Sixth person jailed in death of 7-pound 7 year-old Deonte Atwell in Fort Lauderdale
The Fort Lauderdale Police Department has made a new arrest in connection with the death of 7-year-old Deonte Atwell, who weighed just 7 pounds when he died last Christmas Day.
On Tuesday, police arrested an additional family member, bringing the total number of individuals charged in the case to six nearly a year after Deonte died of malnutrition.
Deonte’s uncle, Jeremy Graham, 31, was taken into custody by the police department’s Fugitive Unit. He is currently locked up at the North Broward Bureau.
As of mid-Wednesday, no court records were posted listing an attorney for Graham, who now faces charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child, neglect of a child and failure to report child abuse.
His arrest follows those of Deonte’s mother, brother and grandfather in September, as well as charges against two Medicaid caregivers accused of failing to provide necessary care.
“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,” Casey Liening, a spokeswoman for the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, said in a statement.
READ MORE: A 7-year-old, 7-pound boy died on Christmas Day. Now, 5 people have been arrested
A medically complex life cut short
Born on Dec. 23, 2016, Deonte Atwell faced severe medical challenges, including thoracic spina bifida — a condition where the spine doesn’t form properly — and hydrocephalus, an excessive buildup of fluid in the brain. Despite requiring round-the-clock care and the use of a feeding and breathing tube, authorities say his family failed to provide basic care, leading to his death from extreme malnutrition.
When Fort Lauderdale Police and Fire Rescue responded to a frantic 911 call on Dec. 25, 2023, Deonte had already been dead for some time, doctors at Broward Health Medical Center told authorities.
“He had bones protruding from his skin from lack of nutrition,” Detective Jackie Sanchez told the Herald in September.
Investigators discovered 264 unopened bottles of feeding formula in the family’s home, emphasizing the tragedy of his preventable death.
Family members face multiple charges
Deonte’s mother, Michelle Doe, 37, and his brother, Tyreck Irvin, 21, have been charged with first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse and manslaughter of a child. Both also face additional charges for neglecting two other children, ages 9 and 16, who lived in the home but were found to be in good health.
Doe has since pleaded not guilty on all charges, court records show. Information on how Irvin would be pleading was not available on the Broward County Clerk website.
Court records also show the death penalty was waived for Doe in October.
Doe’s attorney told the Herald they had no comment when reached on Wednesday. Irvin’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Miami Herald.
Deonte’s grandfather, James Graham, 70, has been charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child, neglect of a child and failure to report child abuse. Authorities arrested the three family members simultaneously in Fort Lauderdale to prevent potential destruction of evidence, according to homicide Sgt. Donald Geiger.
The ongoing investigation uncovered evidence that led to Jeremy Graham being the fourth family member charged in relation to Deonte’s death, according to the Fort Lauderdale Police Department.
READ MORE: Deonte’s death: How did Florida, two healthcare agency nurses let a 7-year-old starve?
Two individuals from the Medicaid provider Samaritin Home Care are also facing charges.
Mirlande Moltimer, 47, the company’s owner, and Cassandre Lassegue, 33, a registered nurse assigned to Deonte’s care, have been charged with first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter of a child and Medicaid fraud.
Authorities allege they defrauded Medicaid of up to $50,000 while failing to provide the care they were being paid to deliver.
“For them to have all the medical supplies and services free of charge ... there’s no excuse,” said Sanchez. “He was failed on several levels, and more so by his family.”
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).