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 172 fatalities from 1986 to the present. Of these, 156 fatalities occurred from 2000 through 2020. 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 |
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1 Death |
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Dominick Diehl | 13 | Virginia Beach, Virginia | Oct. 29, 1986 |
1987 |
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1 Death |
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Aaron Norman | 10 | Mead, Washington | Dec. 20, 1987 |
1988 |
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1 Death |
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Dayna Broussard | 8 | Sandy, Oregon | Oct. 13, 1988 |
1989 |
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1 Death |
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Eric Cottam | 14 | Nuangola, Pennsylvania | Jan. 1989 |
1991 |
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1 Death |
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Stephen Hill | 13 | Fort Worth, Texas | Nov. 16, 1991 |
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Hannah Carroll | 6 | Cedarville, Ohio | Sept. 21, 1992 |
1992 |
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1 Death |
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Adam Franklin | 7 | Rock Springs, Wyoming | February 14, 1992 |
1993 |
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1 Death |
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Josiah Carroll | 12 | Cedarville, Ohio | June 14, 1993 |
1995 |
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3 Deaths |
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Valerie Smelser | 12 | Clarke County, Virginia | Jan. 22, 1995 |
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Lucas Ciambrone | 7 | Rubonia, Florida | May 13, 1995 |
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Lance Planck | 6 | Alexandria Indiana | Nov. 30, 1995 |
1996 |
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1 Death |
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Christina Corrigan | 13 | El Cerrito, California | Nov. 19, 1996 |
1997 |
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2 Deaths |
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Budde Lee Clark | 6 | Cleveland, North Carolina | Jan. 1997 |
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Peter Kema Jr. | 6 | Keaau, Hawaii | June 1997 |
1999 |
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3 Deaths |
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Adam Herrman | 10 | Towanda, Kansas | Uncertain, 1999 |
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Deonna Briggs | 7 | Newport, Oregon | Nov. 19, 1999 |
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Jesse Briggs | 10 | Newport, Oregon | Nov. 19, 1999 |
2000 |
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8 Deaths |
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Shane Graham | 11 | Port St. Lucie, Florida | Uncertain, 2000 |
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Jared Wood | 10 | Warrensburg, Missouri | Feb. 14, 2000 |
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Joshua Wood | 8 | Warrensburg, Missouri | Feb. 14, 2000 |
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Emily Wood | 7 | Warrensburg, Missouri | Feb. 14, 2000 |
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Hannah Wood | 5 | Warrensburg, Missouri | Feb. 14, 2000 |
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Joseph Beebe | 8 | Tarkington Prairie, Texas | March 17, 2000 |
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Timothy Boss | 10 | Remsen, Iowa | July 1, 2000 |
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Viktor Matthey | 6 | Hunterdon County, New Jersey | Oct. 31, 2000 |
2001 |
11 Deaths |
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Sadie Plum | 10 | Tioga, Louisiana | Jan. 9, 2001 |
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Luke Hayden | 6 | Tioga, Louisiana | Jan. 9, 2001 |
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Korresha Crawford | 11 | Eglin, South Carolina | Jan. 25, 2001 |
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Amanda Bates | 13 | Grand Junction, Colorado | Feb. 5, 2001 |
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Noah Yates | 7 | Houston, Texas | June 20, 2001 |
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Holly Snyder | 12 | Los Palomas, New Mexico | July 7, 2001 |
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Kyla Snyder | 10 | Los Palomas, New Mexico | July 7, 2001 |
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Corrie Snyder | 8 | Los Palomas, New Mexico | July 7, 2001 |
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Bradley Warren | 13 | Kenly, North Carolina | July 26, 2001 |
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Raysate Knight | 6 | Houston, Texas | September 7, 2001 |
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Laree Slack | 12 | Chicago, Illinois | Nov. 11, 2001 |
2002 |
5 Deaths |
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Swen Swanson | 14 | Helena, Montana | Aug. 26, 2002 |
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Louisa Swanson | 10 | Helena, Montana | Aug. 26, 2002 |
