REFORM Talk’s Forgotten Angels 2019

In 2019,we honor US adopted children that are missing; missing and presumed dead; and/or related to the out-of-original family placements and surrogacy industry that are otherwise forgotten since December 2018 and years earlier that we have discovered.

This post includes all child deaths and children missing from US foster care or adoptions and adult adoptee deaths as well as those otherwise forgotten that we could find.

Still Missing

The 400 children presumably disrupted from Russia. See here.

Still Missing and Presumed Dead

In 2011, it was brought to light that two adoptees from the same family were missing: Austin and Edward Dylan Bryant. See the case  here.

A child nicknamed Moo, foster child of Judith Leekin . See the case here.

Rilya Wilson, 4, went missing in December 2000. In 2011, her foster mother was ordered to trial. It was delayed until end of 2012. Geralyn Graham was sentenced to 55 years in 2013 though they haven’t found Rilya’s body. See  here.

Jhessye Shockley. See here. Jhessye’s mother, Jerice Hunter, had been convicted of child abuse and served 4 years in a California prison. After being released in 2010,  Arizona CPS allowed Jerice to take custody of Jhessye from Shirley. On a day in October 2011 when Shirley Johnson was in Maricopa County Superior Court for a custody hearing, Jerice reported Jhessye  as missing. Jhessye’s body has never been found.

Hasanni Campbell. See here. From Fremont, California, disabled foster child Hasanni Campbell, who was five when he disappeared on  August 10, 2009. His foster mother was his aunt.His foster father, Louis Ross, told police he parked in a Rockridge neighborhood, taking his daughter into a shoe store while leaving Hasanni, who wore leg braces due to cerebral palsy, inside the car. When he returned, Hasanni was gone.

Child Deaths-International Adoption

Selah Kaden. See here. From Mineral Point, Wisconsin,this May 31, 2018 case involves Chinese adoptee, Selah, 13, who was suffocated and beaten over a period of time under respite care died.Her repsite caregivers Laurie Barry and her 28-year old daughter, Alexis Barry were charged with reckless homicide. Their motion hearing is scheduled for February 21, 2020.

Jaxon Abalahin. See here. From Port Orchard, Washington, this 2008 case involves a Filipino adoptee, Jaxon, 18-months-old, who lost his life to subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, which comes from the measles virus.

Child Deaths-Adoption

Zah-Nee Rothgeb. See here.From Warwick, Rhode Island, this January 3, 2019 case involved a 9 year old with cerebral palsy. Zah-Nee used a wheelchair and was found unresponsive in the bathtub.Her 15-year-old adoptive brother, who has Aspergers syndrome, was watching her.She was estimated to be in the bathtub for 8 hours. Her mother Michele Rothgeb was arrested for manslaughter and neglect of a child. She is due in court on January 6, 2020.

Samayah Anne Emmanuel. See here. From Miami, Florida, this November 18, 2018 case involves a 7-year-old girl who was unresponsive at Emmanuel’s home and was pronounced dead at a hospital two hours later.She was beaten with belts, a brush and a back scratcher for punishment, made them stand for hours at a time, tied her hands and body to furniture when she was unable to stand any longer, tied socks around her eyes, burned her hands and fingers on a hot stove and made her sleep on the floor if she wet the bed. Her adoptive mother, Gina Emmanuel was arrested and is awaiting trial.

Faith Seamen. See here . From Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, this November 6, 2019 case involves a 3-year-old girl who was found dead in her adoptive parents’ home. She had severe injuries that were consistent with child abuse.

After an investigation, it was discovered that Faith died from the results of injuries sustained during abuse that happened on Nov. 5.

On Nov. 15, Kelsey [Seaman] was arrested and charged with 1st Degree Murder, Child Abuse, Child Neglect and Obstructing a Peace Officer. Glen [Seaman] was arrested and charged with Child Neglect, Enabling Child Neglect and Obstructing a Peace Officer.

Child Deaths-Group-Respite Home/RTC/Hospital/Juvenile Justice Facility/CPS office/Guardian

Dyllon Hall. See here. From Whitfield County, Georgia, this January 27, 2019 case involved a group home resident Dyllon Hall,16. His body was found in a Whitfield County yard. ”There was obvious signs of like briars and brush scratches on his legs so strong indication of him walking in the woods,”said the sheriff. Dyllon was making his way back to be there for the birth of his son.

“He just wanted to be there for his kid. After his kid was there, he was going to turn himself back in,” said the sheriff.

When he was found, the sheriff said he was wearing a t-shirt and shorts and wasn’t wearing socks or shoes. Not enough clothing for temperatures below freezing.

15-Year-Old Girl. See here. From San Antonio, Texas, a June 9, 2019 case involves a 15-year-old girl who committed suicide in the Hector Garza Residential Treatment Center.

Oliver Lynn. See here. From Birmingham, Alabama, this October 14, 2014 case involves a 3-month-old boy who died after he became unresponsive during feeding, according to court documents. The Swindles, who were the infant’s foster parents, were out of town on a mission trip at the time of the death, and Oliver was being cared for by another couple. No charges were filed against the foster parents.

Zya Singleton. See here. From Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this November 3, 2019 case involves a 4-year-old girl who died in the hospital. She had bite marks, open wounds to her face and scalp, cigarette and other larger burns to her left arm and thigh, puncture wounds, and signs of malnourishment. Guardian Samilya Brown has been charged with murder and is awaiting trial.

 

Child Deaths-US Foster Care 

Phillip Payne. See here.From New York City, New York, this January 7, 2019 case involved a 22-month-old boy, Phillip. Court documents say a child specialist noted bruises on Phillip’s arm, back and face, and added the child had scratches on the back of his neck, his nose and his head. No charges have been filed against the foster parents.

