Name: Lydia Whitford.
Died: July 14, 2016.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Homicide, unknown type.
Location: Springfield, Manitoba, Canada.
Details:
As children, Lydia and her older sister Jessica lived together; Jessica was only a year older than Lydia, and the girls were close. Though Lydia was non-verbal, the girls developed their own way of communicating and did everything together. At age ten, both girls were taken into foster care; Jessica returned home, but Lydia stayed in foster care, and as the sisters grew up, they stayed in touch. Jessica remembers her younger sister as innocent and gentle.
When Lydia died, her family was told that she had died of natural causes–but a few months later, police investigators gave the family the news that her death had in fact been a homicide. Jessica, who had seen the bruises on her sister’s body, began searching for answers.
More than a year later later, Lydia’s foster mother was charged with manslaughter, though the charges were stayed for “lack of medical evidence”. Exactly how Lydia died has not been released.
Her sister told reporters that “I want people to remember her as the kind and loving person she was.”
References:
Vigil marks birthday of woman with autism who died in CFS care
Family wants answers in homicide of teen living in licensed foster home
Family of woman with autism found dead in foster home seeks answers
Family plans birthday vigil for Manitoba teen with autism killed in foster care
Family seeks answers after teen’s death in foster care deemed a homicide
Homicide victim’s family asks how woman with autism died in CFS care
Killing of teen with autism in foster care to be investigated by Manitoba’s children’s advocate
Foster mother charged in death of autistic woman, 18
Woman charged with manslaughter in death of disabled woman
Winnipeg woman charged in death of teen with autism
Foster mom charged in 2016 homicide of teen with autism, family says
Winnipeg woman arrested following homicide in July 2016: RCMP
Family of teen with autism looking for closure after Crown stays manslaughter charge against foster mother
Autism Memorial 