Homeschooling’s 

Invisible Children

Fatalities

The Homeschooling’s Invisible Children team has been tracking publicly documented cases of abuse and neglect in homeschool settings since 2013. Thus far, we have tragically located 234 fatalities of homeschooled children caused by abuse in the public record. This figure is likely an underestimate, since reporting on child fatalities does not always contain information on school status. Ongoing cases are reviewed at six-month intervals, and some information may not be fully up-to-date.

2026

Markell Pierce
Age: 8
Death date: 2026-03-06
State: Illinois
Markell Pierce, 8, died after being abused, imprisoned, and starved by his mother and her boyfriend. 

Eve Rogers
Age: 12
Death date: 2026-03-18
State: Connecticut
Eve Rogers, 12, died following a sexual assault, possibly from ingesting pills. She loved cats and colors and cared about justice.
2025 
Melodee Buzzard
Age: 9
Death date: 2025-10
State: California, Utah
Melodee Buzzard, 9, was taken on a multistate road trip and murdered by her mother in October 2025.

Wellington Dickens
Age: 10
Death date: 2025-09
State: North Carolina
Wellington Dickens, 10, was killed in late August or early September 2025 by his father, who kept the body in the trunk of his car until October when he called 911 to confess.

Zoe Dickens
Age: 9
Death date: 2025-08
State: North Carolina
Zoe Dickens, 9, was killed in August 2025 by her father, who kept the body in the trunk of his car until October when he called 911 to confess.

Sean Brass
Age: 19
Death date: 2025-05
State: North Carolina
Sean Brass, 18, was killed in May 2025 by his stepfather, who kept the body in the trunk of his car until October when he called 911 to confess.

Leah Dickens
Age: 6
Death date: 2025-05
State: North Carolina
Leah Dickens, 6, was killed in May 2025 by her father, who kept the body in the trunk of his car until October when he called 911 to confess.

Jemiere Robinson
Age: 14
Death date: 2025-01-30
State: Washington
Jemiere Robinson, 13, died when his mother, Denaya Young, beat him with an extension cord for three hours for not doing his chores.

Jayden Dixon
Age: 11
Death date: 2025-01
State: California
Jayden Dixon was 11 years old when he was allegedly smothered to death by his mother.

Adel Arruda
Age: 5 or 6
Death date: 2025-01
State: Rhode Island
Adel Arruda was 5 or 6 years old when her father allegedly murdered her, her mother, and her younger brother before killing himself.
Kayden Gavarrete
Age: 7
Death date: 2024-12-22
State: Indiana

Owen (last name unknown)
Age: 9
Death date: 2024-09-19
State: Michigan

Gavin Peterson
Age: 12
Death date: 2024-07-09
State: Utah

Kyneddi Miller
Age: 14
Death date: 2024-04-17
State: West Virginia

Braxtyn Smith
Age: 10
Death date: 2024-02-18
State: Maine

Sayra Barros
Age: 8
Death date: 2024-01-30
State: Georgia

Geanna Bradley
Age: 10
Death date: 2024-01-18
State: Hawaii

Jacqueline Torres-Garcia
Age: 11
Death date: 2024
State: Connecticut
Calissa Asker
Age: 10
Death date: 2023-11-23
State: Washington

