The parents of a 36-year-old woman, Lacey Fletcher, who tragically passed away after being found in a state of severe neglect, were taken into custody on Tuesday following their plea of no contest to charges of manslaughter.
Fletcher was discovered in an appalling condition at her family residence in 2022, having seemingly fused with the couch she had refused to leave for possibly over a decade. The woman was covered in insects and feces, and the furniture she was confined to had allegedly caused her to develop bed sores that reached down to the bone, among other severe health complications that ultimately led to her death.
Upon the discovery of Fletcher's body, her parents, both aged 66, were apprehended and initially faced charges of second-degree murder. The couple is suspected of neglecting their daughter's deteriorating health after a doctor's visit in 2010, where they claimed she refused to leave the house and the couch. They consistently denied charges of second-degree manslaughter for nearly 18 months following their arrest, but eventually pleaded no contest to manslaughter charges, as reported by the New York Post.
A former teacher of Fletcher's from ninth grade expressed her disbelief to the NY Post, suggesting that Fletcher may have had autism, but that it did not justify her parents' neglect. "Even if she was in some way resistant or difficult, thats when parents call in the professionals," the teacher stated, adding, "She was in their house! They werent helpless. There are resources. I just cant understand this."
The official cause of Fletcher's death was determined to be sepsis, and she was found to be severely malnourished at the time of her passing. Ewell Bickham, the former East Feliciana coroner, shared his shock with the outlet, stating, "I have seen every kind of death and dead body in all my years of this work, but Ive never seen anything like what happened to Lacey. No one deserves to suffer like that.
A family friend who attended church with the Fletchers for 25 years expressed her disbelief to the NY Post, revealing she was unaware they had a child. "Dont tell me there was love there. They may have seemed nice but there was a terrible disgusting side to them. How could anybody do that to another human being much less your own child? There is no way you can sugarcoat this, no way. This is pure evil is what it is. Pure evil," the friend stated.
The parents were taken to East Feliciana Parish Prison on Tuesday, with full sentencing expected in mid-March. They could face up to 40 years in prison for their crimes.
Login