Status: Sentenced – Page 91 – Disability Day of Mourning

Donna Spadea

No Photo Name: Donna Spadea.
Died: June 26, 2005.
Age at death: 59.
Cause of death: Poisoning.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Along with several other intellectually disabled adults, Donna was imprisoned, starved, drugged, and beaten by Linda Weston, who acted as her Social Security payee so that she could steal Donna’s money. Donna died after two months of captivity while she was imprisoned in a tiny laundry room, and toxicology testing revealed that she had been poisoned with the drugs Linda had regularly mixed into her food.

Case status:
Linda Weston (Caretaker), multiple charges, life sentence + 80 years.
Gregory Thomas, charged with hate crimes.
Jean McIntosh, pleaded guilty, sentenced to 40 years.
Eddie Wright, pleaded guilty, sentenced to 27 years.
Nicklaus Woodard, pleaded guilty to several charges, including conspiracy, kidnapping and using a firearm in an act of violence, sentenced to 27 years.

Source:
‘Tacony dungeon’ woman who imprisoned disabled adults gets life sentence + 80 years
Daughter of Tacony dungeon ‘mastermind’ gets 40 years – Metro Philadelphia
Tacony ‘dungeon’ case ends with admission of hate crimes against disabled
Seven years after rescue, ‘Tacony dungeon’ victims confront tormentor sentenced to 40 years
‘Pastor Wright,’ codefendant in Tacony dungeon case, gets 27 years in prison
“Basement of horrors” indictment brings light to 2008 Norfolk death
‘Tacony dungeon’ woman who imprisoned disabled adults gets life sentence + 80 years

Adrianna Cram

Photo of a little girl in a white dress; she has fair skin and her brown hair is cut in bangs and pulled into a messy half-ponytail. She is smiling at someone off the side of the image. Name: Adrianna Maria Cram.
Died: June 13, 2005.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Abdominal injury, head injury.
Location: Omealca, Mexico.
Disability: Thyroid condition; speech delay; developmental delay.

Details:
Adrianna’s adoptive parents beat her to death.

Case status:
Elizabeth Romero Marin (Adoptive mother), convicted of aggravated murder, sentenced to 45 years.
Hector de Jesus Luna (Adoptive father), convicted of aggravated murder, sentenced to 2 years.

Source:
Adrianna Maria Cram
Oregon’s investigation into foster child’s death ends at state line
Adrianna Maria Romero Cram

Tiffany Pinckney

Name: Tiffany Pinckney.
Died: April 2, 2005.
Age at death: 23.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
Disability: Autism, developmental delay.

Details:
Tiffany was locked in a basement by her sister and her sister’s husband, where she starved to death.

Teachers remember Tiffany as a girl who loved music and “was lots of fun”.

Case status:
Allison Cox (sister), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 9 years.
Orlando Klass (sister’s husband), pled guilty to criminal negligence, sentenced to 2 years house arrest.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Tiffany Pinckney
Trial ordered in autistic woman’s death
The life and death of Tiffany Pinckney
Autistic woman was starved to death, crown asserts
Nine years for woman’s death

Patrick Markcrow

No Photo Name: Patrick Markcrow.
Died: March 29, 2005.
Age at death: 36.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Long Crendon, Buckinghamshire, England, UK.
Disability: Down syndrome, autism.

Details:
Patrick’s mother drugged him and then suffocated him with a plastic bag.

He attended a day center where carers described Patrick as “a loving, private man”, who enjoyed swimming and going to a local coffee shop.

Case status:
Wendolyn Markcrow (Mother); pled guilty to manslaughter; given a 2-year suspended sentence.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Patrick Markcrow
Mother who killed son with Down’s syndrome gets suspended sentence

Christoffer Gjerstad

Portrait photo of Christoffer Gjerstad, a small blond boy biting his lip as he looks at the camera. Name: Christoffer Kihle Gjerstad.
Died: February 2, 2005.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Head injury, skull fracture.
Location: Norway.
Disability: ADHD.

Details:
Christoffer’s stepfather beat him to death; his mother knew he was being beaten but did not help him.

Case status:
Kim Morten Larson (Stepfather), sentenced to 8 years.
Christoffer’s mother, name not known, sentenced to two and a half years.

Source:
Christoffer Gjerstad

Hannah Davenport

Photo of Hannah Davenport, a girl in a bright pink shirt, wearing a bright pink hairbow in her short brown hair. Name: Hannah Davenport.
Died: January 29, 2005.
Age at death: 6.
Cause of death: Malnutrition/dehydration.
Location: Anderson, Missouri, USA.
Disability: Ectopic anus.

Details:
Hannah’s mother starved her to death.

Case status:
Karen Davenport (Mother), found guilty of second degree involuntary manslaughter, fined $5000.

Source:
Hannah Renee Davenport

Grace Parkes

No Photo
Name: Grace Winifred Parkes.
Died: January 16, 2005.
Age at death: 83.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Sydney, Australia.
Disability: Diabetes, hypertension, Paget’s disease, Bells palsy, glaucoma, goitre, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.

Details:
Grace’s son bludgeoned her to death.

Case status:
Phillip Raymond Parkes (Son), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 13-18 years.

Source:
Regina v Phillip Raymond Parkes [2006] NSWSC 331

Karen Dreager

No Photo Name: Karen Elizabeth Dreager.
Died: August 31, 2004.
Age at death: 35.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Karen was neglected by her family. She died of starvation, weighing 50 pounds, down from 200 pounds, covered in severe and untreated bedsores.

Case status:
Debra McMahon (Adoptive sister), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, sentenced to 15 years.
Paul McMahon (Brother-in-law), sentenced to 6 years.
Kimberly McMahon (Niece), charged with first-degree murder.

Source:
History of euthanasia in Canada
The Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities:
Murder charges for family in Oak Ridge starvation case
Family charged in starvation of kin
Woman Starved to Death
Family Charged in Starving Disabled Woman

Debbie Burns

Photo of Debbie Burns, a brown-haired woman in a sundress. She is smiling shyly. Name: Debbie Burns.
Died: August 15, 2004.
Age at death: 40.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Pinellas County, Florida, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability after brain damage from scarlet fever.

Details:
Debbie’s sister shot her to death.

Case status:
Barbara Ann Burns (Sister), pleaded guilty to manslaughter, sentenced to 15 years in prison; released after serving 12 years.

Source:
Barbara Ann BURNS
Woman reveals how she shot sister and lived with body for six weeks

Davontae Williams

A photo of a boy with dark skin and a shaved head, looking at the camera but not smiling. The angle suggests that it is a selfie. Name: Davontae Marcel Williams.
Died: July 26, 2004.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Pneumonia.
Location: Arlington, Texas, USA.
Disability: Developmental disabilities due to prematurity.

Details:
Davontae was neglected by his mother and her girlfriend. Weakened by malnutrition, he died of pneumonia.

Case status:
Marcella Williams (Mother), pled guilty to murder, sentenced to life without parole.
Lisa Ann Coleman (Mother’s girlfriend), convicted of murder, sentenced to death.

Source:
Davontae Marcel Williams
Top Ten Lesser-Known and Heartbreaking Child Murders