Stanley Gardner and his wife, Eileen, died March 4th, 2002. A retired lorry driver, he was diabetic and seriously ill with septicemia from an infected leg. Eileen was visually impaired and had Alzheimers. Neighbors described them as a ‘lovely couple’ who were devoted to each other and always friendly to everyone. They were 78 and 83 years old, respectively.
Eileen and Stanley were killed by their son, who lived at home with them and assisted in their care, supplementing the services they received from the local health authority. The younger Mr. Gardner was suffering from depression and had attempted suicide earlier that year. On the night of their death, he tied plastic bags over his parents’ heads as they slept and then tried again to kill himself, taking an overdose of his father’s morphine before slashing his throat with a knife. He was found by the professional carers the next day and was taken to a hospital and eventually charged with murder. The Gardners’ son plead guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and was sentenced to two years of community service.
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Tristan Sovern died March 4th, 1998. He was 16 years old, and he had bipolar disorder. He was a junior in high school and was looking forward to graduating next year.
Six days before his death, Tristan was suffering from a severe depressive episode. His therapist thought that his medications might need to be adjusted, and after discussion with Tristan and his parents, everyone agreed that the best course of action would be for him to stay in a psychiatric facility briefly while the medication assessment was completed.
During his short time in the institution, Tristan was twice restrained and left in seclusion. In the first incident, he was ‘taken down’ outside the door to his room because he left a group therapy session without permission, and he was left in restraints for at least three and a half hours. The next evening, less than a day before he was to be discharged, another teen told a staff member that they thought they had seen him with a small metal item that he might use to hurt himself, and Tristan was restrained again. Seven staffers held him face down, arms across his chest, ignoring his pleas that he couldn’t breathe and that they were choking him. They gagged him with a towel and wrapped his head in a bedsheet. After he went limp, they carried Tristan to a seclusion room and strapped him to a bed, still face down. It wasn’t until someone called his name and he didn’t respond that anyone thought to flip him over, remove the gag, and look to see if he was breathing.
The aide who held the bedsheet over Tristan’s face was charged with involuntary manslaughter, but acquitted; the techniques she and the other staffers used were standard procedure at the hospital. Tristan’s adoptive parents sued the institution and reached a settlement for an undisclosed amount.
Trevor Horn, who had brain damage and spastic quadriplegia, died March 2nd, 1993. He was born several months premature and spent his first three months in a hospital. At 13 months, when an accidentally dislodged tracheotomy tube left him oxygen deprived for nearly an hour as hospital workers struggled to reinsert it, his mother took him home expecting nothing more than to be able to make sure his last days were comfortable and among family. Instead, Trevor survived and began to heal.
By the time he was eight years old, he had regained the ability to crawl, see, and lift small, lightweight objects. Aided by a portable oxygen supply, Trevor began attending school. He enjoyed playing games and listening to music, and for certain favorite songs, like ‘Disco Duck’, he would dance in his crib and try to sing along. Trevor’s relatives doted on him, and he would light up with joy whenever his family were near and eventually developed nicknames for many of them, such as ‘E E’ and ‘El’ for his sisters Tiffani and Tamielle.
Trevor’s mother and father divorced when he was two years old. Although they were awarded joint custody, his father wanted little to do with him and reportedly told one of Trevor’s sisters that he could never see the boy as a real son. He took his share of the money from Trevor’s malpractice suit but spent years with little to no contact with his children.
By 1992, however, he was thousands of dollars behind on child support and struggling to make ends meet. Trevor’s father became ‘obsessed’ with his son and the settlement money that had been put in a trust fund for his medical care. He would have no access to the funds unless both his ex-wife and Trevor died, and the longer the young boy lived, the less would potentially remain for him. Over the next year, Trevor’s father met with a ‘case buster’ who he eventually hired as a hitman. He videotaped the entire route from his ex-wife’s home to his own and persuaded one of his daughters to film Trevor in his room. On the day they had selected, he arranged to videotape himself watching TV with his girlfriend. While this was going on, his assassin broke into his family’s house and killed everyone inside, shooting Trevor’s mother and nurse in the head before disconnecting the boy’s oxygen and then covering his mouth and nose until he suffocated.
Trevor’s killer was convicted on three counts of murder and conspiracy to commit murder. He was initially given a death sentence, but this was amended upon retrial to life without parole. Trevor’s father was indicted on the same charges and also received a life sentence.
Makayla Norman died March 1, 2011. She had cerebral palsy and took nutrition via a feeding tube. She was 14 years old.
Makayla originally attended a public school in Dayton, but her mother later withdrew her, saying that she would homeschool her daughter. As time went on, her mother kept the teen more and more isolated from the community, until by the time of her death neighbors could not recall having seen her in months.
