LA - Lacey Fletcher 36, GRAPHIC, disabled, found dead, on couch for years, Jan'22 *Parents arrested*

[Fika]

Maybe there was a number of people privy to the secret.
Who knows?

It had to be IMO
Someone had to visit the house. They were not cut of of society parents but kept jobs and probably friends circle. Hard to imagine nobody would enter that house in what 15 years? If someone did well… I would love to hear their statement.

 

[Fika]

Also if she was not non verbal and physically capable how did she stay on the couch so long ? She was described as talkative girl and seen by a neighbour exercising how come soon after she was confined to the couch?
What happened?

 

[MsMarple]

Hopefully they won't try to put some of the blame on her. That would be a horrifying defense in this case, IMO. She did not choose to "commit suicide." As someone pointed out earlier in the thread, she was trying to find something to eat until the very end, trying to survive.

My speculation only: Maybe she did develop severe anxiety and did strongly protest at being taken for treatment. But so what, that's why there are doctors and mental health professionals to call for help. I feel her parents didn't want others to find out about their "problem." Kept it secret, no matter what, even when it became abuse and she was clearly suffering.

Thank you! There is no - zero - evidence that Lacey wanted to commit suicide. The evidence according to the coroner is that she sat on that couch of death for *at least* 12 years.

Horrifying evidence photos revealed extent of Lacey Fletcher's ordeal

Harrowing evidence photos have revealed the full excruciating horror of Lacey Fletcher's personal hell before she died on her parents' couch caked in her own excrement in January.

www.dailymail.co.uk

The evidence is that a commode sat a few feet away but was not used. Lotions and wipes were present but not used. Both parents were mentally capable of assessing Lacey's health and reaching out for help. IMO their assertion that Lacey could make sound decisions for her care is total bs. The parents wish to blame Lacey, not themselves, for her years of suffering and ultimate death.

There is not one medical textbook, journal, class or organization that would suggest what Lacey's parents did to their child is appropriate care and treatment. IMO they both lack empathy and their weak excuses tell me they have no remorse. IMO they both deserve prison. MOO.

 

[FlossyMay]

Maybe there were doors to the living room that closed it off to the rest of the house. Some people don't use their front door as the main entrance. At my mom's house for instance, everyone who visits goes through the side door into the kitchen.

This would make the most sense to me. I thought I read in one of the articles that the rest of the house was normal. I wish we knew the layout.

 

[InvisibleMe]

Exactly.
Some patients need 24/7 care.
With family members working full time, choosing a care facility is the only option.

But WHY didn’t her parents do that? So sad. What were they thinking? Did they feed her everyday? This is beyond comprehension.

 

[trujac]

I'm sorry, I can't think of a single instance or event that could cause so much psychological damage within the household that would mitigate allowing ones child to become one with the furniture.

I'm sorry, I can't think of a single instance or event that could cause so much psychological damage within the household that would mitigate allowing ones child to become one with the furniture.

I think I am asking for compassion for Lacey's parents until we can see in a court of law what happened. This requires looking beyond the mental/physical manifestations of life at its worst...before assessing blame.

 

[BeckyF]

It had to be IMO
Someone had to visit the house. They were not cut of of society parents but kept jobs and probably friends circle. Hard to imagine nobody would enter that house in what 15 years? If someone did well… I would love to hear their statement.

It's says a lot when the coroner stated they were blown away by Lacey's condition--never seen anything like it in their entire career before, and were traumatized by her vile condition and death. So many studies have been done showing how people who have normal caring reactions to pain and suffering become desensitize by viewing the same situation over and over again--even when the components of degradation and suffering are escalated--those viewing/participating lose all sense of the gravity of the situation. Their initial normal opinion and emotional response transforms over time to callous acceptance of the victim's pain and eventual demise. I think it's possible Lacey's parents started out caring and providing for their daughter--as the days, months and years wore on and Lacey's health deteriorated, so did her parent's comprehension and appropriate response to her. They essential fell into the feces couch hole psychologically right along with their daughter.

It is incredibly hard to believe that NOBODY - no repair person, family member, neighbor - went in their house for 15 years.

This is exactly what I was wondering. No one knew? No one cared? No one came to visit ever? What a horrible way to die.

 

[Armchair63]

There

Lacey suffered from a disability and was found dead in her parents home.


Grand jury to decide parents’ fate after coroner finds daughter’s body sitting on couch with feces around it

Where were her parents? I just can’t understand why she was neglected for so long.there is no excuse,if they were unable to care for her social services or some government agency should have been called in or better yet her parents could have committed her to an institution,

 

[BeckyF]

Those families you're describing left their relatives in the care of professionals. Maybe it was too mentally difficult for them to visit? Maybe they didn't ever have a healthy relationship with the person? But they brought them somewhere to be cared-for, unlike in this case. JMO.

