Florida – In a disturbing case in Florida, five individuals, including family members and healthcare providers, have been arrested and indicted in connection with the starvation death of a 7-year-old boy identified as D. Atwell. The defendants include the boy’s 37-year-old mother, identified as M. Doe; his 21-year-old brother, identified as T. Irvin; his 70-year-old grandfather, identified as J. Graham; a 33-year-old nurse, identified as C. Lassegue; and the 47-year-old owner of the health care provider, identified as M. Moltimer. Prosecutors allege that despite the availability of resources, the boy was starved, leading to his untimely death.
On the evening of Christmas Day, December 25, 2023, law enforcement responded to a 911 call reporting that Atwell was in respiratory distress. Upon arrival at the home, first responders found the boy unresponsive. He was pronounced dead less than an hour later at the hospital. Medical professionals noted that Atwell appeared to have been deceased for some time before the 911 call was made. An autopsy revealed that he weighed less than seven pounds at the time of his death, with bones visible through his skin due to severe malnutrition.
Investigators searching the home discovered 264 unopened bottles of feeding formula, indicating that the boy had not been provided with the necessary nutrition despite its availability. Atwell had been diagnosed at birth as a “medically complex child” with thoracic spina bifida and hydrocephalus. He required around-the-clock skilled nursing care and was attached to a feeding tube and breathing tube. The subsequent investigation uncovered that Atwell’s death was part of a larger scheme to defraud Medicaid, estimated at more than $10,000 but less than $50,000, reportedly orchestrated by those entrusted with his care. Lassegue is accused of falsifying records by claiming she provided care that she did not, contributing to the neglect that led to Atwell’s death.
As of now, the defendants have been arrested and are awaiting trial. Atwell’s mother and brother, Doe and Irvin, face first-degree murder charges, aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter of a child, neglect of a 16-year-old child, and neglect of a 9-year-old child, which could result in life imprisonment or even the death penalty if convicted. Graham, the child’s grandfather, is charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child, neglect of a 7-year-old child, and failure to report child abuse, but has been granted a $22,000 bond due to lesser involvement. Both Lassegue and Moltimer are charged with third-degree felony murder, Medicaid provider fraud, child neglect, and aggravated manslaughter. These charges carry severe penalties, including up to 30 years in prison for the aggravated manslaughter charge alone. Lassegue has been additionally charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse.
The community awaits the outcome as the legal process unfolds. The case has prompted a renewed focus on the oversight of Medicaid and home healthcare services, particularly for children with complex medical needs. It raises critical questions about how such tragic outcomes can be prevented in the future and calls for stringent measures to ensure that home care providers are thoroughly vetted and monitored.
