Brandon White

Name: Brandon Leon White.
Died: January 8, 2013.
Age at death: 15.
Cause of death: Asphyxiation.
Location: Denison, Texas, USA.

Details:
Brandon, 15 years old, was described as “the biggest sweetheart ever” by a friend on a memorial dedicated to him. He read to her, talked, hugged her, and said he would marry her one day.

But Brandon would not live to marry.

Brandon had epilepsy and bipolar disorder, but he hadn’t taken his medication for a while–his family said they couldn’t afford it. Instead of getting him the medication, Brandon’s mother’s boyfriend tied him up and gagged him, then put a pillow over his face to make him stop struggling.

One night, he found Brandon dead. Police saw that Brandon’s wrists, ankles, and mouth were raw from having been tied. His face was bruised; he had been hit sometime that night. In fact, Brandon had often been hit. A neighbor said Brandon’s mother’s boyfriend, a felon who had been convicted of robbery and rape (among other things), beat Brandon.

Brandon’s killer confessed to the murder, but later retracted the statement. The case went to trial and a guilty verdict, and he was sentenced to 90 years for murdering Brandon.

References:
Denison teen dies at home
New details in death of Denison teen
Teen killed in Denison had ties to Jasper
Man arrested for murder in Denison teen’s death
Pennies from Heaven for Brandon
Denison Murder Suspect Testifies He Was Tired During Interrogations
Man sentenced to 90 years for Denison teen’s murder