Isabelle Asker
Age: 8
Death date: 2023-11-23
State: Washington

Jacarie Robinson
Age: 12
Death date: 2023-09
State: Wisconsin

Sulivan Watford
Age: 6
Death date: 2023-06-14
State: Alabama

Sakenlo Steele Jr.
Age: 14
Death date: 2023-04-11
State: North Carolina

Sakenya Steele
Age: 12
Death date: 2023-04-11
State: North Carolina

Sakendra Steele
Age: 9
Death date: 2023-04-11
State: North Carolina

Zion Staples
Age: 10
Death date: 2022-12
State: Illinois

Mattie Kay Prescott
Age: 15
Death date: 2022-11-10
State: Texas

Brian Nelson
Age: 13
Death date: 2022-10-27
State: Oklahoma

Brantley Nelson
Age: 9
Death date: 2022-10-27
State: Oklahoma

Vegeta Nelson
Age: 7
Death date: 2022-10-27
State: Oklahoma

Ragnar Nelson
Age: 5
Death date: 2022-10-27
State: Oklahoma

Brogan Duhon
Age: 12
Death date: 2022-10-17
State: Louisiana

Teresa Milligan
Age: 13
Death date: 2022-09-09
State: Maryland

Nora Milligan
Age: 11
Death date: 2022-09-09
State: Maryland

Finn Milligan
Age: 8
Death date: 2022-09-09
State: Maryland

Timothy Ferguson
Age: 15
Death date: 2022-07-06
State: Michigan

Morgan Moore
Age: 17
Death date: 2022-05-10
State: Maryland

Jaxson Morrow
Age: 8
Death date: 2022-05-02
State: Michigan

Zoe McCue
Age: 10
Death date: 2022-04-17
State: Georgia

Chaskah Davis Smith
Age: 11
Death date: 2022-01-30
State: Arizona

Lance Dotson
Age: 13
Death date: 2021-12-16
State: New York

Olivia Huggler
Age: 18
Death date: 2021-12-15
State: Indiana

Arabella McCormack
Age: 11
Death date: 2021-08-30
State: California

Isabella Kalua
Age: 6
Death date: est. 2021-08
State: Hawaii 

Kendrick Lee
Age: 8
Death date: 2020-11
State: Texas

Josie Ann Abney
Age: 10
Death date: 2020-10-03
State: Missouri

Isaiah Stark
Age: 7
Death date: 2020-02-18
State: Colorado

James Alex Hurley
Age: 12
Death date: 2020-02-03
State: Montana

Brandon Gray
Age: 14
Death date: 2020-01-07
State: Tennessee

Roman Lopez
Age: 11
Death date: 2020-01
State: Pennsylvania, Michigan, California