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Jessica Crank | 15 | Lenoir City, Tennessee | September 15, 2002 |
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Christopher Forder | 8 | Seabeck, Washington | Nov. 22. 2002 |
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Brian Edgar | 9 | Overland Park, Kansas | Dec. 31, 2002 |
2003 |
10 Deaths |
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Austin Bryant | 7 | Monument, Colorado | Uncertain, 2003 |
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Joshua Laney | 8 | Tyler, Texas | May 9, 2003 |
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Luke Laney | 6 | Tyler, Texas | May 9, 2003 |
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Josef Smith | 8 | Mableton, Georgia | Oct. 2003 |
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Luis Moreno | 5 | San Antonio, Texas | Sept. 24, 2003 |
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Molly Holt | 10 | Johnson County, Arkansas | Nov. 9, 2003 |
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Anna Farmer | 12 | Pearland, Texas | Dec. 9, 2003 |
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Alix Pavlis | 6 | Schaumburg, Illinois | Dec. 18, 2003 |
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Bryant Morris | 10 | Tillamook State Forest, Oregon | Dec. 21, 2003 |
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Alexis Morris | 8 | Tillamook State Forest, Oregon | Dec. 21, 2003 |
2004 |
4 Deaths |
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Elizabeth Wesson | 17 | Fresno, California | March 12, 2004 |
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Lilabelle Wesson | 8 | Fresno, California | March 12, 2004 |
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Aviv Wesson | 7 | Fresno, California | March 12, 2004 |
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Jonathan Wesson | 7 | Fresno, California | March 12, 2004 |
2005 |
5 Deaths |
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Dennis Merryman | 8 | Whiteford, Maryland | Jan. 22, 2005 |
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Hannah Davenport | 6 | Anderson, Missouri | Jan. 25, 2005 |
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Ricky Holland | 7 | Summit Township, Michigan | July 1, 2005 |
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Conrad Morales | 13 | Winlock, Washington | Oct. 8, 2005 |
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Ricky Morales | 11 | Corona, California | Dec. 25, 2005 |
2006 |
5 Deaths |
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Minnet Bowman | 9 | Lusby, Maryland | Uncertain, 2006 |
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Jasmine Bowman | 7 | Lusby, Maryland | Uncertain, 2006 |
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Colt Clark | 9 | Wewoka, Oklahoma | April 20, 2006 |
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Milton Baker III | 7 | Cincinnati, Ohio | Aug. 10, 2006 |
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Raijon Daniels | 8 | Richmond, California | Oct. 26, 2006 |
2007 |
5 Deaths |
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LoReyna Barrea | 7 | Evans, Colorado | March 9, 2007 |
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Michaela Watkins | 10 | Clark County, Kentucky | March 11, 2007 |
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Chandler Graves | 7 | Denver, Colorado | May 6, 2007 |
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Chrystal Ramirez | 8 | San Antonio, Texas | Aug. 23, 2007 |
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Trenay Duchane | 12 | Phoenix, Arizona | Nov. 6, 2007 |
2008 |
14 Deaths |
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Brittany Jacks | 17 | Washington, D.C. | Jan. 2008 |
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Tatianna Jacks | 11 | Washington, D.C. | Jan. 2008 |
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N’Kiah Fogle | 6 | Washington, D.C. | Jan. 2008 |
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Aja Fogle | 5 | Washington, D.C. | Jan. 2008 |
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Calista Springer | 16 | Centreville, Michigan | Feb. 27, 2009 |
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Willie Robinson | 8 | Cleveland, Ohio | March 22, 2008 |
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Madeline Kara Neumann | 11 | Westen, Wisconsin | March 23, 2008 |
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M. L. Lloyd III | 8 | Reserve, Louisiana | April 1, 2008 |
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Cheyenne Wolf | 11 | Bokchito, Oklahoma | April, 2008 |
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Tyler Gene McMillan | 13 | Macclesfield, North Carolina | June 12, 2008 |
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Neil Beagley | 16 | Oregon City, Oregon | Nov. 17, 2008 |
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Samuel Hudson | 13 | Queen City, Texas | Dec. 3, 2008 |
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Genesis Sims | 7 | Monument, Colorado | Dec. 10, 2008 |
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Jaquan Porter | 10 | Staton Island, New York | Dec. 26, 2008 |
2009 |
4 Deaths |
