Christmas is often called the most wonderful time of the year, filled with family, friends, love, and kindness. It’s a season of giving, celebrating, and reflecting on what truly matters. However, for some, this celebratory season takes a tragic turn, leaving families grief-stricken and changing their perception of Christmas forever.
Here are ten Christmases that will forever be overshadowed by tragedy.
Children Made to Open Christmas Gifts in Front of Dead Mother
In Anaheim, California, 26-year-old Za’Zell Preston, a domestic violence counselor student, was a victim of abuse at the hands of her husband, William Wallace. Despite a previous conviction and restraining order, Wallace’s violence escalated, culminating in Preston’s death on Christmas 2011.
After returning from a Christmas Eve party, an argument turned violent, leading to Preston’s fatal injuries. Shockingly, on Christmas Day, Wallace placed Preston’s body on the couch, made the children open gifts in front of her, and blamed her death on her being drunk. He delayed calling 911, and Preston was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Wallace was eventually convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.
Christmas Day Lunch Leads to Fatal Case of Food Poisoning
In east London, 46-year-old Della Callagher fell ill after a Christmas Day pub lunch at The Railway Hotel in 2012. She was among 33 people who contracted food poisoning after eating a turkey meal. While others recovered, Callagher’s condition worsened, leading to cardiac arrest and her death on December 27, leaving behind her husband and daughter.
Investigations revealed that Callagher’s death was caused by Clostridium perfringens bacteria due to improperly cooled and reheated turkeys. The pub’s chef and manager falsified records to cover up the undercooked meat. Both were found guilty of perverting the course of justice, and the pub chain was fined $1.9 million for selling unsafe food.
Father Drowned While Trying out Family’s Surprise Christmas Present
On Christmas morning 2022, in New Zealand, 37-year-old Varun Chand took his two youngest children to try out a canoe he bought as a surprise gift. While on Lake Rua, the canoe overturned, trapping his daughter’s leg and causing the vessel to flip. Chand held onto the canoe while his daughter swam for help.
His daughter was rescued, but Chand went underwater and never resurfaced. He was not wearing a life jacket, and his body was recovered the next day. This tragedy compounded the family’s grief, as they had visited the grave of Chand’s brother, who died in a car crash the previous year, earlier that same Christmas morning.
Mother and Daughter Found Dead When Family Arrived for Christmas Dinner
In Detroit, Michigan, Margaret Shively planned to help her mother, 57-year-old Elaine Fizer, with Christmas dinner in 2021. Unable to reach her mother, Shively and her family went to Fizer’s home, only to discover Fizer and her 13-year-old adopted daughter, Daunya Fields, had been shot.
Police determined that the shooting occurred early Christmas morning and identified Fizer’s husband, 62-year-old Dwayne McDonald, as a person of interest. After fleeing the scene, McDonald was found by police, and a confrontation led to officers shooting and killing him. The tragic event left the family in shock and mourning during what should have been a joyous holiday.
Freak Accident on Christmas Eve Claims the Life of a Little Girl
Christmas Eve 2008 turned tragic for the Hughes family in Coedpoeth, Wrexham. After installing a new television, Robert Hughes decided to move the old widescreen TV to the children’s play area. Tragically, his four-year-old daughter, Emily, was lying at the foot of the stairs, unseen.
As Hughes carried the heavy TV downstairs, he tripped over Emily and dropped the television on her head, pinning her down. Despite immediate attempts to resuscitate her, Emily never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead on Christmas Day due to a fractured skull and severe brain damage.
Christmas Eve Cold Case Still Unsolved
In Stockton, California, Christmas Eve 2000 became a nightmare for the Ulloa family. Sophia Ulloa, a 20-year-old mother, went out for last-minute Christmas shopping to find a scooter for her four-year-old daughter, Jasmine. Just after midnight, her mother, Tina Mendoza, heard screams outside.
Mendoza found Ulloa stabbed behind her car, which was full of Christmas presents. Ulloa died shortly after being rushed to the hospital. The only clue was a light-colored Ford Thunderbird or Mercury Cougar seen leaving the area. Despite a $50,000 reward, the case remains unsolved, leaving Jasmine to grow up without her mother and the family with a painful reminder every Christmas Eve.
Forgotten Nut Allergy Causes Fatal Allergic Reaction to Christmas Dinner
In Winsford, Cheshire, 12-year-old Cason Hallwood, who suffered from asthma and a nut allergy, spent Christmas 2020 at home with his family before going to his grandparents’ house for dinner. He was excited, as he often spent Christmases in the hospital due to his asthma. After dinner, he went to a park with friends.
Later, Hallwood called his mother, Louise, needing his inhaler, but it didn’t work. Louise rushed to the park with an expired EpiPen, but it was too late. Hallwood died from anaphylactic fatal asthma caused by peanut ingestion. His grandfather had unknowingly used a gammon glaze containing nuts while preparing Christmas dinner, forgetting about Hallwood’s allergy.
Postpartum Depression Leads to Christmas Suicide
In Spencer Township, Michigan, 27-year-old Sasha Hettich struggled with postpartum depression after the birth of her son in 2015. Despite counseling and therapy, her mental health didn’t improve. On Christmas Day 2015, Sasha told her husband, Cody, that she was taking their children to Starbucks but never returned.
Sasha was found dead the next day from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a remote area. Her daughter was found snuggled against her body, and her infant son was strapped in the car, both suffering from hypothermia. The children were treated and returned home, but their family was forever altered by Sasha’s tragic death.
Teenager Found Dead after Going to Wrap Christmas Presents
In Brynmawr, Wales, 19-year-old Lauren Cayford, who had severe epilepsy, dedicated her life to volunteering . On Christmas Eve 2018, after sharing a meal with her family, Cayford went to her room to wrap presents. About 20 minutes later, her father found her face down on her bed, not breathing.
Despite resuscitation efforts, Cayford suffered irreparable brain damage and died on December 26. She was buried in her favorite Christmas present—mint green fleece pajamas and fluffy socks. In a final act of kindness, Cayford saved three lives through organ donation, fulfilling her dream of helping others even in death.
Christmas Evening Smoke Break Followed by Sudden Heart Attack
In Armley, Leeds, 40-year-old Gareth Blenkins, a loving and protective father, tragically died on Christmas Day 2022 after suffering a heart attack. Blenkins was celebrating with his family when he went outside for a cigarette. Upon returning, he suddenly clutched his chest, fell to the floor, and began having a seizure.
Blenkins was rushed to the hospital, but due to prolonged oxygen deprivation to his brain, he did not survive. He left behind a 15-year-old son, for whom he lived, marking a devastating end to what should have been a joyous holiday.
These heartbreaking stories remind us that while Christmas is often a time of joy and celebration, tragedy can strike unexpectedly, leaving lasting scars on families and communities. Let’s cherish our loved ones and remember those who have experienced loss during this season.