Natalie Garcia
Age: 6
Death date: 2020
State: Kansas

Takoda Collins
Age: 10
Death date: 2019-12-13
State: Ohio

Alek Todt
Age: 13
Death date: 2019-12
State: Florida

Tyler Todt
Age: 11
Death date: 2019-12
State: Florida

Antonio Juan Gonzalez Jr.
Age: 14
Death date: 2019-10-23
State: Pennsylvania

Joshua Vallow
Age: 7
Death date: 2019-09-23
State: Idaho

Tylee Ryan
Age: 17
Death date: 2019-09-09
State: Idaho

Skylea Carmack
Age: 10
Death date: 2019-08-31
State: Indiana

Eduardo Posso
Age: 12
Death date: 2019-05-24
State: Indiana, Florida

Sarah Dubois-Gilbeau
Age: 5
Death date: 2019-04-05
State: New Mexico

Damon Decree Jr.
Age: 13
Death date: 2019-02-25
State: Pennsylvania

Trinity Love Jones
Age: 9
Death date: 2019
State: California

Raylee Browning
Age: 8
Death date: 2018-12-26
State: West Virginia

Kaileigh Lin Collier
Age: 17
Death date: 2018-10-15
State: Tennessee

Lia Lin Collier
Age: 15
Death date: 2018-10-15
State: Tennessee

Meigan Lin Collier
Age: 14
Death date: 2018-10-15
State: Tennessee

Bo Li Collier
Age: 14
Death date: 2018-10-15
State: Tennessee

Mason Jordan
Age: 7
Death date: 2018-08-20
State: Oregon

Caden McWilliams
Age: 7
Death date: 2018-05-24
State: Colorado

Vincent Nicolai
Age: 7
Death date: 2018-05-18
State: New York

Omera Anna Akinloba
Age: 7
Death date: 2018-04-12
State: Florida

Sophia Brito
Age: 6
Death date: 2018-04-10
State: Massachusetts

Hannah Hart
Age: 16
Death date: 2018-03-26
State: Washington

Devonte Hart
Age: 15
Death date: 2018-03-26
State: Washington

Jeremy Hart
Age: 14
Death date: 2018-03-26
State: Washington

Abigail Hart
Age: 14
Death date: 2018-03-26
State: Washington

Ciera Hart
Age: 12
Death date: 2018-03-26
State: Washington

Mary Crocker
Age: 14
Death date: 2018
State: Georgia

Amina Krouser
Age: 14
Death date: 2017-12-10
State: Wisconsin

Ava Gonzales
Age: 2
Death date: last seen Dec 2017
State: Texas

Liam Roberts
Age: 6
Death date: 2017-11
State: Illinois

Savannah Leckie
Age: 16
Death date: 2017-07
State: Missouri

Ana Loera
Age: 11
Death date: 2017-07
State: Arizona

Sabrina Ray
Age: 16
Death date: 2017-05
State: Iowa

Jeffrey Franklin
Age: 16
Death date: 2017-02-28
State: New York

Matthew Tirado
Age: 17
Death date: 2017-02-14
State: Connecticut

Sanaa Cunningham
Age: 7
Death date: 2017-02-12
State: Arizona

Joseph Bishop
Age: 18
Death date: 2017-02-11
State: Kentucky

Sophie Gray
Age: 11
Death date: 2017
State: Tennessee

Natalie Finn
Age: 16
Death date: 2016-10-24
State: Iowa

Kyle Gerhart
Age: 17
Death date: 2016-07-25
State: Arizona

Emily Gerhart
Age: 12
Death date: 2016-07-25
State: Arizona

Shaelynn Lehano-Stone
Age: 9
Death date: 2016-06-28
State: Hawaii

Nicole Snyder
Age: 6
Death date: 2016-05-10
State: Pennsylvania

Elwyn Crocker
Age: 14
Death date: est. 2016
State: Georgia

 Jonathan Gray
Age: 8
Death date: 2015 or 2016
State: Tennessee

Jacob Davidoff
Age: 17
Death date: 2015-09-24
State: Oregon

Adrian Jones
Age: 7
Death date: 2015-09
State: Kansas

Daniel Bever
Age: 12
Death date: 2015-07-22
State: Oklahoma

Christopher Bever
Age: 7
Death date: 2015-07-22
State: Oklahoma

Victoria Bever
Age: 5
Death date: 2015-07-22
State: Oklahoma

Jack Garcia
Age: 9
Death date: 2015-07-05
State: Maryland

Isaiah Torres
Age: 6
Death date: 2015-03-30
State: Arkansas

Seth Johnson
Age: 7
Death date: 2015-03-30
State: Minnesota

Janiya Thomas
Age: 10
Death date: 2015
State: Florida

Simonne Say
Age: 17
Death date: 2015
State: Florida

Shaun Tara
Age: 6
Death date: 2015
State: California

Benson Strack
Age: 14
Death date: 2014-09-27
State: Utah

Emery Strack
Age: 12
Death date: 2014-09-27
State: Utah

Zion Strack
Age: 11
Death date: 2014-09-27
State: Utah

David Martinez
Age: 8
Death date: 2014-09-07
State: Massachusetts

Raashanai Coley
Age: 11
Death date: 2014-09-05
State: Illinois

Thomas Elberling
Age: 11
Death date: 2014-09
State: New Jersey

Alysha Quate
Age: 6
Death date: 2014-04
State: Illinois

Tyler Raines
Age: 11
Death date: 2014-02
State: Mississippi

Aidan Edward Bossingham
Age: 13
Death date: 2014-01
State: North Dakota

Emani Moss
Age: 10
Death date: 2013-10-28
State: Georgia

Jaelen Edge
Age: 13
Death date: 2013-09
State: Georgia, California

Stoni Blair
Age: 13
Death date: 2013-05-25
State: Michigan

Shelby Miller
Age: 8
Death date: 2013-05-07
State: California

Justin Carlos
Age: 14
Death date: 2013-05-02
State: Connecticut

Brandon Clutter
Age: 10
Death date: 2013-03-13
State: Indiana

Teddy Foltz-Tedesco
Age: 14
Death date: 2013-01-26
State: Ohio

Miranda Crockett
Age: 10
Death date: 2012-11-24
State: Oregon

Mallory Anne Evans
Age: 15
Death date: 2012-10-04
State: Texas

Stephen Berry
Age: 12
Death date: 2012-08-30
State: Michigan

Markea Berry
Age: 16
Death date: 2012-06-15
State: Georgia

Khalil Wimes
Age: 6
Death date: 2012-03-19
State: Pennsylvania

Donovan McKee
Age: 11
Death date: 2012-02-12
State: Pennsylvania

Dashawn Harris
Age: 5
Death date: 2012
State: Pennsylvania

Kaya Centeno
Age: 9
Death date: last seen between 2010 and 2012
State: California

