Who is Lacey Fletcher?
At 36 years of age, Lacey Ellen Fletcher of Slaughter, Louisiana, had a life that was anything but normal. She had been diagnosed with extreme autism, and it is thought that a condition known as locked-in syndrome also affected her. Thus, most of her existence was restricted to the couch in her parents’ residence.
She had been in the same spot for around 12 years, with her body eventually merging with the sofa from lack of movement. Her primary caregivers were her parents, Sheila and Clay Fletcher, both aged 64.
From an early age, Lacey was housebound due to a medical condition, which eventually evolved into Asperger’s syndrome. Therefore, she had been homeschooled since the 9th grade.
What happened to Lacey Fletcher?
On January 3, 2022, Lacey Fletcher was discovered dead at her family’s residence in Louisiana. She was seated upright on the sofa and partially submerged in a gap on the couch, with her body partially undressed.
Lacey, who was autistic and 36 at the time, had been living immobile on her parents’ sofa for the past 12 years. A putrid smell filled the room, and her body was infested with maggots. Her weight had dropped to a mere 100 pounds.
One of the many pictures presented to the newly sworn-in grand jury during their confidential meeting was an awful image of Lacey’s condition.
It exposed the extreme anguish Lacey had been through, who had not been seen in public for around fifteen years. Lacey, who had autism, was almost completely buried in a sofa depression and smothered in her own filth.
Who are Lacey Fletcher’s parents?
Lacey Fletcher’s mom and dad, Sheila and Clay Fletcher, have been accused of second-degree homicide concerning their daughter’s death.
Dr. Ewell Bickham, the coroner, reported that Lacey had been living in her own squalor for around 12 years. Her dreadful state at the time of discovery included maggots and ulcers, and her body had blended with the couch she was sitting on.
The coroner concluded that Lacey expired due to grave medical disregard, long-term malnutrition, abrupt starvation, immobility, serious sores, bone contamination (osteomyelitis), and sepsis.
The District’s Attorney, Sam D’Aquila, argued that the woman was mistreated and ignored by her caretakers, forcing her to use the couch as a restroom. As a result, her parents should be held accountable for her death and should be accused of second-degree murder.
In contrast, her parents stated that the deceased preferred to remain on the couch to relieve herself. At the time of her passing, Lacey Fletcher weighed only 96 pounds and had contracted COVID-19.
Legal Proceedings
After Lacey Fletcher’s corpse was uncovered, her parents were indicted for second-degree homicide. When the grand jury saw the grim pictures of the environment she lived in and her condition, medical workers were present, as the photographs were so shocking.
The grand jury was reportedly taken aback by the images and evidence shared by the coroner. The Fletchers got out of prison on bail, with Sheila being granted a $300,000 bail and Clay freed the next morning.
The pair alleged that Lacey was “of sound mind to make her own type of decisions” and never once complained about her lesions. Furthermore, the couple maintained that Sheila regularly tried to disinfect Lacey’s lesions.
District Attorney Sam D’Aquilla commented that a just outcome had been accomplished with the indictment of second-degree murder. This charge carries a sentence of life imprisonment without parole for those over the age of 18 who are convicted.
Lacey Fletcher’s parents’ lawyer issued a declaration, mentioning the Fletchers’ unwillingness to talk about their loss with the press and past sadness.
In a stunning development, Judge Kathryn Jones dismissed the murder charges against Clay and Sheila Fletcher, the parents of Lacey, because of an issue with the wording of the indictment.
The charges were dismissed prior to the trial that was scheduled to occur in June 2023. Though the charges have been dropped, District Attorney Sam D’Aquilla intended to present the case to another grand jury on June 19.
He is determined to get the parents apprehended for fresh offenses and is working towards having the court case adjudicated before the end of the year.
Where are the Fletchers now?
Lacey parents were charged with second-degree murder after the tragic event that occurred as a result of her severe chronic neglect. Nonetheless, they declared their innocence and were released on a bond of $300,000. Their current whereabouts are unknown to the public as they’ve chosen to lay low.
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