with taking care of her. After he called 911 and reported that she was injured, Katherine was hospitalized, but later died of a brain bleed due to head trauma.

Case Status:
Anthony Sokolich (Brother, guardian), pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, sentenced to probation.

Sources:
Police say 70-year-old Missouri man killed disabled sister
Man accused of beating disabled sister to death
70-Year-Old Missouri Man Beat His Disabled Sister to Death: Authorities
Disabled woman dies after attack by ‘frustrated’ caretaker brother near Ballwin, police say

Chayse Allen

Name: Chayse Allen (also spelled “Chase Allen”).
Died: June 24, 2022 (Body found; died March 2022).
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Beaten to death.
Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Blind.

Details:
Chayse’s mother, who had a history with child protective services, grew frustrated with him because he wouldn’t eat, so she kicked him in the chest and beat him. When he wouldn’t wake up the next morning, she put his body in a bag and hid it in a freezer, where it was found a few months later during a wellness check. Chayse’s mother also admitted to regularly hitting him with a belt.

Relatives, who called Chayse “the sweetest”, said they had offered to take Chayse off his mother’s hands if she couldn’t deal with his disabilities, but had been rebuffed.

Case Status:
Azuradee France (Mother), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, sentenced to 35 to 60 years in prison.

Sources:
Detroit neighbors say 3-year-old boy found dead in freezer was blind; family called CPS 13 times this year
Detroit mom charged after 3-year-old son found in freezer
Mum charged with murder and torture after blind son, 3, found dead in freezer
Family says mother charged with killing 3-year-old has history of abuse
Detroit mom arrested after 3-year-old boy found dead in basement freezer
Detroit mom told police she kicked 3-year-old, put body in freezer when he wouldn’t wake up
Here’s what we learned during hearing about 3-year-old found in freezer in Detroit home
Mom of 6 killed blind 3-year-old son and kept body in freezer for months
Mom of 6 beat blind toddler to death, hid body in basement freezer for months
Detroit mom who killed 3-year-old son, put body in freezer, pleads guilty
Detroit mom told police she kicked 3-year-old, put body in freezer when he wouldn’t wake up
Detroit woman who killed blind son, put body in freezer sentenced

Detroit woman who pleaded guilty in death of son found in freezer sentenced to 35 to 60 years

King Dewey

Name: King Dewey.
Died: May 31, 2022.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Port Arthur, Texas, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome, suspected autism.

Details:
King was found dead in his home, weighing only 19 pounds. Police say he had been locked in a closet for some time.

Case Status:
Tina Louis (Mother), charged with injury to a child.
Kristen Louis (Sister), pleaded guilty to two counts of injury to a child, sentenced to 30 years.
Jaylin Jevon Lewis, found guilty on two counts of injury to a child.

Sources:
Third suspect arrested in connection with death of 4-year-old boy found in Port Arthur home
Mom and Aunt Charged in Death of Disabled Toddler Boy Found Emaciated
Mother, daughter charged in handicapped child’s death
Police release new details about death of 3-year-old emaciated special needs child
Police: Emaciated 3-year-old special needs child weighed 19 pounds at time of death
Third suspect sought in ’emaciated’ toddler’s death

Joan Ffolkes

No Photo Name: Joan Patricia Ffolkes.
Died: May 30, 2022.
Age at death: 82.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Tallahassee, Florida, USA.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Joan was allegedly stabbed by her daughter. She died after three days in the hospital. Police say that Joan’s daughter told them that she found it difficult to care for Joan and had been planning her murder for several months.

Joan was a legal secretary. After retirement, she grew a rose garden.

Case Status:
Brigette Ffolkes (Daughter), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to life.

Sources:
Tallahassee woman gets life sentence for killing mother with dementia
Tallahassee woman indicted for murder in death of her elderly mother
Woman stabbed by daughter dies from injuries on Memorial Day, charges upgraded to 1st degree murder
Joan Patricia Ffolkes Obituary (2022)
Correction: Mother of administrative law judge stabbed in her home, daughter arrested
Mother of Administrative Judge Killed by Daughter

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