Perhaps I put an extra sentence in my post re: relatives. My actual point was that since I have seen such awful bed sores, if Lacey had these types of sores on her body, it would have been horribly painful. I was not badmouthing relatives of any of these patients I came in contact with. I did not know the situation. MOO

 

[trujac]

Agreed. I honestly don't care what "mitigators" get trotted out if and when these folks face a jury. There isn't a single one that could make me find them less iI

This is exactly what I was wondering. No one knew? No one cared? No one came to visit ever? What a horrible way to die.

Yes, what a sad commentary on how easy it is for someone to disappear from anyone having concern to their welfare in a world with so much access to help and information. With all the progress of technology, medicine and social welfare, as a society we still fail at the basic level insuring everyone is cared for and loved. Those who are caught in the web of complicated death tinged with elements of violence, degradation and suffering should be lessons on how we can improve as human beings.

 

[MsMarple]

Perhaps I put an extra sentence in my post re: relatives. My actual point was that since I have seen such awful bed sores, if Lacey had these types of sores on her body, it would have been horribly painful. I was not badmouthing relatives of any of these patients I came in contact with. I did not know the situation. MOO

My first "real" job was also in a nursing home and I know exactly what you mean. Bed sores (decubitus ulcers) are extremely painful. According to the coroner it appears Lacey suffered for many years. I can't imagine allowing any patient to be medically neglected the way she was, let alone one's own child.

 

[BeckyF]

My first "real" job was also in a nursing home and I know exactly what you mean. Bed sores (decubitus ulcers) are extremely painful. According to the coroner it appears Lacey suffered for many years. I can't imagine allowing any patient to be medically neglected the way she was, let alone one's own child.

Yeah it was my first real job, too. I was about 18 I think.The aides were told to irrigate the sores and that was about it. Me being young and naive, I just did what I was told. Some patients only had 1 really bad bed sore, some had more more than 1. It’s really awful to think about. MOO

 

[DogMom86]

The sad thing is that many disabled individuals will face horrendous abuse. I feel that the U.S. really falls flat on its face in helping parents of disabled children get the help they need including not only therapy but counseling and respite care. There is no excuse for how this poor girl was treated. No human being needs to be treated like garbage. Child abuse cases like Genie and Danielle prove the parents are usually mentally I’ll themselves and in no way prepared to care for a child even without special needs.

My guess is she was probably non-verbal which makes things more difficult. It’s sick and sad really and needs more serious attention.

 

[floridafreshsqueez]

This case is missing so many important details. Who called 911 and why? After letting her sit there for over a decade, rotting away, did the parents finally call 911 when they noticed she wasn’t breathing?

I have no sympathy for these “parents”.

 

[5W's]

How horrific! Unbelievable the mother was an alderman!

 

[Dotta]

My guess is she was probably non-verbal which makes things more difficult.

But why would she be non verbal?
She did well in school, there were no problems with communication.

 

[Dotta]

This case is missing so many important details. Who called 911 and why?

Mother called b/c Lacey died.

 

[floridafreshsqueez]

But why would she be non verbal?
She did well in school, there were no problems with communication.

Exactly. No evidence she was even autistic to begin with. Something is missing here. Lacey, for whatever reason, couldn’t leave the couch and I refuse to believe it’s because she just decided to never get up.

What makes parents suddenly shut out the world on an otherwise seemingly healthy child? This can’t be as simple as two parents being “overwhelmed” and deciding to just let her rot away.

This seems like it was punishment. But for what exactly, and why was Lacey unable to fight back? What makes TWO parents decide to completely ignore their daughter’s health, her agony and quality of life while they were out and about, enjoying themselves?

This is more than neglect. There has gotta be abuse somewhere in the mix. If they starved her and told her she wasn’t allowed to leave the couch, that she wouldn’t eat or be cared for if she moved, that “makes sense” to me in terms of how she got that way. If she was too weak to get away or ask for help because of the punishment being via starvation and medical care, her mental state would obviously suffer and continue to decline so yeah…maybe she wouldn’t move because she literally couldn’t, but I refuse to buy that this girl somehow just accepted her fate and inevitable death.

I want to know if there was abuse or neglect leading up until her confinement to the couch. There are too many pieces missing for me to believe that these parents just decided to throw up their hands one day and let her die a slow and agonizing death.

 

[Lyanna]

This is more than neglect. There has gotta be abuse somewhere in the mix.

Neglect is abuse.
Not only did they neglect her health needs, they neglected her well-being, they stole her life, they stood by and did jack s#!t whilst their beautiful daughter suffered. I dread to think what was going through Lacey's mind as she was on that sofa, covered in urine, faeces,maggots,pressure sores.
Bits of sofa and faeces found in her stomach - she tried too feed herself the only thing available too her, sounds like they withheld food and water. She attempted to feed herself - that one single act shows she hadn't given up - imo.
They left her alone.
By the time she was reaching death, she was most likely too weak to move herself and they walked out of that house and left her.

They deserve to rot in a cell

Moo

 

[Dotta]

And she didn't die in sleep.
Her eyes were open wide