The Worst 40 Cases of the Last Five Years (2011-2016)

Activists and reporters sometimes ask about a more manageable list of some of the worst cases of children killed in situations involving child custody. So I went throught the U.S. state lists and pulled out some of the more notable or better documented cases. So here are 40 (well actually 42). And that's leaving out Florida (traditionally one of the worst) and Maryland (also one of the worst). Check out those state lists (to the left) if you want more information, or any of the state lists for other cases, especially those before 2011.

Pierce County, Washington State:

Father: JOSH POWELL
Victim(s) Charlie Powell (7 years), Braden Powell (5 years). Mother Susan Cox Powell “disappeared” in 2009. Father only “person of interest” in her disappearance.
Date of Death: February 2012
Father killed sons in murder-suicide during supervised visitation at his home. Boys suffered hatchet wounds before house consumed by arson. Father had lost bid to regain child custody from maternal grandparents just days before. Originally lost custody in fall 2011 when paternal grandfather (with whom father and sons were living) arrested for child porn. Father only “person of interest” in mother’s disappearance (presumed murder) in December 2009. In May 2014, investigators alleged that father also sexually abused the boys.

See related posts here.

Hanover County, Virginia:

Father: ROBERT D. KING
Victim(s): Twin daughters Caroline and Madison King (3 years)
Date of Death: January 2012
Father in "bitter custody battle" with children's mother stabbed twin daughters, then gassed them to death with carbon monoxide. Father, who committed suicide, had weekend visitation at time of murders. Protective mother's concerns ignored by authorities.

See related post here.

Chittenden County, Vermont:

Father: LUDWIG "SONNY" SCHUMAKER
Victim(s): Gunnar Schumacher (14 years)
Date of Death: December 2013
Father with "shared custody" kills son in murder-suicide. Mother's warnings to police, authorities were ignored for months.

See related post here.

Donley County, Texas:

Father: ROBERT MONROE BABCOCK
Victim(s): Chance Mark Jones (4 years)
Date of Death: January 2011
Custodial father charged with capital murder. Boy beaten to death just weeks after father gained custody. Father had previously been uninvolved in child’s life. In June 2012, father convicted of son's death and sentenced to life without parole.

See related posts here.

Shelby County, Tennessee:

Father: TERRY PATTERSON
Victim(s): Josiah (3 years)
Date of Death: September 2015
Father with previous conviction for statutory rape granted joint custody. Mother fought for sole custody when boy returned to her with signs of abuse. Numerous complaints to CPS were ignored. Father now charged with 1st-degree murder.

See related posts here.

Lexington County, South Carolina:

Father: TIMOTHY RAY JONES
Victim(s): Merah (8 years), Elias (6 years), Nahtahn (6 years), Gabriel (2 years), Elaine (1 year)
Date of Death: Late August/Early September 2014
Father with felony history and history of domestic violence secured full custody of five young children. Retained custody through multiple CPS investigations for child abuse/neglect. Children's bodies were found in garbage bags in Alabama.

See related posts here.

City of Tulsa, Oklahoma

Father: BYRON CREECH
Victim(s): 5-year-old son
Date: March 2015
Father had court-ordered joint custody, despite history of death threats with gun, vandalism, controlling behavior. Mother obtained order of protection, but still required to facilitate child custody exchanges. Father broke into mother's home, held boy hostage in police standoff. Boy found dead at end of siege.

See related post here.

Father: WILLIAM ROLANDO FUENTES GODINEZ
Victim(s): Franklin Yosiel Fuentes Ramirez (3 years), Caroline Michelle Fuentes Ramirez (5 years), mother Maribel Jaqueline Ramirez Fuentes
Date of Death: August 2014
Father murdered two children, their mother after she arrived to pick them up from visitation. Why dad had visitation or whether this was court-ordered is not explained. But father had a history of domestic violence and had "regularly" threatened to kill the mother.

See related post here.

Logan County, Ohio:

Father: ANTHONY BARTON
Victim(s): Michael G. Barton
Date of Death: May 2015
Despite history of domestic violence against the mother, father granted shared custody. For months before the boy's beating death, father had shut off the mother's access. Father charged with felony child abuse, but could face additional charges. After pleading guilty to murder, dad sentenced to life in prison in October 2015.

See related posts here and here.

