Remembering the Disabled Murdered by Caregivers
Suspect has died; no trial necessary.
Name: Clara Laird.
Died: November 21, 2010.
Age at death: 86.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Seal Beach, California, USA.
Disability: Dementia.
Details:
Clara’s husband went to her nursing home and shot her to death.
Case status:
Roy Charles Laird (Husband), charged with murder, died before trial.
Source:
A tragic end to 70 years of marriage
Crime Log: Nursing home homicide case dismissed
Husband charged in nursing home ‘mercy killing’
Name: Karandeep Arora.
Died: October 25, 2010.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Homicide.
Location: New Delhi, India.
Disability: Visual and mobility impairment.
Details:
Karandeep’s parents either smothered or poisoned him, and then both of them committed suicide.
Case status:
Saminder Singh Arora and Mini Arora (Parents), deceased.
Name: Kyle Joseph Potts.
Died: October 18, 2010.
Age at death: 9.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Crestline, California, USA.
Disability: Autism.
Details:
Kyle’s grandmother shot him and herself in a murder-suicide.
Case status:
Denise Snyder (Grandmother), deceased.
Source:
Crestline woman fatally shoots grandson, self
Crestline woman kills herself and 9-year-old grandson, authorities say
Crestline Murder-Suicide
Kyle Joseph Potts
Autism Memorial: Kyle Potts
Name: Chase Ogden.
Died: October 4, 2010.
Age at death: 13.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA.
Disability: Autism.
Details:
Chase and his twin sister Olivia were killed by their mother, who then shot herself.
Case status:
Rene Ogden (Mother), deceased.
Source:
Autism Memorial: Chase Ogden
Rene Ogden killed twins Chase and Olivia, then committed suicide, says El Paso County coroner
Colo. Police Probe Deaths of Mother, Twin Children
Essex Lane deaths apparent murder-suicide
Coroner: Mother, twins shot in head
Name: Shah Amin Shariffudin.
Died: September 26, 2010.
Age at death: 19.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Marsiling, Singapore.
Disability: Global developmental delay, mobility impaired (wore leg braces).
Details:
Shah was strangled by his father, who then killed himself. Reportedly, his father had gone into debt and did not want to “burden” the family with Shah’s care.
Case status:
Shariffudin Abdul Kader (Father), deceased.
Source:
Death at Marsiling leads police to second body at hotel
Man kills himself, leaves note confessing to son’s murder
$1m debts led to two deaths
Name: Tia McShane.
Died: August 30, 2010 (Body found); died sometime in 2006.
Age at death: About 7.
Cause of death: Unsolved.
Location: Pensacola, Florida, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.
Details:
It is not known how Tia died. Her body was found, years later, hidden in a storage unit owned by her mother.
Case status:
Alicia McShane (Mother). Died before Tia’s body was found.
Name: Kenneth Holmes.
Died: July 28, 2010.
Age at death: 12.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: New York, New York, USA.
Disability: Autism.
Details:
Kenneth was shot to death by his mother, who then committed suicide herself. Police said she was “frustrated over the demands of raising an autistic child”.
Case status:
Michaela Jackson (Mother), deceased.
Source:
Autism Memorial: Kenneth Holmes
JA mom kills autistic son, herself
Mom suspected in murder-suicide involving autistic son posted heart-wrenching blog item before death
It’s Mick’s World
Name: Grace Carlson.
Died: July 17, 2010.
Age at death: 13.
Cause of death: Poisoning.
Location: South Lyon, Michigan, USA.
Disability: “Seriously disabled”; born addicted to crack.
Details:
Grace’s mother poisoned her in a murder-suicide.
Case status:
Donna Carlson (Adoptive mother), deceased.
Source:
Details emerge about South Lyon murder-suicide attempt; police seek charge of murder 1
Name: Christopher Melton.
Died: June 4, 2010.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Carbon monoxide poisoning.
Location: Columbia, Maryland, USA.
Disability: Autism.
Details:
Christopher’s mother poisoned him and herself with carbon monoxide.
Case status:
Tracy Hawks (Mother), deceased.
Source:
Autism Memorial: Christopher Melton
Columbia, Maryland: Deaths of Tracy Hawks and Christopher Melton, mother and son, ruled murder-suicide
Deaths of mother and son remain a mystery
Columbia deaths of mom and son ruled murder-suicide
Name: Benjamin McLatchie.
Died: April 27, 2010.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Gray, Maine, USA.
Disability: Autism.
Details:
Benjamin’s father shot him to death before committing suicide.
Benjamin was “a sweet and gentle boy. He loved Curious George, Winnie the Pooh, Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, listening to music, reading books, and swinging on his swing.”
Case status:
Daniel McLatchie (Father), deceased.
Source:
Autism Memorial: Benjamin McLatchie
Pondering a murder/suicide in Gray, Maine
Gray shooting done by ‘caring’ father
Daniel and Benjamin McLatchie