Following the death of a 7-year-old boy on Christmas Day in December 2023, five individuals, including nurses, have been arrested in connection to the starvation murder of Deonte Atwell.
According to Fort Lauderdale police, officers along with the Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue personnel responded to a home shortly before 8 p.m. on Christmas Day concerning a medical emergency.
Atwell was found unresponsive and immediately taken to Broward Health Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased, according to Local 10 News.
A news release was issued by police on Wednesday concluding Deonte had a medical condition that required in-home medical services.
"After a thorough investigation, it was determined that several family members, as well as the home health nurses, did not conduct the appropriate medical services, resulting in the aggravated abuse and death of the child," the news release read.
In a separate news release from the Broward State Attorney's Office, it stated that Deonte died of starvation and weighed about 7 pounds at the time of his death.
Additionally, prosecutors allege Deonte "died of severe malnutrition, and his bones were protruding through gaping holes in his skin, autopsy findings showed. He had a breathing tube and feeding tube and required around-the-clock skilled nursing care."
Deonte died within the first hour of arriving at the hospital; however, doctors told detectives that he appeared to be dead for quite some time.
"Investigators found 264 unopened bottles of the victim's feeding formula in the home, according to the evidence," added the news release.
"The evidence also established that the victim died during a scheme to defraud Medicaid, conservatively estimated at more than $10,000 but less than $50,000."
The identities of those arrested are Michelle Doe, 37, Deonte's mother, who is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter of a child, aggravated child abuse, and two counts of neglect of a child.
The seven-year-old's brother, Tyreck Irvin, 21, also faced the same charges as Doe.
James Graham, 70, the grandfather of the victim, is charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child, neglect of a child, and failure to report child abuse.
Mirlande Moltimer Ameda, 47, owner of Samaritan Home Care Provider, Inc., is charged with felony murder in the third degree, aggravated manslaughter of a child, Medicaid fraud, and neglect of a child.
Cassandre Lassegue, 33, a nurse assigned to care for the victim for months prior to his death, is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter of a child, felony murder in the third degree, aggravated child abuse, and Medicaid fraud.
All five suspects were arrested Tuesday.
Doe and Irvin also face neglect charges of two other boys—ages 9 and 16—who lived in the same home.
The suspects are being held without bail.
