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.

Custodial dad arraigned on murder charges for cold case shooting death of 16-year-old son (Wood County, Texas)

I have always been perplexed by these cases where the police declare a child gun-related death an "accident" with no investigation. All on the say-so of the father.

It took the police four years to figure out that Dad GEORGE SAUNDER's story was fully of hooey.

Notice that there is no mention of a mother in the home....

A little more research shows that, indeed, this was a custodial father. The mother lived in Arlington, Texas. See this interview with the mom.

http://www.tylerpaper.com/TP-News+Local/213693/father-arraigned-on-murder-charges-for-cold-case-death-of-son#.VOFvp9E5CG8

Father arraigned on murder charges for cold case death of son

Published on Friday, 13 February 2015 11:04 - Written by 3

WOOD COUNTY (KYTX) -- Disturbing new details are emerging in the case of a Mineola father accused of killing his son more than four years ago.

George Saunders, 59, was arraigned Thursday on murder charges stemming from the 2011 death of his 16-year-old son, Loren Saunders.

In the arrest affidavit, obtained by CBS19, investigators describe a rocky relationship between Saunders and his son.

Loren Saunders' death was originally ruled an accident, after his dad told sheriff's deputies he shot himself while playing with a handgun. But investigators say inconsistencies in Saunders' account of what happened that night led them to re-open the case.

The arrest comes just weeks after the four-year anniversary of the teen's death -- something his father has maintained all these years was a tragic accident.

Loren Saunders died in January of 2011 of a gunshot wound to his chest. His father initially told police that he and his son were alone at their Alba home when he heard a "muffled pop" and realized his son had been shot.

It would take nearly a year for Saunders to be arrested for manslaughter, but that charge was later dropped, and he seemingly disappeared from investigators' radar.

But all that time, Wood County sheriff's deputies were building a case against him based on multiple lies they say he told, such as the fact that he wasn't drinking that night and where he and his son were during the shooting.

The arrest warrant also shows Saunders had a history of pointing firearms at his son and threatening to kill him.

But probably the most conclusive evidence against Saunders is the autopsy report, which shows the deadly shot was fired from 36-60 inches away, and that it wouldn't have been possible for Loren Saunders to shoot himself.

Neighbors on the otherwise quiet street tell CBS19 they were shocked to learn of Saunders' arrest.

"Living next to the dude, you didn't suspect it from him," Fito Carranza said. "He kept to him and he was laid back for the most part."

"It's very scary, Tony Vickery said. "It's sad to think that somebody would kill their own child. It's very sad. I've got two sons of my own and I love them very dearly. I could never think of doing anything like that."

Saunders was arrested at his home Wednesday, where neighbors say he's been living for at least the past two years.

CBS19 called Wood County Sheriff Jim Brown Thursday morning, but he declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation.

Saunders is being held in the Wood County Jail on a $150,000 bond.

His next court date hasn't yet been set.

Custodial dad, step plead not guilty to starving 10-year-old daughter, incinerating her dead body in the trash (Atlanta, Georgia)

This case is one of several recent cases in the state of Georgia involving long-term horrific abuse by a custodial father, and total indifference from the system. Dad is identified as EMAN MOSS.

Look here for our past posts on this case. Needless to say (though it is ignored here) the scandal here is not just CPS incompetence. Daddy had a history of DV against the girl's mother...but still he got custody. In fact, the girl's mother states she had spent 2-3 years trying to get custody back, but to no avail. When will the media address that scandal?

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2691245/Father-stepmother-court-plead-not-guilty-starving-10-year-old-Emani-Moss-death-incinerating-body-trash-can.html

Father and stepmother in court to plead not guilty to starving 10-year-old Emani Moss to death and incinerating her body in trash can

• Emani Moss found in a garbage bin outside apartment in Atlanta last year
• Her father Eman Moss and step-mother Tiffany Moss charged in connection with the death and with trying to hide the body
• The couple appeared in court on Friday when they entered not guilty pleas

By James Rush

Published: 03:24 EST, 14 July 2014 | Updated: 12:11 EST, 14 July 2014

 

The father and stepmother of a ten-year-old girl who was found starved to death and burned in a trash can have pleaded not guilty to her murder.

Emani Moss weighed just 32lbs when her remains were removed from a garbage bin outside an apartment complex in an Atlanta suburb last year.

The girl's father, Eman Moss, and step-mother Tiffany Moss were charged with murder, concealing a body and child cruelty.

Police alleged the couple starved to death the child before setting her body on fire to cover up the crime.

The couple entered not guilty pleas after hearing the official charges against them when they appeared in court on Friday, WSB-TV Atlanta has reported.

An investigator told the court the couple felt they needed to get rid of the body 'to keep the family together,' according to the Gwinnett Daily Post.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for the two accused, which could cause the case to move more slowly.

In November last year it was reported that Detective Collin Flynn said that Eman Moss had initially told police that Emani died after swallowing some chemicals.

The man later changed his story, accusing his wife of poisoning the 10-year-old.

Eman Moss eventually admitted that he returned home from work on October 24 to find Emani lying in the bathtub and unable to move.

Neither he nor Tiffany Moss, however, sought medical attention for the girl because they were afraid they would get in trouble with the law, Flynn said.

According to a report from Georgia’s child services agency, Eman Moss bought a trash can and tried to incinerate his daughter's body in it. When the girl's remains would not burn, he took Emani back home and called police on November 2.

It had earlier emerged that Georgia's child protection agency had dismissed a report that Emani Moss had been beaten with a belt.

The Division of Family and Children Services did not send caseworkers to interview the girl, examine her injuries or question her parents.

 

Agency officials concluded the beatings were corporal punishment and ended the case despite four prior maltreatment investigations involving the child.

The agency first made contact with the Moss family in 2003 when Emani was only one year old, the station 11Alive reported.

Caseworkers were told that the baby was not being properly cared for and denied food, but the officials ruled the allegations 'unsubstantiated' and closed the matter.

Two years later, in April 2005, the agency investigated claims that the 3-year-old girl was suffering emotional and psychological neglect, but these allegations were also dismissed as ‘unsubstantiated.'

In December 2008, the DFCS got a tip asking to look into claims of inadequate medical care and possible sexual abuse.

Caseworks met with the child in private and concluded that 'no concerns were noted' about her.

In March 2010, the child services agency confirmed that Emani had been whipped with a belt for failing to finish her schoolwork or get good grades.

 

Emani's parents were ordered to take parenting classes and go through an anger management course.

Three months later, the child was returned to the home and the case was closed six months after that.

Last May, officials at Emani's grade school reported seeing welts on her back and marks on her head, which were determined to be the results of corporal punishment.

The last contact between DFCS and the Moss family came three months before Emani's death, when the agency got an anonymous tip that Emani appeared 'distant and afraid to interact’ with others.

However, DFCS closed the case after failing to find the parents’ address.