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

[mewmew]

They had medical conditions that caused them to be unable to care for their daughter….yet they both worked, would “do anything for anyone”, and meticulously maintained the rest of their house and yard??? Ok.

 

[Helechawagirl]

Parents accused of daughter's 'horrific' at-home death speak out: 'A lot of heartache'

“Parents facing possible murder charges after their daughter was found dead in their Slaughter home — her body covered in feces, maggots and
ulcers — said Wednesday that they suffered "heartache" of their own through the ordeal.

Sheila and Clay Fletcher released the statement through their lawyer, Steven Moore, a day after local media outlets reported on the death of their daughter, Lacey Ellen Fletcher. The 36-year-old shut-in was found dead on Jan. 3, sunken into a crater in the living-room couch where she'd anchored herself.

“They don’t want to relive the pain of losing a child through the media," Moore said. "They have been through a lot of heartache over the years. Anyone who had lost a child knows what it’s like."

When Fletcher last left the couch was uncertain, District Attorney Sam D'Aquilla said this week. It might have been years ago.

“The caretakers just let her sit on the couch. She just urinated and used the bathroom on the couch,” D’Aquilla told The Advocate | Times-Picayune. “It was so horrific.”

D'Aquilla said that he will ask a grand jury next week to bring second-degree murder charges against Fletcher's parents, the newspaper reported Tuesday. He said Fletcher suffered prolonged neglect, possibly for years, before her death in the house near Hog Bayou.

For adults, a second-degree murder charge in Louisiana carries a mandatory life prison sentence with no parole.

Following an autopsy, Dr. Ewell Bickham III, the parish coroner, ruled Fletcher’s death a homicide and pressed for an investigation, D'Aquilla said. Bickham earlier this week declined to provide any information on the death, citing an ongoing investigation, and he did not respond to a public records request for the coroner’s report.

Sheila Fletcher, 64, has worked as a police and court clerk in Baker and more recently as an assistant to the city prosecutor in Zachary, according to her LinkedIn page.

A Slaughter official said she resigned her post on the town’s Board of Aldermen on Jan. 24, three weeks after Lacey Fletcher’s death. She served for four years, most recently as mayor pro tem.

State business filings show Clay Fletcher is an officer of the nonprofit Baton Rouge Civil War Roundtable, which has a mission “to educate and foster an appreciation for the sacrifices made by all during the Civil War.”

D’Aquilla said earlier this week that he hopes the prosecution will serve as a warning.

“They lost a daughter. I have — not much — but I have a little compassion for them,” he said. “But I think we have to send a message. You need to take care of your people better than you do your animals."

Folks, here’s a trick to see the article without paying. When you click on the link, see aAA down at the bottom left. That is reader view.

Sometimes it is in another location.

After you click on that read the menu and click the reader view link and you will be able to read the article.

 

[caradana]

I find this case to be a terrifying example of two-person groupthink. Would’ve be different had it been one negligent, theoretically mentally compromised parent. This isn’t that. There were two … the statistical odds of both of them going off this deranged cliff and living this way with their daughter, independently, is so improbable. They influenced each other, they brought each other down into this circle of hell, they groupthought it, they somehow together normalized it. It’s got a Dante’s Inferno element.

 

[Marysmith]

I find this case to be a terrifying example of two-person groupthink. Would’ve be different had it been one negligent, theoretically mentally compromised parent. This isn’t that. There were two … the statistical odds of both of them going off this deranged cliff and living this way with their daughter, independently, is so improbable. They influenced each other, they brought each other down into this circle of hell, they groupthought it, they somehow together normalized it. It’s got a Dante’s Inferno element.

Yes! It’s unbelievable really. I’m sorry to say this but honestly the smell alone must have been awful… yet their home looked well maintained. How is this even possible to have happened?

 

[iamnotagolem]

I think the couch alone would sway a jury, just bring it in and as the jury gags and vomits they realize how intentional the parents actions were.

 

[TheLoadedGoat]

This Article states their new trial date is June 19th. I for one feel sure they will plead and are currently negotiating. JMO but wanted us to remember this date in case it goes to trial. Justice for Lacey.

 

[RaspberryMama]

This Article states their new trial date is June 19th. I for one feel sure they will plead and are currently negotiating. JMO but wanted us to remember this date in case it goes to trial. Justice for Lacey.