Onslow County, North Carolina:

Father: ANTHONY WAYNE YOUNG
Victim(s): Ruby-Rayne Delana Young (13 months)
Date of Death: May 2015
Despite criminal history including multiple drug offenses, father awarded legal custody. Charged with murder for allegedly slitting daughter's throat with kitchen knife.

See related post here.

Durham County, North Carolina:

Father: TYRONE XAVIER HESTER
Victim(s): Aaishia (22 months)
Date of Death: May 2011
Daughter killed in murder-suicide during father’s visitation. Mother had called police to do wellness check, father killed child half an hour after police left. Police had concluded child not “in danger.”

See related post here.

New York County, New York:

Father: DMITRY KANARIKOV
Victim(s): Kirill Kanarikov (3 years)
Date of Death: December 21, 2013
Father had history of domestic violence, suicidal threats, yet was granted unsupervised visitation.
During first visit, father threw son off high rise building in murder-suicide.

See related post here.

Warren County, New York:

Father: ADAM PARCELLS
Victim(s): Noel Parcells (10 years), Mia Parcells (3 years)
Date of Death: September 2011
Because of previous child abuse, father limited to supervised visitation with older daughter. Abducted girls during scheduled visit in Rochester, New York, and shot them to death in murder-suicide at a Lake George campground. Rochester police refused to issue immediate Amber Alert because they considered it just a custody matter. Father still had joint custody/weekend visitation with younger daughter. In September 2012, one of the mothers filed a law suit against the Rochester Police Department.

See related posts here.

Monmouth County, New Jersey:

Father: ARTHUR FREEMAN III
Victim(s): Tierra Morgan-Glover (2 years)
Date of Death: November 2011
Despite history of domestic violence, father obtained court-ordered visitation. Father accused of murdering daughter by throwing her off bridge into creek. Father later arrested in California after disappearing. Father found guilty of murder, sentenced to life in prison in May 2014.

See related posts here.

Hillsborough County, New Hampshire:

Father: MUNI SAVYON
Victim(s): Joshua Savyon (9 years)
Date of Death: August 2013
Despite past death threats, father awarded supervised visitation. Father shot and killed son at YWCA visitation center in murder-suicide.

See related posts here.

Desoto County, Mississippi:

Father: JACK TOMMY RAINES
Victim(s): Tyler Raines (11 years)
Date of Death: February 2014
Custodial dad, step charged with capital murder in death of son. Protective mother claims she was denied contact, that police declared the problem a "civil matter." In January 2015, father and step pleaded guilty to 2nd-degree murder.

See related posts here.

Kalamazoo County, Michigan:

Father: JARROD ELLIOT
Victim(s): Ava Jones (1 year)
Date of Death: November 2013
News accounts are not clear, but it appears father had shared custody at the time of his daughter's death. Father has not been charged as autopsy reportedly "inconclusive" though DHS has admitted that "neglect" may have played a part in baby's death. As of May 2014, father fighting to retain custody of surviving 3-year-old son, though mother believes the father is responsible for daughter's death, that her death has not been investigated properly, and that past allegations of abuse against the father were not properly investigated either. In June 2014, reported that father had history of domestic violence, had denied paternity of dead child before pursuing custody, and had succeeded in securing visitation. Judge not named. No additional updates as of October 2014.

See related post here.

Suffolk County, Massachusetts:

Father: PATRICK MARCELIN
Victim(s): Destin (6 years)
Date of Death: September 2014
Father with "long time" custody smothered son to death then committed suicide. Media reports indicate mother had been "debriefed" as to the results of the investigation, but no indication as to why a mentally unstable/suicidal father had custody of a young child.

See related posts here.

Bossier Parish, Louisiana:

Father: WESLEY LOWE
Victim(s): Anna Celeste Lowe (5 years)
Date of Death: January 2011
Father got “temporary custody” after accusing mother of abuse. Though charges were determined to be unfounded, father managed to get 4 district judges to sign off 5 times on extending order. Father had history of domestic violence, drug abuse. CPS allegedly failed to investigate father's home, failed to investigate suspected abuse reported by child's teacher. Daughter had apparently been dead for two hours by the time father, step took her to the hospital. Father charged with negligible homicide, step with 1st-degree murder (later dropped to 2nd-degree murder). Mother filed lawsuit against Louisiana DCF in February 2012. In December 2012, DA abruptly dropped charges against the father. Step pleaded guilty to manslaughter one month before.

See related posts here.