Timothy Grimmer
Age: 10
Death date: 2011-12-08
State: Texas

Ramie Grimmer
Age: 12
Death date: 2011-12-07
State: Texas

Erica Lynn Parsons
Age: 13
Death date: 2011-11
State: North Carolina

Matthew Degner
Age: 14
Death date: 2011-09-08
State: Illinois

Ame Deal
Age: 10
Death date: 2011-07-11
State: Arizona

Christina Glenn
Age: 8
Death date: 2011-05-22
State: New Jersey

Hana Grace-Rose Williams
Age: 13
Death date: 2011-05-12
State: Washington

Marcus Holloway
Age: 10
Death date: 2011-05-05
State: Oklahoma

Makayla Norman
Age: 14
Death date: 2011-03-01
State: Ohio

Nubia Barahona
Age: 10
Death date: 2011-02-11
State: Florida

Zahra Baker
Age: 10
Death date: 2010-09-24
State: North Carolina

Alexander Perkins
Age: 5
Death date: 2010-08-07
State: Colorado

Lydia Schatz
Age: 7
Death date: 2010-02-06
State: California

Kylie Lavelle
Age: 5
Death date: 2010-01-31
State: South Carolina

Colin David Jones
Age: 6
Death date: 2009-12-28
State: Georgia

Jeanette Marie Maples
Age: 16
Death date: 2009-12-09
State: Oregon

Nathaniel Michael Craver
Age: 7
Death date: 2009-08-25
State: Pennsylvania

Christian Choate
Age: 13
Death date: 2009-04-06
State: Indiana

Jaquan Porter
Age: 10
Death date: 2008-12-26
State: New York

Genesis Sims
Age: 7
Death date: 2008-12-12
State: Colorado

Samuel Hudson
Age: 13
Death date: 2008-12-03
State: Texas

Tyler Gene McMillan
Age: 13
Death date: 2008-07-12
State: North Carolina

Neil Beagley
Age: 16
Death date: 2008-06-17
State: Oregon

M. L. Lloyd III
Age: 8
Death date: 2008-04-01
State: Louisiana

Cheyenne Noell Wolf
Age: 12
Death date: 2008-04
State: Oklahoma

Madeline Kara Neumann
Age: 11
Death date: 2008-03-23
State: Wisconsin

Willie Robinson
Age: 8
Death date: 2008-03-22
State: Ohio

Calista Springer
Age: 16
Death date: 2008-02-27
State: Michigan

Trenay Cheire Duchane
Age: 12
Death date: 2007-11-06
State: Arizona

Chrystal Ramirez
Age: 8
Death date: 2007-08-23
State: Texas

Chandler Grafner
Age: 7
Death date: 2007-05-06
State: Colorado

Michaela Watkins
Age: 10
Death date: 2007-03-11
State: Kentucky

LoReyna Barea
Age: 7
Death date: 2007-03-09
State: Colorado

Brittany Jacks
Age: 16
Death date: 2007
State: District of Columbia

Tatianna Jacks
Age: 11
Death date: 2007
State: District of Columbia

N’Kiah Fogle
Age: 6
Death date: 2007
State: District of Columbia

Aja Fogle
Age: 5
Death date: 2007
State: District of Columbia

Raijon Daniels
Age: 8
Death date: 2006-10-27
State: California

Milton Baker III
Age: 7
Death date: 2006-08-10
State: Ohio

Colt Clark
Age: 9
Death date: 2006-03
State: Oklahoma

Minnet Bowman
Age: 9
Death date: 2006
State: Maryland

Jasmine Bowman
Age: 7
Death date: 2006
State: Maryland

Ricky Morales
Age: 11
Death date: 2005-12-25
State: Washington, California

Conrad Morales
Age: 13
Death date: 2005-08
State: Washington, California

Ricky Holland
Age: 7
Death date: 2005-07-01
State: Michigan

Hannah Davenport
Age: 6
Death date: 2005-01-29
State: Missouri

Dennis Gene Merryman
Age: 8
Death date: 2005-01-22
State: Maryland

Elizabeth Wesson
Age: 17
Death date: 2004-03-12
State: California

Illabelle Wesson
Age: 8
Death date: 2004-03-12
State: California

Aviv Wesson
Age: 7
Death date: 2004-03-12
State: California

Johnathon Wesson
Age: 7
Death date: 2004-03-12