Out of the public eye, Makayla was neglected and left in squalor. The nurse primarily responsible for helping her mother with her medical needs hardly ever even set foot in the house. Instead of providing care six days a week, she visited only once or twice a month to pick up Makayla’s mother so that the two of them could go shopping together. A pair of supervisory nurses, one of whom was to check in every 30 to 60 days and one every six months, similarly ignored her, reporting nothing wrong even as she was starving to death.
On the day of her death, less than 10 minutes after the nurse logged that her charge was fed, comfortable, and in good health, Makayla’s mother called 911 to report that her daughter had stopped breathing. Paramedics rushed her to the hospital but she died shortly after arriving. By this point, Makayla weighed only 28 pounds and looked almost skeletal. Her skin was covered in dirt and bedsores and she was infested with lice. Her coroner later described her as the worst case of malnourishment he had seen.
Makayla’s mother was found guilty of child endangerment and involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to nine years in prison. Her primary nurse was also charged with involuntary manslaughter, as well as records tampering and failure to provide for an impaired person, and is serving a 10-year sentence. Both supervising nurses were convicted of failure to report child abuse and sentenced to five years of probation. All three were forced to surrender their medical licenses.
Jennifer Macaree, also known as Jennifer North, died February 28, 2009. She was 68 years old. Mrs. Macaree had a leg amputated several years previously and used crutches for mobility. A tribute from her grieving family described her as gentle, kind, and full of life.
Jennifer was stabbed in the driver's seat of her car after she returned home from an evening at the pub with her son. She was rushed to the hospital but died shortly after. Her killer was convicted of murder and sentenced to 22 years to life in prison.
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Terrell Lamad Stepney died February 27, 2009. He was autistic, and he was 19 years old. Terrell lived with his grandparents, who raised him after his father died when he was very young. Those who knew him remember him as a fun-loving, friendly young man and an attentive and respectful student. He attended the special education program at Oscar Smith High School, and liked gym class and the spec. ed. group's weekly outings to movies and shopping centers. Terrell often bought household items for his grandmother on those trips, and enjoyed helping his grandfather with yardwork at home. When he wasn't keeping busy with family or school, one of his favorite things to do was piece together jigsaw puzzles.
Terrell's grandmother poisoned him with an overdose of prescription medications, then swallowed the drugs herself. Terrell's grandfather found the pair when he went to wake the young man for school; his wife was already dead and Terrell was breathing irregularly and barely clinging to life. He was rushed to the hospital, but died the next day.
Charles Easter, who preferred to be called Chuck, died February 27, 2008. He was 58 years old. Chuck had dystonia and got around his neighborhood on a bicycle, since his coordination issues made it easier and safer for him than walking. He was an adventurous and happy-go-lucky man who made friends easily. For many, he became like one of the family, and he was often invited to go with them on vacations and camping trips.
After his death, his friends chose to honor his memory by hosting a drive to donate or buy bicycles and helmets for a local children's center.
In late 2007, Chuck took in a childhood friend who had recently been kicked out of his family's home. The man had a history of assault charges and was considered a habitual offender by police. The arrangement continued uneventfully for three months, until an argument over the roommate's dog convinced the other man that Chuck was going to evict him. On February 26, he beat Mr. Easter severely, causing multiple fractures. He died of his injuries less than a day later.
Chuck's killer pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 125 months to 25 years in prison, with credit for time served.
Calista Springer died February 27, 2008. She was diagnosed with PDD-NOS, and her family claimed that she also had pica. Calista struggled a bit academically, but was a hard worker and was well-liked by her teachers and peers. Her favorite subject was art, and her favorite song was 'Jesse's Girl'. She was 16 years old.
Calista's parents separated when she was an infant; her father and stepmother kept custody and prohibited her mother from seeing her. She was abused by her family for years.
Teachers and schoolfriends noticed that Calista wore the same dirty and unkempt clothes day after day, while her siblings were always clean and neat. She was small for her age and looked malnourished. At times, she was fed little more than bread and water, sitting on the floor while the others ate a full meal at the table. Neighbors sometimes saw her put pet treats in her mouth, or eating discarded gum or other garbage. One local parent remembers offering to send a banana home with her, only to be told that she wouldn't be able to hide the peel- but she would take an apple because she could eat the core. She spent her nights bound with chains and zip ties, and was also restrained there during the day at times when her stepmother cleaned.
Calista often stole small things like pens, tape, and lip gloss, but would return them when confronted. Inspired by how teachers would keep toothpaste, deodorant, and soaps on hand for her, Calista's classmates came up with the idea of throwing her a surprise party and giving her the kinds of items she was denied at home. A counselor asked her for a wish list without telling her what it was for. Calista asked for markers, tape, folders, head bands, hair pins, games, and a purse- but also for a new life and a new family, and 'more wishes that come true'.
