{"id":521,"date":"2026-05-18T15:05:57","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T15:05:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jacksonvillemovingnews.com\/?p=521"},"modified":"2026-05-18T15:05:57","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T15:05:57","slug":"healthcare-company-owner-pleads-in-starvation-death-of-7-year-old-who-weighed-7-lbs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jacksonvillemovingnews.com\/?p=521","title":{"rendered":"Healthcare company owner pleads in starvation death of 7-year-old who weighed 7 lbs"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

The owner of a South Florida home healthcare company has pleaded guilty to charges connected with the death of a 7-year-old child who was found horribly malnourished in Fort Lauderdale back in 2023.<\/p>\n

Read more Police identify 18-year-old found shot to death in Coral Springs neighborhood<\/a><\/p>\n

Mirlande Moltimer pleaded guilty Thursday to aggravated manslaughter of a child, third-degree felony murder, Medicaid provider fraud, and child neglect, Broward County prosecutors said.<\/p>\n

The charges stem from the death of 7-year-old Deonte Atwell, who was pronounced dead on Christmas Day of 2023, Fort Lauderdale Police said.<\/p>\n

Prosecutors said Atwell endured prolonged starvation, and was horribly malnourished and neglected, weighing just seven pounds when he died with bones poking through his skin.<\/p>\n

Police said Atwell had turned 7 just two days earlier, on Dec. 23, although prosecutors said it appeared he may have been dead “for quite some time.”<\/p>\n

The Broward State Attorney’s Office said Atwell was diagnosed with thoracic spina bifida and hydrocephalus, had a breathing tube and feeding tube and required around-the-clock skilled nursing care.<\/p>\n

But authorities said family members and two home health care employees appeared to have stopped providing him with services, resulting in aggravated abuse and ultimately his death.<\/p>\n

Read more 911 calls released after 6-year-old finds parents dead in Port St. Lucie murder-suicide<\/a><\/p>\n

Medicaid was fraudulently billed for thousands of dollars for the services that weren’t provided, prosecutors said.<\/p>\n

Moltimer was one of five people arrested in the case, including Atwell’s mother Michelle Doe, who faces charges including first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter of a child, aggravated child abuse, and two counts of neglect of a child.<\/p>\n

Doe has pleaded not guilty in the case.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tA Fort Lauderdale mother charged with murder in the starvation death of her 7-year-old son who was found weighing just seven pounds when he was pronounced dead on Christmas Day was back in court Thursday, along with some of the other five people charged in the boy’s death. Michelle Doe was arrested last month on charges including first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter of a child, aggravated child abuse, and two counts of neglect of a child in connection with the death of her son, Deonte Atwell.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

Atwell’s brother, Tyreck Irvin, and grandfather, James Graham, were also arrested. Irvin is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter of a child, aggravated child abuse, and two counts of neglect of a child, while Graham is charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child, neglect of a child, and failure to report child abuse.<\/p>\n

The nurse assigned to care for Atwell, Cassandre Lassegue, is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter of a child, felony murder in third degree, aggravated child abuse, and Medicaid fraud.<\/p>\n

Under her plea agreement, Moltimer was sentenced to 20 months in state prison, followed by an additional 16 months in federal prison, plus seven years of state probation.<\/p>\n

Moltimer has to pay $25,402 in restitution, must surrender all professional healthcare\/caretaker licenses, and is required to continue to cooperate with the Broward State Attorney\u2019s Office in the prosecution of the remaining co-defendants.<\/p>\n

Read more Caitlin Clark breaks WNBA record for most career 20-point, 10-assist games<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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