New York, New York: Jawara Henry, 27, asphyxiated while restrained at a state psychiatric facility.

Jawara Henry, age 27

Autistic NY patient's death ruled homicide
The Associated Press
Tuesday, December 7, 2010; 9:38 AM

NEW YORK -- The death of a severely autistic patient who had been allegedly restrained at a state-run psychiatric facility in New York has been ruled a homicide.

New York City's medical examiner determined Jawara Henry died of asphyxiation by neck and chest compression on Saturday.

Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan tells The New York Times "any decisions regarding a criminal prosecution will be made down the road."

Family lawyer Gary Douglas tells the paper the 27-year-old functioned at the level of a young child but had no history of outbursts. He says the man's mother had seen injuries on her son before. Henry had been at the Staten Island facility for about a year.

The facility declined to comment due to the investigation.

Liverpool, UK: Angela Owen, 45, dies after waiting seven months for a hernia operation

Autistic woman died after seven month hernia operation wait

Dec 15 2010 by Tom Bristow, Liverpool Echo

AN AUTISTIC woman died after a seven month wait for an operation.

Yesterday Southport hospital, where she died, was criticised at an inquest for negligence.

Angela Owen, 45, from Skelmersdale was due to have an operation on a hernia in April last year.

But after an hour delay the operation was cancelled. Her name then fell off the waiting list for seven months.

On December 19 she was taken to Southport A&E where she later died of a strangulated hernia.

A hospital spokesman denied negligence, but apologised for an unacceptable delay.

Rancho Bernardo, California: Katherine Riley, 26, killed while crossing the street

RANCHO BERNARDO: Woman hit and killed while crossing the street
December 10, 2010
North County Times

RANCHO BERNARDO ---- A 26-year-old woman with autism was hit by a car and killed Thursday morning while crossing the street to change buses, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office.

Katherine Riley, of San Diego, was killed around 9:40 a.m. Thursday while running across Black Mountain Road to switch from a northbound transit bus to a southbound transit bus. Riley was struck by a private-passenger vehicle in the southbound lane.

The vehicle stopped immediately and witnesses called paramedics, who found Riley unresponsive with numerous traumatic injuries.

Riley was taken to Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla where doctors pronounced her dead.