She repeatedly reached out to others for help, telling teachers, friends, and social workers about how her parents neglected and abused her. On one occasion, she followed a friend home and flew into a panic when the school principal was dispatched to pick her up. In a school journal entry, Calista once wrote “I am tired of my family and I feel like doing these things: run away, kill myself … I want to get out of this prison at home … I want to be free as possible as any other teenager.”
Reports to CPS were made repeatedly, but the allegations were brushed off because her parents were able to convince authorities that her disability made her prone to lying and that her accusations were just attention seeking. Ultimately, in 2005 they removed Calista from public schooling entirely and told others that they were homeschooling her.
On the day of her death, Calista was chained in her room while her stepmother vacuumed. The device malfunctioned and started an electrical fire; she escaped and called for help while her adopted daughter remained bound. She told emergency responders that 'her baby' was still in the house and that she needed pliers. The firefighters discovered Calista and attempted to rescue her, but found her impossible to lift or move. The smoke in her room was too thick to see and they were unaware of the chains that bound her. In the end, the fire never reached her, but she died of smoke inhalation.
Calista's parents were charged with murder, torture, and child abuse. The jury acquitted them of the murder charge, but found the pair guilty of first-degree child abuse and torture. Her father was sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison and her stepmother to 18.75-50 years.
Hannah Fitzgibbon died February 24, 2010. Blind, hard of hearing, and somewhat limited in her mobility, she was a centenarian and had celebrated her 100th birthday a few months prior by hosting a grand party at her home, with friends and family members coming from as far away as Australia to commemorate the occasion. Neighbors described Mrs. Fitzgibbon as a vibrant and active old lady and a devout Catholic. She had married her late husband, Joseph Fitzgibbon, in 1935 and they raised five children together.
Mrs. Fitzgibbon's youngest son, a former cab driver, moved in with her in 2005 after losing his job qualifications over a drunk-driving conviction. He assisted his mother in her daily life, but after a falling injury in 2008 increased the amount of aid she needed and required her to start using a walker, he became more and more dissatisfied. His own failing health and a recent diagnosis of Parkinson's only heightened the tension and he became increasingly concerned that his mother might outlive him. Hannah offered to relieve him by moving into a home, but he refused.
Mrs. Fitzgibbon's care team visited the household a week before her death. They reported that her son seemed 'down and very stressed', and he said he felt 'burdened', 'in a prison', and was irritated with minor things like the sound of his mother's walker and the amount of time she spent in the bathroom. They helped him to make an appointment to see a therapist, but he never arrived. A day before his first scheduled therapy session, Hannah's son pushed her down and stabbed her in the neck with a kitchen knife as she cried out in alarm. He testified afterwards that he held her as she died and then kissed her on the forehead and apologized.
He was found guilty of manslaughter 'by reason of diminished responsibility' and sentenced to six years in prison.
Roberta Laws died February 24, 2009. She had cerebral palsy and used a wheelchair. Roberta had no family locally but had a motherly relationship with at least one of her young adult friends. The woman, who was the one to identify her remains, recalled how Roberta had helped her deal with a teenage pregnancy and said that Ms. Laws 'always made [her] feel good and loved'. She was 46 years old.
Roberta and her boyfriend had been dating for 12 years when his eyes turned towards another woman. The two exchanged emails, discussing the possibility of a relationship between them and the obstacle that Ms. Laws presented. Ultimately, he strangled Roberta to death and then buried her body in his yard, donating her wheelchair, portable accessible toilet, and many other possessions to Salvation Army. His would-be girlfriend, however, was horrified by his actions and he held her virtually hostage, threatening to kill her if she revealed his crime. It was five weeks before she was able to slip away and tip off police.
Roberta's killer was charged with murder and pled guilty mid-trial before a verdict could be delivered. The jury recommended the death penalty but was overruled by the judge, who sentenced him to life without parole.
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Vanessa Griffin died February 24, 2005. She had cerebral palsy, and her father was a private in the US Army. She was three years old.
Vanessa's mother beat her to death, bashing her head repeatedly into the wooden part of a piece of furniture. She then put the girl face down on a bed so she wouldn't have to hear her screaming and then exercised in another room and took a two-hour bath before finally seeking medical attention for Vanessa. By the time she arrived at the emergency room, she had been dead for three to five hours.
Vanessa's mother was found guilty of second-degree murder, first and second degree manslaughter, and child endangerment. She was sentenced to 22 years to life.
Eric Bland was found dead on February 24, 2003. He was 38 years old, and he was autistic.
