Name: Stephanie Ramos.
Died: July 9, 2003.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Undetermined.
Location: Queens, New York, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability, blindness, cerebral palsy, diabetes.
Details:
Stephanie’s body was found in a garbage truck. Her foster mother had thrown the body in the trash and reported her missing.
Stephanie’s cause of death could not be exactly determined because the garbage truck crushed her body before it could be found. Because of the lack of evidence and Stephanie’s profound disabilities, her death was ruled natural and her mother was only charged with dumping the body. Stephanie’s foster home was filthy, and Stephanie herself weighed only 23 pounds at death. The most likely scenario is that Stephanie died of illness because her foster mother did not want anyone to know how dirty her house was, and so left the illness untreated.
Case status:
Renee Johnson (Foster mother), 60 days in jail for improper disposal of a body.
Source:
Girl Found in Trash Truck Lived in Filth, Officials Say