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Christian Choate | 13 | Lake County, Indiana | April 2, 2009 |
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Nathaniel Craver | 7 | Dillsburg, Pennsylvania | Aug. 19, 2009 |
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Jeanette Maples | 16 | Lane County, Oregon | Dec. 9, 2009 |
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Colin David Jones | 6 | Loganville, Georgia | Dec. 28, 2009 |
2010 |
4 Deaths |
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Kylie Lavelle | 5 | Hanahan, South Carolina | Jan. 31, 2010 |
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Lydia Schatz | 7 | Paradise, California | Feb. 6, 2010 |
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Alexander Perkins | 5 | Cripple Creek, Colorado | Aug. 7, 2010 |
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Zahra Baker | 10 | Hickory, North Carolina | Sept. 24, 2010 |
2011 |
10 Deaths |
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Erica Parsons | 13 | Salisbury, North Carolina | Uncertain, 2011 |
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Nubia Barahona | 10 | West Palm Beach, Florida | Feb. 14, 2011 |
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Makayla Norman | 14 | Dayton, Ohio | March 1, 2011 |
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Marcus Holloway | 10 | Fort Sill, Oklahoma | May 5, 2011 |
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Hana Williams | 11 | Sedro Woolley, Washington | May 12, 2011 |
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Christina Glenn | 8 | Irvington, New Jersey | May 22, 2011 |
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Ame Deal | 10 | Phoenix, Arizona | July 12, 2011 |
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Matthew Degner | 14 | Berwin, Illinois | Sept. 8, 2011 |
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Ramie Grimmer | 12 | Loredo, Texas | Dec. 5, 2011 |
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Timothy Grimmer | 10 | Loredo, Texas | Dec. 5, 2011 |
2012 |
6 Deaths |
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Donovan McKee | 11 | Knoxville, Pennsylvania | Feb. 12, 2012 |
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Khalil Wimes | 6 | Philadelphia, Pennslyvania | March 19, 2012 |
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Markea Berry | 16 | Atlanta, Georgia | June 15, 2012 |
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Stephen Berry | 9 | Detroit, Michigan | Aug. 30, 2012 |
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Miranda Crockett | 10 | Fairview, Oregon | Nov. 24, 2012 |
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Dashawn Harris | 5 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Nov. 30, 2012 |
2013 |
8 Deaths |
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Alysha Quate | 6 | Belleville, Illinois | Uncertain, 2013 |
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Teddy Folz-Tedesco | 13 | Struthers, Ohio | Jan. 26, 2013 |
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Brandon Clutter | 10 | New Albany, Indiana | March 13, 2013 |
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Justin Carlos | 14 | Norwich, Connecticut | May 2, 2013 |
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Shelby Miller | 8 | Shingletown, California | May 6, 2013 |
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Stoni Blair | 13 | Detroit, Michigan | May 25, 2013 |
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Jaelen Edge | 13 | Santa Ana, California | Sept. 14, 2013 |
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Emani Moss | 10 | Smyrna, Georgia | Nov. 2, 2013 |
2014 |
6 Deaths |
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Aidan Bossingham | 13 | Kenmare, North Dakota | January 12, 2014 |
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Tyler Raines | 11 | Horn Lake, Mississippi | February 6, 2014 |
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Raashanai Coley | 11 | Waukegan, Illinois | September 5, 2014 |
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Thomas Elberling | 11 | Scotch Plains, New Jersey | September 6, 2014 |
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Benson Strack | 14 | Springville, Utah | September 27, 2014 |
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Emery Strack | 12 | Springville, Utah | September 27, 2014 |
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Zion Strack | 11 | Springville, Utah | September 27, 2014 |
2015 |
10 Deaths |
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Janiya Thomas | 10 | Bradenton, Florida | January 2015 |
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Seth Johnson | 7 | Plymouth, Minnesota | March 30, 2015 |
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Isaiah Torres | 6 | Bella Vista, Arkansas | March 30, 2015 |
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Jack Garcia | 9 | Hagerstown, Maryland | July 5, 2015 |
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Daniel Bever | 12 | Broken Arrow, Oklahoma | July 22, 2015 |
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Christopher Bever | 7 | Broken Arrow, Oklahoma | July 22, 2015 |
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Victoria Bever | 5 | Broken Arrow, Oklahoma | July 22, 2015 |