Eric was neglected and starved by his sister, who confined him, their father, and their brother, William, (both also cognitively disabled) to a bare room repurposed from a garage. One of the doors leading in was chained and padlocked, while the other was blocked from the outside with a two-by-four. The only furnishing was a bare mattress, which the three men shared. Meanwhile, she used their Social Security payments to fund her drug habit.
All of the men were severely emaciated by the time the police became involved, and Eric's brother nearly followed him in death. A district attorney described him as looking 'like a Holocaust victim'.
Eric's sister was convicted of murder, dependent adult abuse, and elder abuse, and sentenced to a total of 29 years to life in prison. Her boyfriend pled guilty to elder and dependent abuse and was sentenced to 18 years. Eric's father and brother recovered and went on to live with other members of their extended family.
‘I’d rather be imperfect than silent’, I wrote four years ago when I was struggling to find the words to grieve for George Hodgins, back before either this blog or a community-wide day of mourning existed. I still feel the same, but.... what can I say?
What can I say on behalf of the dead?
I’m sorry.
It shouldn’t have happened.
I wish I could have known you better.
I wish you were still here.
What can I say on behalf of the living?
I’m sorry.
It breaks my heart each time I write one of these.
I wish we didn’t have to do this.
I wish I could make it stop.
What can I say that would be more than the smallest fraction of what I feel? What can I say that would truly mean something?
Amber Carey, who had multiple sclerosis, died on February 23, 2010. She was 34 years old and the mother of a 12-year-old son.
After being diagnosed in 2000, Amber was resolved to live in her own community rather than be put in a nursing home. The boyfriend who acted as her live-in caretaker for the last four years of her life, however, proved worse than the alternative. He isolated her from friends and relatives, keeping her in the house and refusing to allow them in. Family members believe that he may have been financially exploiting her and selling her medications. A visiting nurse alerted authorities to the abuse in late 2009, and Amber was hospitalized for malnutrition and septicemia from untreated bedsores. She succumbed to the infection shortly after.
Her boyfriend plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter and second-degree abuse of a vulnerable adult and was sentenced to 2.5 to 15 years in prison.
Courtney Wise died February 18, 2008. She had cerebral palsy and a seizure disorder, and got around in a wheelchair. She was 17 years old.
Her father, who eventually committed suicide, was abusive. His attacks on his family culminated in an incident in 1995 where he held Courtney and her brother hostage with a rifle before eventually surrendering himself to police 11 hours later. Courtney's mother had escaped with her youngest daughter.
Afterwards, she fled with the children to Ontario in order to escape him, and kept the family fairly isolated. Neighbors recall that Courtney was never seen outside except to be picked up for classes; her younger siblings were homeschooled. Her doctors had recommended that she be given four or five cans of liquid meals per day, but between 2001 and 2008 she averaged merely one to three cans. Her epilepsy medication was also administered at far below theraputic dosage levels. At the time of her death, Courtney was down to 35 pounds and had not seen a doctor in three years. She was suffering from an untreated respiratory infection and had an open sore deep enough to expose one of her hip pins.
Courtney's mother was charged with second-degree murder and failure to provide the necessities of life. She pled guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to six years in prison, with credit for time already served.
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Wayne Walters died February 18, 2006. Wayne had cerebral palsy and was epileptic; he did not speak but communicated through a blend of sounds, gestures, and home sign. He was 43 years old.
On the morning of September 11, 2005, Wayne was burned severely during his morning bath. Despite the fact that the scalding had left pieces of skin clinging to the tub, the care worker who was assisting him made no report of the event until hours later, when he casually told his supervisor that Wayne had 'some blisters' on his buttocks. By the time Mr. Walters finally received medical attention, he was grinding his teeth in agony and his legs were 'the color of blood'. He was rushed to the hospital, where he ultimately died from pneumonia five months later.
The worker who burned him had been reprimanded many times before for running the water too hot and testing its temperature with a gloved hand rather than bare skin and a thermometer. Another staffer, who wrote up these incidents, described how residents acted fearful when it was his turn to bathe them, screaming, fleeing, or otherwise trying to resist his attempts to get them into the tub. He was charged with criminal negligence for his role in Wayne's death and sentenced to three years in prison.
Shaemar Nelson-Thomas died February 17, 2007, two weeks before his second birthday. He was autistic and attended physical therapy to help him with motor skills like crawling. Shaemar lived with his grandmother but his parents would visit frequently; his family remembers him as a cheerful and outgoing baby. He liked his grandmother's fried chicken and enjoyed watching Spongebob Squarepants.
During one of his parents' visits, Shaemar's father became enraged when the little boy kicked out and held his son face-down against a mattress until he suffocated. He was charged with murder.