East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana:

Father: CEDRIC MATAMOROS SR.
Victim(s): Malaysia Matamoros (2 years)
Date of Death: May 2011
Custodial father charged with 1st-degree murder; allegedly killed child over mother's suit to regain child custody, child support. In January 2013 Father died before trial from natural causes.

See related post here.

Christian County, Kentucky:

Father: CHARLES T. MORRIS
Victim(s): Alayna Adair (3 years)
Date of Death: July 2011
Custodial father charged with murder in daughter’s death. State social worker is accused of failing to properly investigate previous abuse claim from one month before. Father had previous history of CPS investigations, domestic violence reports. Father's trial initially set for May 2012. In June 2012, social worker indicted on tampering with public records, a felony. In September 2013, father convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison.

See related post here.

Brown County, Kansas:

Father: LEE DAVIS
Victim(s): Mehki Boone (4 years)
Date of Death: March 2013
Custodial father with history of domestic violence convicted of beating death of son. Lawsuit filed by protective mother against state agencies document a pattern of incompetence and cover ups.

See related post here.

Henry County, Indiana:

Father: JOSEPH HORN
Victim(s): Thomas Cordell Horn (5 years), Corinne Nicole Horn (11 years)
Date of Death: August 2015
After "difficult divorce" (presumably code for history of domestic violence), father kills children in murder-suicide. Apparently had joint custody at minimum as murders discovered after school authorities reported children as missing.

See related post here.

Alexander County, Illinois:

Father: ELVIS HABIBOVIC
Victim(s): Logan Habibovic (1 year)
Date of Death: June 2015
Chronically unemployed/underemployed father with history of unspecified "domestic disturbances" awarded joint custody, despite mother's efforts to secure full custody. Abducts son and kills him in murder-suicide in Missouri.

See related post here.

Cook County, Illinois:

Father: ANDRE FORD
Victim(s): Gizzell Ford (8 years)
Date of Death: July 2013
Custodial dad, paternal grandmother charged with murder in torture killing of daughter. Mother had been trying to regain custody. In July 2014, it was reported that mother was suing CPS for ignoring signs that the girl was being abused. In August 2014, father died in police custody of a reported heart attack while awaiting trial.

See related posts here.

Ada County, Idaho:

Father: ANDREW DAVIS
Victim(s): Natasha Echon-Davis (3 years)
Date of Death: May 2011
Father with joint custody killed daughter in murder-suicide. Had been battling mother for custody rights since baby’s birth.

See related posts here.

Bannock County, Idaho:

Father: LEE ROSS BARBONE
Victim(s): Richard Barbone (7 months)
Date of Death: May 2011
Despite history of domestic battery, father granted custody/visitation rights with infant son. Father charged with 1st-degree murder. Pleaded guilty to 1st-degree murder in October 2011, and sentenced to at least 10 years in prison in November 2011.

See related posts here.

Father: ANTHONY BLAKE VILES
Victim(s): Afton Allison (6 years)
Date of Death: April 2012
Father gained custody of son he had never met. Two months later, son beaten to death. Dad charged with 1st-degree murder. Convicted and sentenced to 15 years of prison in October 2013.

See related posts here.

Paulding County, Georgia:

Father: SHAYAA FORBES
Victim(s): Eric Forbes (12 years)
Date of Death: October 2013
Custodial dad charged with murder of son. CPS allegedly ignored previous allegations of abuse. Mother trying to regain custody of surviving sibling. Father indicted on eight felony charges in April 2014.

See related posts here.

Douglas County, Georgia:

Father: CEDRIC PRATHER
Victim(s): London (7 years) and Jeremiah (9 years) shot dead; Misha (15 years) and unidentified sister (8 years) in critical condition. Mother Latoya Andrews and boyfriend Terry Brown also killed.
Date of Death: February 2015
Father with history of domestic violence raids house of ex-wife and mows down entire family. Child custody/visitation arrangements not clarified in news accounts, but father was apparently aggravated by his child support obligations. Reported that father retained shared custody/visitation even after mother got temporary order of protection after father broke into the house and raped her.

See related posts here.

Fulton County, Georgia:

Father: EMAN MOSS
Victim(s): Emani Moss (10 years)
Date of Death: October 2013
Despite history of domestic violence and numerous child abuse allegations and child abuse investigations, father managed to gain and retain custody of daughter. Girl's body found burned in trash can, apparently died from beatings and starvation. Mother had spent 2-3 years trying to regain custody. Father charged with murder. In May 2014, prosecutors announced they would be seeking the death penalty at trial. In July 2014, father and step pleaded not guilty to murder. In June 2015, however, father pleaded guilty to felony murder. Sentenced to life without parole in August 2015.

