Fourth family member arrested in death of 7-year-old boy with medical condition in Fort Lauderdale
FORT LAUDERDALE — A fourth family member has been arrested in the 2023 death of a 7-year-old boy with a medical condition, the Fort Lauderdale Police Department said Wednesday.
The boy, Deonte Atwell, died on Christmas Day 2023 due to severe malnutrition, according to authorities.
Police said information gathered throughout the investigation led to the arrest Tuesday of Jeremy Graham, a 31-year-old uncle of the victim. He is facing charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child, neglect of a child and failure to report child abuse.
Earlier, three family members and two health personnel were arrested.
The five people previously arrested on Sept. 11 are:
- The boy's mother, 37-year-old Michelle Doe, who was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter of a child, aggravated child abuse and two counts of child neglect. Doe also was charged with the neglect of two other young boys living at the home at the time of the death.
- The boy's brother, 21-year-old Tyreck Irvin, who was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter of a child, child neglect and failure to report child abuse. Irwin also was charged with the neglect of two other young boys living at the home at the time of the death.
- The child's grandfather, 70-year-old James Graham, who was charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child, child neglect and failure to report child abuse.
- A home health provider, 48-year-old Mirlande Moltimer Ameda, who was charged with third-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter of a child, Medicaid fraud and child neglect.
- The boy's nurse, 34-year-old Cassandre Lassegue, who was charged with first-degree and third-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter of a child, aggravated child abuse and Medicaid fraud.
This case was investigated by the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, the Broward State Attorney's Office Child Fatality and Abuse Unit, and the State Attorney General's Statewide Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Deonte Atwell's death in Fort Lauderdale
Authorities were called to a medical emergency involving the boy at a Fort Lauderdale home just before 8 p.m. on Christmas Day last year — two days after the boy's birthday. The city's fire rescue took him to Broward Health Medical Center, where he died an hour later but doctors noted that Atwell "appeared to have been dead for quite some time," according to the Broward State Attorney's Office in a news release.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Atwell had thoracic spina bifida and hydrocephalus, conditions that required in-home medical services. An autopsy revealed that he died of "severe malnutrition and his bones were protruding through gaping holes in his skin," prosecutors said.
Officers found 264 unopened bottles of Atwell's feeding formula in the home, and other evidence suggested that he died during a scheme to defraud Medicaid, estimated to be between $10,000 and $50,000, prosecutors said.
Anyone with additional information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Homicide Detective Jennifer Saint Jean at 954-828-5570, Homicide Detective Jackie Sanchez at 954-828-5539, or Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS (8477).