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Jacob Davidoff | 17 | Gresham, Oregon | September 24, 2015 |
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Adrian Jones | 7 | Kansas City, Kansas | October, 2015 |
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Shaun Tara | 6 | Salinas, California | December 11, 2015 |
2016 |
5 Deaths |
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Shaelynn Lehano-Stone | 9 | Hilo, Hawaii | June 28, 2016 |
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Kyle Gerhart | 17 | Gilbert, Arizona | July 25, 2016 |
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Emily Gerhart | 12 | Gilbert, Arizona | July 25, 2016 |
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Natalie Finn | 16 | West Des Moines, Iowa | October 24, 2016 |
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Elwyn Crocker, Jr. | 14 | Effingham County, Georgia | November 2016 |
2017 |
8 Deaths |
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Heather “Sophie” Gray | 11 | Ten Mile, Roane County, Tennessee | Uncertain, 2017 |
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Sanaa Cunningham | 7 | Goodyear, Arizona | February 12, 2017 |
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Matthew Tirado | 17 | Hartford, Connecticut | February 14, 2017 |
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Jeffrey Franklin | 16 | Mount Upton, New York | February 28, 2017 |
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Sabrina Ray | 16 | Perry, Iowa | May 12, 2017 |
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Savannah Leckie | 16 | Ozark County, Missouri | July 18, 2017 |
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Liam Roberts | 6 | Jerseyville, Illinois | November 3, 2017 |
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Amina Krouser | 14 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | December 10, 2017 |
2018 |
15 Deaths |
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Hannah Hart | 16 | Woodland, Washington | March 26, 2018 |
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Devonte Hart | 15 | Woodland, Washington | March 26, 2018 |
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Abigail Hart | 14 | Woodland, Washington | March 26, 2018 |
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Jeremiah Hart | 14 | Woodland, Washington | March 26, 2018 |
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Ciera Hart | 12 | Woodland, Washington | March 26, 2018 |
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Sophia Brito | 6 | Fitchburg, Massachusetts | April 10, 2018 |
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Omera Akinloba | 7 | Jacksonville, Florida | April 12, 2018 |
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Vincent Nicolai | 7 | New York, New York | May 18, 2018 |
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Mason Jordan | 7 | Bend, Oregon | August 20, 2018 |
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Kaileigh Lin Collier | 17 | Columbia, Tennessee | October 15, 2018 |
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Lia Lin Collier | 15 | Columbia, Tennessee | October 15, 2018 |
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Meigan Lin Collier | 14 | Columbia, Tennessee | October 15, 2018 |
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Bo Li Collier | 14 | Columbia, Tennessee | October 15, 2018 |
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Mary Crocker | 14 | Effingham County, Georgia | October 2018 |
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Raylee Browning | 8 | Oak Hill, West Virginia | December 26, 2018 |
2019 |
10 Deaths |
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Damon Decree, Jr. | 13 | Morrisville, Pennsylvania | February 25, 2019 |
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Trinity Love Jones | 9 | Hacienda Heights, California | March 1, 2019 |
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Sarah Dubois-Gilbeau | 5 | Albuquerque, New Mexico | April 5, 2019 |
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Eduardo Posso | 12 | Bloomington, Indiana | May 24, 2019 |
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Skylea Carmack | 10 | Gas City, Indiana | August 31, 2019 |
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J.J. Vallow | 7 | Rexburg, Idaho | September 23, 2019 |
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Antonio Juan Gonzalez Jr. | 14 | Delaware Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania | October 23, 2019 |
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Takoda Collins | 10 | Dayton, Ohio | December 13, 2019 |
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Alek Todt | 13 | Celebration, Florida | December 2019 |
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Tyler Todt | 11 | Celebration, Florida | December 2019 |
2020 |
3 Deaths |
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Brandon Gray | 14 | Bartlett, Tennessee | January 7, 2020 |
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James Alex Hurley | 12 | West Yellowstone, Montana | February 3, 2020 |
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Josie Ann Abney | 10 | Salem, Missouri | October 3, 2020 |