Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities

On this page you will find all of the child abuse and neglect fatalities in homeschool settings archived in the Homeschooling’s Invisible Children database. We have located 188 fatalities from 1986 to the present. Of these, 172 fatalities occurred from 2000 through the present. This information is incomplete; we log new cases as we find them. We have focused our search on cases from 2000 to the present, both because this period is more recent and because it is easier to locate media reports of a fatality after internet use became commonplace than it is before this point. For this reason our fatality data from before the year 2000 is especially incomplete.

While homeschooling played a direct or indirect role in many of these cases, we archive all cases of non-accidental child fatality in homeschool settings regardless of the role played by homeschooling. Our goal is to collect comprehensive data on non-accidental child fatalities in homeschool settings so that we can locate common themes. It is our hope that data analysis and research on past cases of non-accidental child fatality in homeschool settings will help us identify policies that will better protect and promote the wellbeing of homeschooled children.

For more information, read our frequently asked questions.

We add cases to our database regularly. For all cases of severe abuse and neglect in homeschool settings so far archived by Homeschooling’s Invisible Children, click here. For a detailed listing of all fatalities archived so far, click here.

1986

 

 

 

1 Death

 White square  Dominick Diehl  13  Virginia Beach, Virginia  Oct. 29, 1986

1987

 

 

 

1 Death

 White square  Aaron Norman  10  Mead, Washington  Dec. 20, 1987

1988

 

 

 

1 Death

 dayna-broussard  Dayna Broussard  8  Sandy, Oregon  Oct. 13, 1988

1989

 

 

 

1 Death

 White square  Eric Cottam  14  Nuangola, Pennsylvania  Jan. 1989

1991

 

 

 

1 Death

 White square  Stephen Hill  13  Fort Worth, Texas  Nov. 16, 1991
 White square  Hannah Carroll  6  Cedarville, Ohio  Sept. 21, 1992

1992

 

 

 

1 Death

 White square  Adam Franklin  7  Rock Springs, Wyoming  February 14, 1992

1993

 

 

 

1 Death

 White square  Josiah Carroll  12  Cedarville, Ohio  June 14, 1993

1995

 

 

 

3 Deaths

 15307101_115541099771  Valerie Smelser  12 Clarke County, Virginia Jan. 22, 1995
 White square  Lucas Ciambrone  7  Rubonia, Florida  May 13, 1995
 White square  Lance Planck  6  Alexandria Indiana  Nov. 30, 1995

1996

 

 

 

1 Death

 christina-corrigan-2-2  Christina Corrigan  13  El Cerrito, California  Nov. 19, 1996

1997

 

 

 

2 Deaths

 White square  Budde Lee Clark  6  Cleveland, North Carolina  Jan. 1997
peter kema jr. Peter Kema Jr. 6 Keaau, Hawaii June 1997

1999

 

 

 

3 Deaths

 adam-herrman1  Adam Herrman  10 Towanda, Kansas Uncertain, 1999
 briggs-family-2  Deonna Briggs  7  Newport, Oregon  Nov. 19, 1999
briggs-family  Jesse Briggs  10  Newport, Oregon  Nov. 19, 1999

2000

 

 

 

8 Deaths

White square Shane Graham 11 Port St. Lucie, Florida Uncertain, 2000
Jared Wood 10 Warrensburg, Missouri Feb. 14, 2000
Joshua Wood 8 Warrensburg, Missouri Feb. 14, 2000
Emily Wood 7 Warrensburg, Missouri  Feb. 14, 2000
Hannah Wood 5 Warrensburg, Missouri Feb. 14, 2000
White square Joseph Beebe 8 Tarkington Prairie, Texas March 17, 2000
Timothy Boss 10 Remsen, Iowa July 1, 2000
Viktor Matthey 6 Hunterdon County, New Jersey Oct. 31, 2000

2001

11 Deaths

 White square Sadie Plum 10 Tioga, Louisiana Jan. 9, 2001
Luke Hayden 6 Tioga, Louisiana Jan. 9, 2001
White square Korresha Crawford 11 Eglin, South Carolina Jan. 25, 2001
White square Amanda Bates 13 Grand Junction, Colorado Feb. 5, 2001
Noah Yates 7 Houston, Texas June 20, 2001
White square Holly Snyder 12 Los Palomas, New Mexico July 7, 2001
White square Kyla Snyder 10 Los Palomas, New Mexico July 7, 2001
White square Corrie Snyder 8 Los Palomas, New Mexico July 7, 2001
White square Bradley Warren 13 Kenly, North Carolina July 26, 2001
Raysate Knight 6 Houston, Texas September 7, 2001
White square Laree Slack 12 Chicago, Illinois Nov. 11, 2001

