I think we missed discussion of this horrible crime
Five people have been indicted and arrested in connection with the starvation death of a 7-year-old child in Fort Lauderdale, as well as related crimes.
Deonte Atwell, age 7, weighed approximately seven pounds when he was pronounced deceased on Christmas Day, December 25, 2023, according to the evidence in the case. He died of severe malnutrition and his bones were protruding through gaping holes in his skin, autopsy findings showed. The victim was diagnosed at birth as a “medically complex child” with thoracic spina bifida and hydrocephalus, he had a breathing tube and feeding tube and required around-the-clock skilled nursing care.
Fort Lauderdale (FL) Police Department and Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue responded to a 911 call for a child reported to be in respiratory distress shortly before 8 p.m. on December 25, 2023. The child was pronounced deceased less than an hour later at Broward Health Medical Center but doctors said the child appeared to have been dead for quite some time. Investigators found 264 unopened bottles of the victim’s feeding formula in the home, according to the evidence.
Michelle Doe, 37, Tyreck Irvin, 21, James Graham, 70, Mirlande Moltimer aka Mirlande Ameda, 47, and Cassandre Lassegue 33, were arrested and booked into the Broward County Jail.
Doe is the victim’s mother; Irvin is the victim’s brother; Graham is the victim’s maternal grandfather; Moltimer, aka Ameda, is the owner of Samaritin Home Care Provider, Inc. an enrolled Medicaid provider that was to provide skilled nursing care for the victim; and Lassegue is a licensed, registered nurse the home care provider company employed to provide in-home health care for the victim in the months before his death.Doe and Irvin are also charged with neglect of two other male children, ages 9 and 16 at the time, who also lived in the residence.
browardsao.com
A 49-year-old healthcare company owner in Florida will be splitting time between state and federal prison for her role in the horrific starvation of a 7-year-old boy, who died in his home while "264 unopened bottles" of "feeding formula" sat in the residence. Mirlande Moltimer on Thursday pleaded guilty to state charges of third-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter of a child, Medicaid provider fraud, and child neglect. Deonte was diagnosed at birth as a "medically complex child" with thoracic spina bifida and hydrocephalus. He required a breathing tube, a feeding tube, and "around-the-clock" skilled nursing care to survive.
Authorities alleged that instead of providing the required care, Moltimer engaged in a lucrative financial scheme while the boy wasted away. While the child was actively starving, Moltimer falsely assured state agencies that there were no issues or gaps in providing Deonte with the around-the-clock care he required. However, prosecutors said that Moltimer and her employee, 35-year-old registered nurse Cassandre Lassegue, fraudulently billed Medicaid numerous times for over $20,000 in services the child never received.
Several other co-defendants are still moving through the criminal justice system. Lassegue, the registered nurse who was supposed to provide the in-home medical care, faces charges of first-degree murder, third-degree felony murder, aggravated manslaughter, and Medicaid fraud.
Authorities alleged that Lassegue completely stopped visiting the home for a period of six months to a year, despite submitting written documentation claiming she had performed the visits. Her case remains pending.
The boy's mother, 38-year-old Michelle Doe, and his brother, 22-year-old Tyreck Irvin, are also facing first-degree murder charges among other counts. Their cases are currently pending.
The boy's grandfather, James Graham, resolved his involvement in the case in 2025 by pleading no contest to child neglect and failure to report child abuse, resulting in a sentence of five years of probation.
lawandcrime.com
Five charged in starvation death of 7-year-old boy who weighed seven pounds
September 2023Five people have been indicted and arrested in connection with the starvation death of a 7-year-old child in Fort Lauderdale, as well as related crimes.
Deonte Atwell, age 7, weighed approximately seven pounds when he was pronounced deceased on Christmas Day, December 25, 2023, according to the evidence in the case. He died of severe malnutrition and his bones were protruding through gaping holes in his skin, autopsy findings showed. The victim was diagnosed at birth as a “medically complex child” with thoracic spina bifida and hydrocephalus, he had a breathing tube and feeding tube and required around-the-clock skilled nursing care.
Fort Lauderdale (FL) Police Department and Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue responded to a 911 call for a child reported to be in respiratory distress shortly before 8 p.m. on December 25, 2023. The child was pronounced deceased less than an hour later at Broward Health Medical Center but doctors said the child appeared to have been dead for quite some time. Investigators found 264 unopened bottles of the victim’s feeding formula in the home, according to the evidence.
Michelle Doe, 37, Tyreck Irvin, 21, James Graham, 70, Mirlande Moltimer aka Mirlande Ameda, 47, and Cassandre Lassegue 33, were arrested and booked into the Broward County Jail.
Doe is the victim’s mother; Irvin is the victim’s brother; Graham is the victim’s maternal grandfather; Moltimer, aka Ameda, is the owner of Samaritin Home Care Provider, Inc. an enrolled Medicaid provider that was to provide skilled nursing care for the victim; and Lassegue is a licensed, registered nurse the home care provider company employed to provide in-home health care for the victim in the months before his death.Doe and Irvin are also charged with neglect of two other male children, ages 9 and 16 at the time, who also lived in the residence.
Five charged in starvation death of 7-year-old boy who weighed seven pounds – Office of Broward State Attorney Harold F. Pryor
September 11, 2024 Five people have been indicted and arrested in connection with the starvation death of a 7-year-old child in Fort Lauderdale, as well as related crimes. Deonte Atwell, age 7, weighed approximately seven pounds when he was pronounced deceased on Christmas Day, December 25...
browardsao.com
Healthcare provider let 7-year-old starve, weighing only 7 pounds as 264 formula bottles remained 'unopened' in home
May 15th, 2026A 49-year-old healthcare company owner in Florida will be splitting time between state and federal prison for her role in the horrific starvation of a 7-year-old boy, who died in his home while "264 unopened bottles" of "feeding formula" sat in the residence. Mirlande Moltimer on Thursday pleaded guilty to state charges of third-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter of a child, Medicaid provider fraud, and child neglect. Deonte was diagnosed at birth as a "medically complex child" with thoracic spina bifida and hydrocephalus. He required a breathing tube, a feeding tube, and "around-the-clock" skilled nursing care to survive.
Authorities alleged that instead of providing the required care, Moltimer engaged in a lucrative financial scheme while the boy wasted away. While the child was actively starving, Moltimer falsely assured state agencies that there were no issues or gaps in providing Deonte with the around-the-clock care he required. However, prosecutors said that Moltimer and her employee, 35-year-old registered nurse Cassandre Lassegue, fraudulently billed Medicaid numerous times for over $20,000 in services the child never received.
Several other co-defendants are still moving through the criminal justice system. Lassegue, the registered nurse who was supposed to provide the in-home medical care, faces charges of first-degree murder, third-degree felony murder, aggravated manslaughter, and Medicaid fraud.
Authorities alleged that Lassegue completely stopped visiting the home for a period of six months to a year, despite submitting written documentation claiming she had performed the visits. Her case remains pending.
The boy's mother, 38-year-old Michelle Doe, and his brother, 22-year-old Tyreck Irvin, are also facing first-degree murder charges among other counts. Their cases are currently pending.
The boy's grandfather, James Graham, resolved his involvement in the case in 2025 by pleading no contest to child neglect and failure to report child abuse, resulting in a sentence of five years of probation.
Healthcare provider let 7-year-old starve to death on Christmas Day weighing only 7 pounds
Mirlande Moltimer will spend time in federal and state prison for her role in the starvation death of a 7-year-old Florida boy who died weighing just seven pounds.
lawandcrime.com