Ricky Holland Vanished

Hi. Im in a forensic anthropology class at CSULA and for our final Im doing a presentation on a forensic case..I chose Ricky’s case. I ve been following it since the beginning and well the outcome serves the topic i.e. remains found,ID’d, fractured bones tell of severe trauma..your blog has been instrumental for me. thanks. im also thinking of having additional material of other children who have been killed by parents- remains found later, can u think of similiar cases in media with extensive trauma to the bones specifically? thanks for your help.

Alison, I am glad that my blog has been helpful to you. I thought about your question regarding cases of children killed by their parents, remains found later with extensive trauma to the bones specifically.

I was able to come up with a few cases that may possibly fit some of your criteria. However, in some of these cases I have chosen the perpetrator of the crimes was sometimes a boyfriend, step-father, grandmother. I chose these cases because even though they were not the parent of the murdered child they were either caregivers of the child or lived in the home. They were people in a position of trust.

When I first saw your request I wanted to be able to not come up with any data for you. It is unfortunate that I was able to come up with more than one.

Good luck on your presentation, good luck on your career in the exciting field of Forensic Anthropology if that is indeed your choice of career. Let me know how you do with your presentation.

If I can be of any further assistance or you need clarification of the stories below just email me using the link in the sidebar.

1. Davion Mutts

Four-year-old Davion Mutts was allegedly killed by his aunt’s live-in boyfriend. The live-in boyfriend was charged with murder, the aunt and the boyfriend’s mother were all charged with neglect.

Davion was murdered and he was reported missing by the boyfriend and the aunt. The body was discovered in a wooded area the next day.

Davion died from inflicted brain injury and shaken impact syndrome.

The murder trial is set for April 17, 2006

Hampton Man Indicted On Capital Murder Charge

Preliminary Hearing Held for Suspects in Neglect, Death of 4-Year Old

2. Matal Zachary Sanchez

Four-year-old Matal Sanchez (some reports spell his name Matel) was allegedly murdered by his stepgrandmother Christine Coffman. She lived in the home with Matal’s mother, her son, Matal and Matal’s sister.

Christine Coffman had a history of psychosis and was taking medications. She had attempted suicide by cutting her throat.

Christine lead investigators to Matal’s body three days after he was reported missing. Matal died from one or more blows to the head. Christine Coffman stated she struck him in the head with a rock after first trying to strangle him.

Below is a link to the court document requesting a search warrant. There is a lot of forensic discussion in this document regarding findings of blood evidence. It is in PDF format.

Affidavit of Probable Cause for Search Warrant

Court documents reveal details of 4-year-old boy’s death

3. Brianna Lopez

Brianna Lopez lived a lonely life. There was no one willing to help Brianna when her father and uncle spent the night of July 19, 2002, tossing her around, causing the injuries that finally killed her. Her wounds were so graphic that hardened police officers who had investigated such crimes for 20 years needed counseling.

Behind the immediate wounds were signs of constant abuse that spanned most of Brianna’s five months on earth. Fresh human bite marks and bruises covered old ones. Ribs were broken, then healed. Brianna had been shaken several times. She had been raped.

Though the community raised thousands of dollars to help the family pay for a funeral and memorial, family members rejected the gesture, and the money. They buried her privately, quickly and quietly in a cemetery in Doña Ana, excluding even some family members from attending. Shortly thereafter, the dirt mound above the grave was raked flat, and the identification marker was removed.

The marker was later returned. But when people who had never met Brianna repeatedly visited the grave site to leave flowers and honor the child, the family built a locked, metal enclosure around the grave site.

A ceramic, cherubic angel, with its right index finger in front of its lips, tells those who pass by to keep quiet. As the community struggles to understand why seven children have died in Doña Ana County in the last 31/2 years due to child abuse, experts are pointing in part to the type of isolation Brianna’s family demanded after her death. Families without a support system have less ability to cope with the inevitable stress that afflicts all families. District Attorney Susana Martinez said most of the seven children who have died have been members of isolated families.

Isolation Can Often Trigger Abuse

4. Nixmary Brown

Nixmary Brown was 7-years-old when she died from a blow to the head while being dunked head-first in a bathtub by her step-father. It is believed that she was beaten for quite a few months before she died in addition to being starved, sexually abused, tethered to a chair and made to use a litter box for her toileting needs.

NYC Outraged Over Girl Tortured, Beaten to Death