2002

5 Deaths

White square Swen Swanson 14 Helena, Montana Aug. 26, 2002
White square Louisa Swanson 10 Helena, Montana Aug. 26, 2002
Jessica Crank 15 Lenoir City, Tennessee September 15, 2002
Christopher Forder 8 Seabeck, Washington Nov. 22. 2002
Brian Edgar 9 Overland Park, Kansas Dec. 31, 2002

2003

10 Deaths

Austin Bryant 7 Monument, Colorado Uncertain, 2003
Joshua Laney 8 Tyler, Texas May 9, 2003
Luke Laney 6 Tyler, Texas May 9, 2003
Josef Smith 8 Mableton, Georgia Oct. 2003
White square Luis Moreno 5 San Antonio, Texas Sept. 24, 2003
Molly Holt 10 Johnson County, Arkansas Nov. 9, 2003
White square Anna Farmer 12 Pearland, Texas Dec. 9, 2003
Alix Pavlis 6 Schaumburg, Illinois Dec. 18, 2003
Bryant Morris 10 Tillamook State Forest, Oregon Dec. 21, 2003
Alexis Morris 8 Tillamook State Forest, Oregon Dec. 21, 2003

2004

4 Deaths

Elizabeth Wesson 17 Fresno, California March 12, 2004
Lilabelle Wesson 8 Fresno, California March 12, 2004
Aviv Wesson 7 Fresno, California March 12, 2004
Jonathan Wesson 7 Fresno, California March 12, 2004

2005

5 Deaths

dennis-merryman Dennis Merryman 8 Whiteford, Maryland Jan. 22, 2005
hannah-davenport Hannah Davenport 6 Anderson, Missouri Jan. 25, 2005
Ricky_Holland Ricky Holland 7 Summit Township, Michigan July 1, 2005
Ricky Conrad Morales 13 Winlock, Washington Oct. 8, 2005
Conrad Ricky Morales 11 Corona, California Dec. 25, 2005

2006

5 Deaths

minnet bowman Minnet Bowman 9 Lusby, Maryland Uncertain, 2006
jasmine bowman Jasmine Bowman 7 Lusby, Maryland Uncertain, 2006
colt_clark Colt Clark 9 Wewoka, Oklahoma April 20, 2006
White square Milton Baker III 7 Cincinnati, Ohio Aug. 10, 2006
raijon Raijon Daniels 8 Richmond, California Oct. 26, 2006

2007

5 Deaths

LoReyna Barrea LoReyna Barrea 7 Evans, Colorado March 9, 2007
michaela (1) Michaela Watkins 10 Clark County, Kentucky March 11, 2007
chandler-2 Chandler Graves 7 Denver, Colorado May 6, 2007
chrystal-2 Chrystal Ramirez 8 San Antonio, Texas Aug. 23, 2007
trenay-duchane Trenay Duchane 12 Phoenix, Arizona Nov. 6, 2007

2008

14 Deaths

Brittany Brittany Jacks 17 Washington, D.C. Jan. 2008
Tatianna Jacks Tatianna Jacks 11 Washington, D.C. Jan. 2008
N'kiah Fogle N’Kiah Fogle 6 Washington, D.C. Jan. 2008
aja fogle Aja Fogle 5 Washington, D.C. Jan. 2008
calista-springer Calista Springer 16 Centreville, Michigan Feb. 27, 2009
willie-robinson Willie Robinson 8 Cleveland, Ohio March 22, 2008
madeline-kara-neumann Madeline Kara Neumann 11 Westen, Wisconsin March 23, 2008
alttext M. L. Lloyd III 8 Reserve, Louisiana April 1, 2008
cheyenne-wolf Cheyenne Wolf 11 Bokchito, Oklahoma April, 2008
tyler-mcmillan Tyler Gene McMillan 13 Macclesfield, North Carolina June 12, 2008
neiloldertuxedojpeg-4ecd296dea254c39 Neil Beagley 16 Oregon City, Oregon Nov. 17, 2008
samuel-hudson Samuel Hudson 13 Queen City, Texas Dec. 3, 2008
genesis-sims Genesis Sims 7 Monument, Colorado Dec. 10, 2008
Jaquan Porter Jaquan Porter 10 Staton Island, New York Dec. 26, 2008

2009

4 Deaths

christian-choate Christian Choate 13 Lake County, Indiana April 2, 2009
timothy-craver-2 Nathaniel Craver 7 Dillsburg, Pennsylvania Aug. 19, 2009
maples Jeanette Maples 16 Lane County, Oregon Dec. 9, 2009
White square Colin David Jones 6 Loganville, Georgia Dec. 28, 2009

