Memorial Wall
Carter Lizar
died on August 24th, 2015
Carter's mom was a meth addict, and all of her previous 5 children were taken away from her by child protective services. On August 22nd she left Carter with a couple she used to do drugs with, and went to Kansas City to get meth. She returned two days later, and all three of them got high, with Carter still in the house. She went to a convenience store, and when she returned, Carter was dying from having been violently shaken by one of her acquaintances. It was his first birthday.
Loretta Hooker
died on August 24th, 2011
89yo Mrs Hooker died of cardiovascular disease and hyperthermia at a California assisted-care facility designed for residents with Alzheimer's disease and dementia. A week prior to that, her son came for his twice-a-week visit with her and found her outside, sitting on a concrete patio, "alone and under the hot summer sun with no shade or supervision," according to his elder abuse and wrongful death lawsuit. "She was in obvious discomfort, appeared weak and was sweating profusely." Mrs Hooker was unable to open patio doors by herself even if they were unlocked. He brought her inside and complained to supervisors, but the next week found her alone on the patio again. "This time, however, she was unresponsive, drenched with perspiration and in obvious respiratory distress," the suit said. Paramedics took Mrs Hooker to a hospital emergency room, where doctors determined she was in cardiac arrest. They tried to cool her body but she was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Terrance Cottrell Jr
died on August 25th, 2003
Terrance Cottrell an 8-year-old autistic boy who died at a prayer service where church members tried to heal him of "spirits" was suffocated, the medical examiner's office said Monday. Terrance went to a prayer service Friday with his mother, who prayed over him with a pastor and other church members. By the time the two-hour service was over, Terrance was dead. A neighbor described Terrance's mother as a zealous church convert who once said the evil spirit had spoken through her son at the church. "She said he said, 'Kill me, take me, kill me,'" neighbor Denise Allison said. "I was like, are you serious? I couldn't really believe that." Ray Hemphill a pastor at the storefront church and the brother of head Pastor David Hemphill -- was arrested early Saturday on suspicion of child abuse and is awaiting formal charges. Asked whether church members could have confused Terrance's autism with evil spirits, David Hemphill said "no it wasn't confused,"..."Terrance "had spirits in him," and church members simply asked God to "deliver him."
Jody Meyers
died on August 26th, 2015
The heartbroken family of alleged murder victim Jody Meyers have paid tribute to the young mother, after her body was found buried under a garden shed and her boyfriend charged with her death. The 20-year-old South Australian was last seen at 7.30pm on August 26 and a desperate and tireless search continued for four weeks until her remains were finally found. In the wake of the shocking discovery, Ms Meyers' sister Tania Parsons described her despair and anguish after Ms Meyers' body was found under a cement slab in the backyard belonging to the parents of her accused killer. 'My mum lost a daughter, and I lost a sister, my kids lost their aunty and (your child) lost (their) mummy. We will forever miss her,' Ms Parsons wrote in a Facebook post on Friday night, according to The Advertiser. Police have alleged the young woman's death was a consequence of domestic violence.
Michael Tyree
died on August 27th, 2015
31yo Michael struggled with bipolar disorder since childhood. He wrote poetry, his ex girlfriend said, "and loved with his whole heart. He really had a kind heart. He had the best smile. He was always seeking balance." One day Michael was standing on the steps of Trinity Cathedral in San Jose, California, throwing small pieces of tinfoil onto the steps. A police officer stopped him for littering and found a small amount of crystal meth wrapped in foil in his pocket. Michael could have had the charge stricken from his record if he complied with the court order to get treatment, but he didn't, so the judge ordered to hold him in jail until a bed becomes available in a treatment facility. Michael was beaten to death by the guards.
"It's a terrible way for somebody to die," said Michael's old girlfriend's sister, who works with children who have behavioral issues. "A lot of times people who should be in mental health facilities end up in jail, and I think it's sad. They don't get the treatment they need. They're not criminals. They're sick, and they need help." His sister said, "He touched people's lives. He mattered. <...> We looked at his corpse yesterday. I looked at my brother and I thought that is a corpse. He is gone, but he was naked. He was covered in feces and vomit and that's public now. You know, those are the last images of my brother and the last thing this man did for him was kick his head."
Carolyn Hyatt
died on August 28th, 2015
Carolyn Hyatt died of her injuries 3 weeks after being severely beaten and set on fire by her boyfriend David Dunstan. Carolyn who had only been in a relationship with Dunstan for a month. Pathologists told the court the victim had suffered 20 per cent burns to her back, arm, neck and face, while she also had two lacerations to her head. Forensics suggested she had been set on fire in the living room and she had rushed to the bathroom to put out the flames. Speaking after the hearing, Detective Chief Inspector Gareth Meadows from Derbyshire Police, said: ‘This was an abhorrent crime. Not only did Dunstan brutally attack Carolyn but he abused the trust she had placed in him as a very new partner. He also abused the trust of his own unsuspecting mother by committing the attack in her home while she was away on holiday, ‘Carolyn was a much-loved sister and her devastated family will live with the consequences of her loss for the rest of their lives...No one should ever suffer the way Carolyn did that night or during the time she spent in hospital.’
Gabriel Kovari
died on August 28th, 2014
22yo Gabriel was "a very inquisitive and special child, gifted in arts," according to his mom. "He was full of love and care for others," his friends said. Gabriel moved from Slovakia to UK because he felt people were "conservative and intolerant", and was raped and killed by a serial killer who had a fetish of having sex with unconscious young men. He met his victims through gay dating sites, lured them to his flat, spiked their drinks with GHB (date rape drug), and four of them, including Gabriel, died of overdose. The man was convicted of 22 crimes total, and sentenced to life in prison.