Adrianna, Lexi, Cierra, and Wyatt Morris. See here. From Clay, West Virginia, this January 12, 2019 case involves four of five siblings. They perished in a house fire. Adrianna was 8 years old. Lexi was 4 years old. Cierra was 3 years old. Wyatt was 6-months-old. The fire investigation ruled it was accidental.

Kendall Chick. See here. From Wicasset, Maine, this December 2017 case involved a 4-year-old girl being beaten by her foster father’s fiance, Shawna Gatto. Gatto was convicted and was sentence to 50 years in prison.

Diane Ramirez. See here. From Murrieta, California, this April 6, 2019 case involves a 17 year old girl who had trouble breathing and choked on bile. Mother, Angel Cadena, was told that then her heart stopped. An autopsy concluded an obstruction caused by a twisted intestine was to blame, something that might have been corrected had Diane gone to the hospital at the first signs of distress. Angel is now being sued by Diane’s biological parents.

Reyna del Sol Flores (“Bella”). See here. From El Mirage, Arizona, this September 11, 2018 case involves 1 year old Bella who died from unknown circumstances. The autopsy confirms the portrayal of the little girl’s death as unexplained. Her foster dad was arrested and made plea. He was sentenced to probation.

Ahadi Mukeshimana. See here. From American Fork, Utah, this April 26, 2019 case involved a 11-year-old girl who was on her bike, unsupervised, when she veered into traffic and died. Police in American Fork determined the driver who hit the little girl did nothing wrong.

Jamie Anderson. See here. From Carlisle, Ohio, this April 23, 2019 case involves a 16-year-old girl whose body was found on railroad tracks Tuesday in Carlisle.No charges has been filed in this case.

Lauren Powless and Madeline Jackson. See here. From Bessemer, Michigan, foster sisters Lauren Powless, 17, and Madeline Jackson ,15, were killed “in a crash just before the end of the school year. They were in a car that struck a tree.

Mariasia Thomas. See here. From Dekalb, Georgia, this April 12, 2019 case involves a 7-year-old girl who was killed last month when her foster home was sprayed with gunfire, was caught in the crossfire of a revenge shooting.She had been shot in the head while watching TV and died several days later at the hospital.

DeKalb Police eventually arrested Keadesia Allen, 23, her brother Antoine Allen, 21, and their uncle Dwayne Allen, 27. In court Wednesday, Detective Wright painted a picture of a revenge killing organized by Keadesia Allen and executed by Dwayne Allen and Antoine Allen.

6-Month-Old foster son. See here. From Alburquerque, New Mexico, a March 2019 case involved a 6-month-old boy that was found dead while in the care of the foster family. No charges were ever filed in this case.

Jorge Santiago. See here. From Hopkinton, Massachusetts, a June 2, 2019 case involves a 9-year-old boy who was was pulled from the water in Hopkinton and rushed to the hospital on Sunday, but police said Monday he had died overnight.Police say Santiago was at Lake Maspenock with a guardian who was not in the water with him when he went under. No charges were ever filed in this case.

15-Month-Old Girl. See here. From Lawrence, Massachusetts, a June 23, 2019 case involves a 15-month-old girl who was “unresponsive” and died at the hospital. No charges have been filed in this case.

Justice Bishop. See here. From Boise, Idaho, this July 2017 case involves a 6-year-old boy who died from complications arising from the medical condition. Justice had a potentially life-threatening condition called short bowel syndrome, where portions of a person’s small intestine are missing. No charges were made. The biological parents have filed a lawsuit against the foster parents.

Demiyah White. See here. From Louisville, Kentucky, this July 1, 2019 case involves a 6-year-old girl who had heart failure, cleft lip and pallet, growth deficiency, coloboma in both eyes and hypopituitarism. She died in the care of her foster mother. No charges were ever filed against the foster mother.

Neveah Gerrior. See here. From Easthampton, Massachusetts, this December 21, 2018 case involves a 5-year-old girl who died from unknown circumstances. No charges have been filed in this case.

12-Month-Old Boy. See here.From Pineville, North Carolina, this August 29, 2019 case involves a 12-month-old boy who was left hot car for hours while his foster mother was at work. Dawn Aberson-Vanden Broecke, 42,was charged with involuntary manslaughter.

11-Year-Old Boy. See here. From Polk County, Florida, this August 12, 2019 case involves a 11-year-old boy who died after being taken to the hospital for vomiting.No one has been charged in this case.

Tyler Walter. See here. From San Diego, California, this September 22, 2019 case involves a 22-month-old boy who died from blunt head trauma. His foster mother, 19, was not charged with the crime.

Raelynn and Payton Keyes. See here. From Hinesville, Georgia, this September 29, 2019 case involves 3-year-old foster twins sisters who died of heatstroke after being found inside the vehicle parked in the backyard of a home where they foster mother’s boyfriend was watching them. Police charged [Claudette] Foster with second-degree murder and said her negligence in watching them led to the charges. Foster is not a US citizen but does have permanent resident status.

Samora Cousin. See here. From Phoenix, Arizona, this October 1, 2019 case involves a 4-month-old girl who was left in a hot van and died. Her foster father was not charged for her death.

Alex Medina. See here.From Meridien, Connecticut, this September 30, 2019 case involves a 17-year-old boy who died in a car crash that involved his drunk foster father. James Bailey was indicted on two counts of second-degree manslaughter. The court is awaiting a plea on January 15, 2020.

Alize Vick. See here. From Colorado Springs, Colorado, this October 2007 case involves a 2-year-old foster child who suffered a head injury and died. Her foster mother,Jules Cuneo, was tried, convicted and sentenced to 32 years in prison, but she is getting out after only serving 9 years.

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