2010

4 Deaths

Kylie Lavelle Kylie Lavelle 5 Hanahan, South Carolina Jan. 31, 2010
lydia-schatz-3 Lydia Schatz 7 Paradise, California Feb. 6, 2010
Alexander Perkins Alexander Perkins 5 Cripple Creek, Colorado Aug. 7, 2010
zarah-baker Zahra Baker 10 Hickory, North Carolina Sept. 24, 2010

2011

10 Deaths

erica-lynn-parsons Erica Parsons 13 Salisbury, North Carolina Uncertain, 2011
nubia-2 Nubia Barahona 10 West Palm Beach, Florida Feb. 14, 2011
makayla-norman Makayla Norman 14 Dayton, Ohio March 1, 2011
holloway Marcus Holloway 10 Fort Sill, Oklahoma May 5, 2011
Hana Williams Hana Williams 11 Sedro Woolley, Washington May 12, 2011
download (5) Christina Glenn 8 Irvington, New Jersey May 22, 2011
Abuse Death Ame Deal 10 Phoenix, Arizona July 12, 2011
White square Matthew Degner 14 Berwin, Illinois Sept. 8, 2011
ramie grimmer Ramie Grimmer 12 Loredo, Texas Dec. 5, 2011
Timothy Grimmer Timothy Grimmer 10 Loredo, Texas Dec. 5, 2011

2012

6 Deaths

Donovan McKee Donovan McKee 11 Knoxville, Pennsylvania Feb. 12, 2012
khalil-wimes (1) Khalil Wimes 6 Philadelphia, Pennslyvania March 19, 2012
markea_berry_061812_courtesy_family_20120618161740_640_480 Markea Berry 16 Atlanta, Georgia June 15, 2012
stephen_berry Stephen Berry 9 Detroit, Michigan Aug. 30, 2012
Miranda Crockett Miranda Crockett 10 Fairview, Oregon Nov. 24, 2012
dashawn Dashawn Harris 5 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Nov. 30, 2012

2013

8 Deaths

alttext Alysha Quate 6 Belleville, Illinois Uncertain, 2013
Teddy-with-gift-156x150 Teddy Folz-Tedesco 13 Struthers, Ohio Jan. 26, 2013
Brandon Clutter Brandon Clutter 10 New Albany, Indiana March 13, 2013
White square Justin Carlos 14 Norwich, Connecticut May 2, 2013
shelby-and-shasta Shelby Miller 8 Shingletown, California May 6, 2013
stoni_blair Stoni Blair 13 Detroit, Michigan May 25, 2013
Jaelen Jaelen Edge 13 Santa Ana, California Sept. 14, 2013
emani-moss Emani Moss 10 Smyrna, Georgia Nov. 2, 2013

2014

6 Deaths

White square Aidan Bossingham 13 Kenmare, North Dakota January 12, 2014
Tyler Raines Tyler Raines 11 Horn Lake, Mississippi February 6, 2014
Raashanai Coley Raashanai Coley 11 Waukegan, Illinois September 5, 2014
thomas elberling Thomas Elberling 11 Scotch Plains, New Jersey September 6, 2014
Benson Strack Benson Strack 14 Springville, Utah September 27, 2014
Emery Strack Emery Strack 12 Springville, Utah September 27, 2014
Zion Strack Zion Strack 11 Springville, Utah September 27, 2014

2015

10 Deaths

janiya_thomas Janiya Thomas 10 Bradenton, Florida January 2015
Seth Johnson Seth Johnson 7 Plymouth, Minnesota March 30, 2015
Isaiah Torres Isaiah Torres 6 Bella Vista, Arkansas March 30, 2015
alttext Jack Garcia 9 Hagerstown, Maryland July 5, 2015
daniel_bever Daniel Bever 12 Broken Arrow, Oklahoma July 22, 2015
christopher_bever Christopher Bever 7 Broken Arrow, Oklahoma July 22, 2015
victoria_bever Victoria Bever 5 Broken Arrow, Oklahoma July 22, 2015
jacob_davidoff Jacob Davidoff 17 Gresham, Oregon September 24, 2015
Adrian Jones Adrian Jones 7 Kansas City, Kansas October, 2015
alttext Shaun Tara 6 Salinas, California December 11, 2015

2016

5 Deaths

alttext Shaelynn Lehano-Stone 9 Hilo, Hawaii June 28, 2016
alttext Kyle Gerhart 17 Gilbert, Arizona July 25, 2016
alttext Emily Gerhart 12 Gilbert, Arizona July 25, 2016
Natalie Finn Natalie Finn 16 West Des Moines, Iowa October 24, 2016
elwyn_crocker_jr Elwyn Crocker, Jr. 14 Effingham County, Georgia November 2016