Yun-Mi Hoy
died on August 28th, 2013
47yo Yun-Mi Hoy from Colorado, USA, had an 18yo daughter from previous marriage and a new husband. Mother and daughter didn't get along, and one day the girl spat in her mother's face and sent her an email that said, "You will pay." Mrs Hoy called the police, who explained to the teen that her mom can kick her out of the house for her behavior, considering that she's 18yo and mom doesn't have to provide for her anymore. Teen's biological father also spoke to her, "we sat down in the backyard looking at the trees and the animals and I started to talk to her about the respect that people should have for their parents," he said. "And I was trying to let her know that she should be obedient to her parents, not rebellious, that she should try to listen more and everything was going fine. In the conversation, I thought that I made progress. But obviously it didn't do nothing, because hours later, this thing happened." Mrs Hoy returned home from work at a portrait studio she owned with her ex husband, and went to take a shower. Her husband heard a commotion in the bathroom and Mrs Hoy calling his name. His step daughter was in the bathroom, not letting him in, and he saw blood coming from under the door, so he went downstairs and called the police. Mrs Hoy was stabbed with a knife 151 times in her face and neck, and her throat was slashed.
Ayesha Ali
died on August 29th, 2013
8yo Ayesha lived with her mom and dad in Ilford, UK, and they had a bad neighbor, Kikki Muddar. Ms Muddar took romantic interest in Ayesha's mom, gained her sympathy by faking cancer, and gradually manipulated her into divorcing her husband, moving in together with her, and abusing and finally killing her daughter. To do that, she created multiple Facebook accounts, including a "Jimmy" whom Ayesha's mom thought she was cyberdating, and a "Skyman" the spiritual adviser. All of these imaginary online people were sending endless messages (more than 40,000) to Ayesha's mom about how her 8yo daughter has "bad blood", is "evil", a "witch", needs to be disciplined to get the "evil spirits" out of her, and how "You have no right to ever love or like your evil daughter". Ayesha's dad tried to protect his family and moved them, but Ms Muddar tracked them down.
Det Insp Donna Convery said: "It took us months to unpick and investigate the web of lies that Kiki Muddar had constructed. In the six months before her death, Ayesha was subjected to horrific levels of mental abuse, which during the summer holidays escalated to become physical. She was an innocent child who was caught up in the most bizarre set of events, manipulated by two adults who were intent on causing her harm." Ayesha died of a blow to her head, and had various marks on her body from previous beatings. Here's a quote from her journal:
"Being thought bad, naughty and mean it's getting to be very upsetting. I don't like hurting other people's feelings! I don't know how I make myself do these things! I hate getting punishments so I'm gonna make sure I change."
Christine Marie and Amber Grace Lundy
died on August 29th, 2000
Christine Marie Lundy, aged 38, was a devoted mother who was involved in many community activities such as Girl Guides and was well known within her community. Amber Grace Lundy, her 7 year old daughter was described as an outgoing, energetic and bright only child. As they walked home together from Amber’s school on Tuesday 29th August 2000, neither they nor those that saw them had any idea of the horror that would meet them before the night was through. Both were found the next morning violently attacked and murdered. Christine’s husband was convicted of her and their daughter’s murder.
Landon Robbins
died on August 30th, 2013
Landon was a 5yo boy from Tennessee, US, abused and murdered by his mom and her boyfriend. Mom called 911 when he stopped breathing, saying that he had a playing accident the day before. "There's just no telling what he went through. He was just a big bruise," Landon's grandfather said. Cause of death was multiple blunt force trauma. Both mom and boyfriend were charged with murder.
Alan Charpentier
died on August 31st, 2014
54yo Mr Charpentier from Nevada, USA, was a Navy veteran who worked for Social Security Administration as an IT tech and enjoyed photography as a hobby. He left his wife and moved to Washington state with another woman, but one Sunday he returned to his ex-wife's home to do the chores and some yard work. She was OK with him loving someone else, but didn't want a divorce, and stabbed him to death and then set the house on fire, attempting suicide.
Melonie Biddersingh
died on September 1st, 1994
Melonie Biddersingh's charred, malnourished body was found in a burning suitcase in an industrial parking lot north of Toronto in 1994. The teen's body went unidentified for years until 2011, when her stepmother told an Ontario pastor the girl had "died like a dog" after being confined and denied food and medication. Melonie's father, Everton Biddersingh, was found guilty in January of first-degree murder in his daughter's death. Elaine Biddersingh's Melonie's stepmother's defence lawyers was found guilty of second-degree murder in her stepdaughter's death.
Naiya Villegas
died on September 2nd, 2014
5yo Gigi from Texas, USA, loved Disney movies, especially Frozen and Brave, coloring, playing guitar and singing, cooking with mom, and going to church with her grandparents. Gigi's mom had an abusive boyfriend. He assaulted her while on probation for an unrelated crime, but the judge released him again, prohibiting him all contact with Gigi's mom. Six days later, at 3AM, the man broke into Gigi's home. Her mom ran outside for help. When she returned, she found 5yo Gigi with a slit throat, and the man trying to cover the wound with paper towels.
Dominick Andujar
died on September 2nd, 2012
6yo Dominick from New Jersey, USA, died protecting his sister from a rapist who broke into their home the night before her 12th birthday. The man was convicted and sentenced to 110 years in prison for murder, attempted murder, aggravated sexual assault, burglary and terrorist threats. "There is no sentence or punishment harsh enough for this amoral individual," said the chief of police Scott Thompson. "The name that people should remember is that of Dominick Andujar, the 6-year-old murder victim who saved his 12-year-old sister's life through one of the most heroic acts of self-sacrifice that I have ever known."
