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, 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. The child’s date of birth was 12/23/2016.

Fort Lauderdale 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. 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.

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 on Tuesday.

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.

This case involved a lengthy joint investigation 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. The case is being prosecuted by Melissa Kelly, the Broward Assistant State Attorney in Charge of the Broward State Attorney’s Office Child Abuse and Fatality Unit.

This is an ongoing criminal investigation.

Irvin, Graham, Moltimer aka Ameda, and Lassegue were in first appearance court this morning. Irvin, Moltimer aka Ameda, and Lassegue are jailed with no bond. Graham’s bond was set at $22,000 and he may be released on house arrest with an electronic GPS monitor if he posts bond.

UPDATED at 1:05 p.m. Doe is now scheduled to be in first appearance court at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 12 – click on this link to view the hearing live-streamed on Zoom: https://17thflcourts.zoom.us/j/620446048 UPDATED 9/12: The judge ordered Doe held on no bond for count 1 and $100,000 each for counts 2, 3, 4 and 5. She must also undergo a mental health evaluation and is barred from any contact with victims, witnesses or co-defendants.

Below are the charges filed against each defendant:

Michelle Doe 6/28/87 Case # 24009854CF10A

First-degree murder

Aggravated child abuse

Aggravated manslaughter of a child

Neglect of a child (16-year-old)

Neglect of a child (9-year-old)

Tyreck Irvin 7/21/03 Case # 24009855CF10A

First-degree murder

Aggravated child abuse

Aggravated manslaughter of a child

Neglect of a child (16-year-old)

Neglect of a child (9-year-old)

James Graham 4/26/54 (70) Case # 24009856CF10A

Aggravated manslaughter of a child

Neglect of a child (7-year-old)

Failure to report child abuse (7-year-old)

Mirlande Moltimer, aka Mirlande Ameda, DOB 12/11/76 (47) Case # 24009857CF10A

Aggravated manslaughter of a child

Third-degree felony murder

Medicaid provider fraud

Neglect of a child (7-year-old)

Cassandre Lassegue, DOB 9/14/90 (33) Case # 24009858CF10A

First-degree murder

Aggravated child abuse (7-year-old)

Aggravated manslaughter of a child

Third-degree felony murder

Medicaid provider fraud

Neglect of a child (7-year-old)

The maximum possible penalties under Florida state law are:

First-degree murder: capital felony punishable by life in prison or death penalty

Aggravated child abuse: 30 years Florida state prison

Aggravated manslaughter of a child: 30 years Florida state prison

Third-degree felony murder: 15 years Florida state prison

Medicaid provider fraud: 15 years Florida state prison

Neglect of a child (16): 5 years Florida state prison

Neglect of a child (9) – 5 years Florida state prison

Neglect of a child with great bodily harm (7): 15 years Florida state prison

Failure to report child abuse (7): 5 years Florida state prison

Additional information will be available on www.browardclerk.org under the listed case numbers.