Family member charged with aggravated manslaughter of a 7-year-old child who was found dead on Christmas Day last year
Another family member has been charged in the tragic death of 7-year-old Deonte Atwell, who died on Christmas Day last year from severe malnutrition... Continue reading here ▶
Jeremy Graham, 31, was arrested on Tuesday, Dec. 17, by the Fort Lauderdale Police Department’s Fugitive Unit.
He faces charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child, child neglect, and failure to report child abuse, according to a police press release.
While authorities did not specify Graham’s role in Deonte’s death, they stated that “information gathered throughout the investigation” led to his arrest. Graham is now the sixth person in the boy’s close circle to face charges.
Previously, Deonte’s mother, Michelle Doe, 37, and his older brother, Tyreck Irvin, 21, were charged with first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter, aggravated child abuse, and two counts of child neglect in September.
Other individuals charged include Deonte’s grandfather, James Graham, 70; Mirlande Moltimer Ameda, the owner of Samaritan Home Care Provider, Inc.; and Cassandre Lassegue, 33, the nurse responsible for Deonte’s care.
Doe and Ameda have pleaded not guilty. It is unclear how Irvin, Graham, and Lassegue have pleaded.
Authorities revealed that Deonte, born in 2016, suffered from severe malnutrition at the time of his death. An autopsy showed his condition was so critical that “his bones were protruding through gaping holes in his skin.”
Deonte had thoracic spina bifida, a condition where the spine and spinal cord do not form properly, as well as hydrocephalus, a buildup of fluid in the brain. These conditions required him to use a breathing tube, a feeding tube, and receive 24/7 skilled nursing care.
During their investigation, police found 264 unopened bottles of the child’s feeding formula in the home. They believe Deonte’s death occurred during a scheme to defraud Medicaid, as family members and nurses allegedly neglected the child’s medical needs.
The Fort Lauderdale Police stated, “Several family members, as well as the home health nurses, failed to provide the necessary medical care, resulting in the child’s abuse and death.”
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or visit www.childhelp.org. The hotline is free, confidential, and available 24/7 in over 170 languages.