See related posts here.

Gwinnett County, Georgia:

Father: ELVIS NOE GARCIA-NOLASCO
Victim(s): Edward Garcia (1 year), Bradley Garcia (3 years)
Date of Death: February 2011
Father charged in fatal stabbing of two sons, and in critical stabbing of a third son. Father had been in “custody battle” with the mother over the children. Father pleaded guilty in May 2013.

See related posts here.

Boulder County, Colorado:

Father: DAVID HEYDENBURG
Victim(s): Allyson Heydenburg (3 years)
Date of Death: August 2011
Father shot and killed daughter in murder-suicide during weekend visitation. Father purportedly upset over pending custody issues.

See related post here.

Denver County, Colorado:

Father: MICHAEL HERRON
Victim(s): D'Anthony Herron (2 months)
Date of Death: July 2014
Parents separated at time of baby's birth. Despite history of domestic violence, severe mental illness, drug abuse, and child sexual abuse, DSS awards father custody because mother living in motel while dad in transitional housing. Baby dies from head fracture two months later. Dad charged with murder.

See related post here.

San Diego County, California:

Father: KEVIN COLLIER
Victim(s): Rhilee Collier (14 months), Beverli Rakov (baby’s maternal grandmother), Jared Slocum (police officer)
Date of Death: August 2011
Mother had just filed for divorce days before and was seeking sole custody. Daughter found shot to death in father’s truck. Father’s own father, brother had previously filed for orders of protection. Father later killed himself and his mother in arson murder-suicide.

See related post here.

Father: THOMAS FUCHS
Victim(s): Sean Fuchs (15 years), Kyle Fuchs (13 years)
Date of Death: June 2011
Father with “full custody” killed teen sons in murder-suicide. Mother was apparently trying to regain custodial rights.

See related posts here.

Sacramento County, California:

Father: PHILLIP HERNANDEZ
Victim(s): Matthew Hernandez (9 years)
Date of Death: February 2013
Custodial father charged with murder. Judge Sharon Lueras granted father custody despite father's history of domestic violence, drug abuse. Protective mother's concerns ignored. As of November 2014, unable to locate any update to this case.

See related posts here.

Father: MOURAD “MONI” SAMAAN
Victim(s): Madeline Layla Samaan-Fay (2 years)
Date of Death: August 2011
Though mother was a deputy to the state attorney general and had been recently granted custody, her request for father’s access to be limited to supervised visitation was denied by family court judge James Mize. Daughter killed in murder-suicide that was declared an act of “justice” by father’s surviving brother.

See related posts here.

Fresno County, California:

Father: DONALD NELSON
Victim(s): Zion (3 years)
Date of Death: January 2014
Custodial dad, girlfriend charged with murder in death of son. Dad had extensive history of domestic violence, and father gained custody despite efforts of protective mother. Mother trying to regain custody of surviving child. No media update since 2014.

See related posts here.

Pima County

*Father: CHRISTOPHER PAINE
Victim(s): Ariana Paine (3 years), Tyler Paine (4 years)
Date of Death: 2006
Mother originally got custody in 2003. In January 2006, father asked for informal visitation, which the mother granted. In March, the father refused to return the children. The mother contacted the Tucson police regarding her custody order, and they refused to retrieve the children. Within months the children are dead (exact date unknown, only one body was found). Mother sued City of Tucson CPS, and they settled for $1 million in June 2008. In October 2010, Judge Carmine Cornello dismissed mother’s suit against the police.

See article here.

Pima County, Arizona:

Father: LEVI PARKER
Victim(s): MacKenzie Lee Parker (8 years), Haylee Parker (5 years)
Date of Death: December 2015
Father in "custody battle" killed children in murder-suicide during visitation.

See related post here.

Maricopa County, Arizona:

Father: GARY SHERRILL
Victim(s): David Sherrill (13 years)
Date of Death: December 31, 2013
Father with obvious mental illness still awarded joint legal custody. Killed son with axe during visitation as he was allegedly convinced boy was a demon. Neighbor's past complaints to CPS ignored. Charged with murder in January 2014, held on $1 million bond.

See related posts here.