Memorial Wall : victims of child abuse
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.
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.
Sherry Charlie
died on September 4th, 2002
19 months old Sherry from Canada and her 3yo brother were removed from their parents because of their alcoholism, domestic violence, and neglect of children. They were placed with their aunt, whose husband had a history of 19 criminal offenses that included domestic violence, but there were no complaints of child abuse, and they had three biological children. Just a couple of weeks later the man killed Sherry because she wouldn't stop crying. He shook her, hit her head against the floor, and stomped on her stomach with his foot, in front of three other children. He then blamed Sherry's death on her 3yo brother.
Raashanai Coley
died on September 5th, 2014
11yo Raashanai From Illinois, USA, lived with her mom, stepdad, and two younger kids, her half-siblings. One day her mom called 911 because Raashanai was unresponsive. She died in hospital later on that night. Mom was charged with murder because Raashanai was malnourished, had scars and bruises, and died of a tear in her stomach caused by blunt force trauma. The neighbors were surprised to find out there was an 11yo girl living in the house; they saw the younger two children playing outside and taking school bus, but Raashanai was pulled out of school the previous year.
Gunner Page
died on September 7th, 2015
3 months old Gunner from Tennessee, USA, was visiting with his dad from Monday night till Wednesday morning, when his mom was supposed to pick him up. Gunner was crying, his dad tried to calm him down, then tried to get in touch with his mom, and then shook Gunner till he stopped breathing, called ambulance, and told the doctors he had no idea what might have happened to the baby. Gunner died of brain injury five days later."I just snapped. I wish I could take it back. I try to be the best dad I can for the kids," the father said.
Robert Watkins
died on September 8th, 2013
2yo Robert from Maryland, USA, was living with his mom's step father (whom he called "Pappy"), along with four other children raging in age from 5 months to 15 years. On September 8th Robert didn't eat his dinner, and Pappy lost it, kicking the 2yo into kitchen cabinets to the point of multiple skull fractures and multiple cuts and bruises.
Daniel Valerio
died on September 8th, 1990
Two-year-old Daniel and his four-year-old brother Ben used to live with their mom and stepdad. Stepdad used to beat them up for crying; Daniel died from the beatings. The photo on the left shows him with a black eye. It was taken a few days before his death. Twenty one doctor saw Daniel with bruises and other marks, and not one of them contacted law enforcement. Daniel's death resulted in public outrage and the Australian laws regarding child abuse have been changed as a result. Now reporting suspected child abuse is mandatory for those who work with children: doctors, teachers, social workers, etc.
Willow Long
died on September 9th, 2013
7yo Willow from Illinois, USA, lived with her mom, 3yo brother, grandma and grandpa, and a 22yo uncle. One day her grandparents were away at work, mom was at a bar, and the uncle was babysitting Willow and her brother. Two days later her body was found with a slashed throat, five stabs to the heart, and defensive wounds on her hands. The uncle said that Willow impaled herself on a stick so he killed her to put her out of her misery.
Coral Ellen Burrows
died on September 9th, 2003
Coral was a 6yo girl from New Zealand whose stepdad used meth. He's been smoking it for five days straight, not sleeping and barely eating, when on September 9th he fed Coral Ellen and her 8yo brother breakfast, got them ready for school, and drove them there. It was raining, and while the man and the boy ran from the car to the school, Coral refused to and got cheeky. That's when he "lost the plot", according to him. He returned to the car and beat her unconscious, right there in the school parking lot; broke her jaw, and she bled a lot. He then drove around looking for a place to hide her body, and when he discovered she was still alive he broke her skull. "I didn't want her to suffer," he told police.
Coral's family released a public statement saying "Our plea to all New Zealander is to treasure your children and help keep safe."
Jacob Grabe
died on September 11th, 2008
13yo Jacob from Colorado, USA, loved his two dogs, Holly and Cinnamon, and his cat, Buttercup, and was learning to ride horses. He was top seller for the school fund-raisers, played the French horn in band, and was just elected equipment manager. He was also in track, learning to master the triple jump. Jacob attended church, and used to help his mom with her Avon deliveries and his dad with his window washing business.
Jacob had Asperger's and died because his dad shot him nine times in the head. "I had to kill him because you were ruining him," the man explained to his wife. "I believe that his intent was to save his son from irreparable harm, saving him by sending him home to Jesus," his psychiatrist testified at trial. The jury rejected insanity plea and the man was sentenced to life without parole.
Shafilea Ahmed
died on September 11th, 2003
Shafi was a 17yo Pakistani girl from UK, who was murdered by her parents for refusing an arranged marriage. She lived in Yorkshire, went to school, wanted to be a lawyer, and wrote poetry.
Shortly before her disappearance Shafi and her parents had traveled to Pakistan where she rejected an arranged marriage partner and had swallowed bleach, badly scarring her throat. Her parents felt that she brought shame on their family, murdered her, dismembered the body, and dumped it in a river.
Here's a quote from Shafi's poem "I'm trapped" that she wrote before she was killed:
Desire to live is burning
My stomach is turning
But all they think about is honour
I was like a normal teenage kid
Didn't ask 2 much
I jus wanted to fit in
But my culture was different
Andres Bravo Garcia
died on September 13th, 2014
5-month-old Andres from Florida, USA, lived with him mom, an older brother, and mom's boyfriend. One day mom was at work and Andres was home alone with her boyfriend. The boyfriend said Andres fell off his bed - which somehow resulted in brain injuries, lung contusion, retinal hemorrhaging to both eyes, and bruising to his buttocks. The boyfriend was arrested. Andres was taken off life support five days later.
Varsha
died on September 18th, 2018
3yo Varsha from India was beaten to death. Her mom wanted a son, and used to beat up Varsha and not feed her. When Varsha died of injuries and malnutrition, her mom was pregnant, and told their neighbors that if the baby turns out to be a girl again - she'll beat her to death as well.
Hiawayi Robinson
died on September 18th, 2014
8yo Hiawayi from Alabama, USA, attended a third grade and "lived her life to the fullest, unafraid and full of joy," according to family and friends. Five days before her 9th birthday, she went to visit her dad to pick up $150 that he wanted to give her as a birthday gift. She never returned home; her dead body was found behind an abandoned building in the neighborhood, and coroners report stated that she died during rape. Her dad was charged with sodomy and murder, and is pending trial while serving a different sentence in federal prison.
"The pain is still the same, nothing can change the pain I feel for my loss," Hiawayi's mom said. "But, to see all these people here, it helps with my comfort, to see people come together, and love and support one another... Love your family, stay close, time is short, that's what I pretty much got from this situation - life can really be short, (so) love your people while you can."