State: California

Anna Farmer
Age: 12
Death date: 2003-12-28
State: Texas

Bryant Morris
Age: 10
Death date: 2003-12-20
State: Oregon

Alexis Morris
Age: 8
Death date: 2003-12-20
State: Oregon

Alex Pavlis
Age: 6
Death date: 2003-12-19
State: Illinois

Molly Holt
Age: 10
Death date: 2003-11-09
State: Arkansas

Josef Smith
Age: 8
Death date: 2003-10-09
State: Georgia

Valerie Charlene Lucie
Age: 11
Death date: 2003-09-30
State: New York

Luis Frank Moreno
Age: 5
Death date: 2003-09-24
State: Texas

Joshua Laney
Age: 8
Death date: 2003-05-09
State: Texas

Luke Laney
Age: 6
Death date: 2003-05-09
State: Texas

Austin Bryant
Age: 7
Death date: est. 2003
State: Colorado

Edward Bryant
Age: 11
Death date: est. 2003
State: Colorado

Brian Edgar
Age: 9
Death date: 2002-12-31
State: Kansas

Christopher Forder
Age: 8
Death date: 2002-11-24
State: Washington

Jessica Crank
Age: 15
Death date: 2002-09-15
State: Tennessee

Swen Swanson
Age: 14
Death date: 2002-08-26
State: Montana

Louisa Swanson
Age: 10
Death date: 2002-08-26
State: Montana

Laree Slack
Age: 12
Death date: 2001-11-11
State: Illinois

Raysate Knight
Age: 6
Death date: 2001-09-07
State: Texas

Bradley Warren
Age: 13
Death date: 2001-07-26
State: North Carolina

Holly Snyder
Age: 12
Death date: 2001-07-07
State: New Mexico

Kyla Snyder
Age: 10
Death date: 2001-07-07
State: New Mexico

Corrie Snyder
Age: 8
Death date: 2001-07-07
State: New Mexico

Noah Yates
Age: 7
Death date: 2001-06-20
State: Texas

Amanda Bates
Age: 13
Death date: 2001-02-05
State: Colorado

Korresha Crawford
Age: 11
Death date: 2001-01-26
State: South Carolina

Viktor Alexander Matthey
Age: 6
Death date: 2000-10-31
State: New Jersey

Joseph Beebe
Age: 8
Death date: 2000-03-17
State: Texas

Timothy Boss
Age: 10
Death date: 2000-02-23
State: Iowa

Jared Wood
Age: 10
Death date: 2000-02-14
State: Missouri

Joshua Wood
Age: 8
Death date: 2000-02-14
State: Missouri

Emily Wood
Age: 7
Death date: 2000-02-14
State: Missouri

Hannah Wood
Age: 5
Death date: 2000-02-14
State: Missouri

Jesse Briggs
Age: 10
Death date: 1999-11-19
State: Washington

Deonna Briggs
Age: 7
Death date: 1999-11-19
State: Washington

Shane Graham
Age: 11
Death date: last seen 1999
State: New York, Florida

Adam Herrman
Age: 11
Death date: 1998-05
State: Kansas

Peter Kema Jr.
Age: 6
Death date: 1997-06
State: Hawaii

Budde Lee Clark
Age: 6
Death date: 1997-01-31
State: North Carolina

Christina Corrigan
Age: 13
Death date: 1996-11-19
State: California

Lance Planck
Age: 6
Death date: 1995-11-30
State: Indiana

Shane Alan Coffman
Age: 8
Death date: 1995-08-17
State: Oklahoma

Lucas Ciambrone
Age: 7
Death date: 1995-05-13
State: Florida

Valerie Smelser
Age: 12
Death date: 1995-01-22
State: Virginia

Josiah Carroll
Age: 12
Death date: 1993-06-14
State: Ohio

Hannah Carroll
Age: 6
Death date: 1992-09-21
State: Ohio

Adam Franklin
Age: 7
Death date: 1992-02
State: Wyoming

Stephen Hill
Age: 13
Death date: 1991-11-16
State: Texas

Rainbow Lord
Age: 6
Death date: 1991
State: California

Eric Cottam
Age: 14
Death date: 1989-01-03
State: Pennsylvania

Dayna Broussard
Age: 8
Death date: 1988-10-13
State: Oregon

Aaron Norman
Age: 10
Death date: 1987-12-20
State: Washington

Dominick Diehl
Age: 13
Death date: 1986-10-29
State: Virginia, Idaho