2017

8 Deaths

alttext Heather “Sophie” Gray 11 Ten Mile, Roane County, Tennessee Uncertain, 2017
alttext Sanaa Cunningham 7 Goodyear, Arizona February 12, 2017
alttext Matthew Tirado 17 Hartford, Connecticut February 14, 2017
alttext Jeffrey Franklin 16 Mount Upton, New York February 28, 2017
Sabrina Ray Sabrina Ray 16 Perry, Iowa May 12, 2017
Savannah Leckie Savannah Leckie 16 Ozark County, Missouri July 18, 2017
photo of ana loera Ana Loera 11 Phoenix, Arizona July 2017
Liam Roberts Liam Roberts 6 Jerseyville, Illinois November 3, 2017
alttext Amina Krouser 14 Milwaukee, Wisconsin December 10, 2017

2018

15 Deaths

alttext Hannah Hart 16 Woodland, Washington March 26, 2018
alttext Devonte Hart 15 Woodland, Washington March 26, 2018
alttext Abigail Hart 14 Woodland, Washington March 26, 2018
alttext Jeremiah Hart 14 Woodland, Washington March 26, 2018
alttext Ciera Hart 12 Woodland, Washington March 26, 2018
alttext Sophia Brito 6 Fitchburg, Massachusetts April 10, 2018
alttext Omera Akinloba 7 Jacksonville, Florida April 12, 2018
vincent-nicolai_thumbnail Vincent Nicolai 7 New York, New York May 18, 2018
alttext Mason Jordan 7 Bend, Oregon August 20, 2018
alttext Kaileigh Lin Collier 17 Columbia, Tennessee October 15, 2018
alttext Lia Lin Collier 15 Columbia, Tennessee October 15, 2018
alttext Meigan Lin Collier 14 Columbia, Tennessee October 15, 2018
alttext Bo Li Collier 14 Columbia, Tennessee October 15, 2018
mary_crocker Mary Crocker 14 Effingham County, Georgia October 2018
alttext Raylee Browning 8 Oak Hill, West Virginia December 26, 2018

2019

10 Deaths

alttext Damon Decree, Jr. 13 Morrisville, Pennsylvania February 25, 2019
alttext Trinity Love Jones 9 Hacienda Heights, California March 1, 2019
sarah-dubois-gilbeau Sarah Dubois-Gilbeau 5 Albuquerque, New Mexico April 5, 2019
alttext Eduardo Posso 12 Bloomington, Indiana May 24, 2019
alttext Skylea Carmack 10 Gas City, Indiana August 31, 2019
alttext J.J. Vallow 7 Rexburg, Idaho September 23, 2019
alttext Antonio Juan Gonzalez Jr. 14 Delaware Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania October 23, 2019
alttext Takoda Collins 10 Dayton, Ohio December 13, 2019
alttext Alek Todt 13 Celebration, Florida December 2019
alttext Tyler Todt 11 Celebration, Florida December 2019

2020

5 Deaths

alttext Brandon Gray 14 Bartlett, Tennessee January 7, 2020
alttext Roman Lopez 11 Placerville, California January 11, 2020
alttext James Alex Hurley 12 West Yellowstone, Montana February 3, 2020
alttext Josie Ann Abney 10 Salem, Missouri October 3, 2020
alttext Kendrick Lee 8 Houston, Texas November 20, 2020

2021

1 Death

alttext Olivia Huggler 18 Evansville, Indiana December 14, 2021

2022

9 Deaths

Chaskah Davis Smith 11 Scottsdale, Arizona January 30, 2022
Morgan Moore 17 Montgomery County, Maryland May 10, 2022
alttext Teresa Milligan 13 Elk Mills, Cecil County, Maryland September 9, 2022
alttext Nora Milligan 11 Elk Mills, Cecil County, Maryland September 9, 2022
alttext Finn Milligan 8 Elk Mills, Cecil County, Maryland September 9, 2022
alttext Brian Nelson II 13 Broken Arrow, Oklahoma October 27, 2022
alttext Brantley Nelson 9 Broken Arrow, Oklahoma October 27, 2022
alttext Vegeta Nelson 7 Broken Arrow, Oklahoma October 27, 2022
alttext Ragnar Nelson 5 Broken Arrow, Oklahoma October 27, 2022

2023

3 Deaths

Sakenlo Shawn Steele, Jr. 14 Winston Salem, North Carolina April 11, 2023
Sakenya Syretha Steele 12 Winston Salem, North Carolina April 11, 2023
Sakendra Syann Steele 9 Winston Salem, North Carolina April 11, 2023