I mean, how could they possibly expect a trial to go their way? They are still currently out on bail, correct? I hope this isn't one of those cases that keeps getting delayed and delayed and they stay free indefinitely.

 

[katsrfun]

glad the DA isn't talking plea. These people need to face the music. All of it. They had more resources available to them than most and lived a very public life while hiding a very private horrible secret.

I can't imagine what medical condition would not only prevent me from caring for my disabled dependent child while ALSO preventing me from arranging for someone without those conditions to do it instead. So many resources that could have been sought and weren't. These are not uneducated poor the odds are stacked against them people. They are simply sick awful humans.

I for one will be checking for updates after the hearing in February.

This is incredible. They still refuse to admit that they had any part in her death, when, in fact, they were totally responsible. They both had jobs they went to every day, what could possibly prevent them from caring for her, or getting care for her. They still do not want to admit they are responsible. If they are worried about "what people will think" they must know that all people who know about this are thinking it already, and will think less of them if they try to creep out by making up more lies about why she was like this. MOO. Thanks, Katt

 

[ilovewings]

This is incredible. They still refuse to admit that they had any part in her death, when, in fact, they were totally responsible. They both had jobs they went to every day, what could possibly prevent them from caring for her, or getting care for her. They still do not want to admit they are responsible. If they are worried about "what people will think" they must know that all people who know about this are thinking it already, and will think less of them if they try to creep out by making up more lies about why she was like this. MOO. Thanks, Katt

These two people are absolutely disgusting. They refuse to take responsibility for the torture she endured and her death. I hope there is justice in this case, but the justice system is such a mess, you just never know.

 

[TheLoadedGoat]

I can't imagine how they treat their enemies if this is how they treat their loved one.

 

[ilovewings]

I can't imagine how they treat their enemies if this is how they treat their loved one.

They probably treated their enemies better- I mean you could not treat anyone worse than how they treated their daughter who they supposedly loved - well they were supposed to love anyway, but clearly they did not act loving---

 

[LeahBee]

I've come and gone from reading this case a few times as it's extremely upsetting. But I wanted to finally say something.

I've seen a lot of people commenting about how could someone so happy, social and vivacious suddenly be house-bound and have no contact with anyone. Something traumatic could have happened to suddenly send her into the state she was in, but it doesn't always work that way. IMO. I wanted to share my own similar experience, because there are many parallels between her story and mine.

PLEASE NOTE: I will never defend her parent's actions, I think they are sick and deserve to be locked up IMO. Her parent's actions or inaction is where our stories differ.

I was a very social child. My parents had to put a limit on how many friends I could bring over at lunch. I excelled in school, even ranking #1 in standardized testing in elementary school.
At age 12-13, I suddenly developed SEVERE anxiety. This was about 2003-2004. It started with having panic attacks in certain situations - shopping, going to the movies, going to youth group, going to school, having friends over, and within months I could no longer leave my house. It escalated quickly. The trigger? Who knows. Puberty, genetics.. I became a Hypochondriac and developed a severe phobia of vomiting - emetophobia. The fear of having a panic attack while in a certain situation would trigger a panic attack - it's a cycle that feels impossible to break from.
I was pulled out of grade 9 to receive treatment, since I had already failed all my classes from truancy. I stopped talking to people because I felt like a burden, I couldn't understand what was happening to me, how could I explain it to anyone else? Even 20 years ago, teachers, parents, friends, everyone seemed to be absolutely clueless about mental illness. I heard rumours about myself and what I was experiencing. I felt stupid for going through something so "illogical" to me.
I could barely eat because the anxiety made me feel sick, and my brain told me that all my symptoms were heart attacks, stroke, cancer. Hypochondria tied in closely. People had germs. Germs cause vomiting. Nothing was safe. I was almost paralyzed with anxiety, multiple panic attacks a day. No one was allowed to touch me when this happened. Couldn't even talk to me - it was all too much and I felt like I would explode. And I don't have ASD. I can't imagine how overstimulating it could be for someone with ASD, jmo.

Panic attacks are also painful, they're exhausting. It was draining to do anything, even brush my teeth or feed myself.
Again, this is MY experience but its what I thought about when reading this story.

But like I said, it differs from this point on.
My parents fought like hell for me. I was fast tracked through the ER into intense therapy. It was slow at first - it's hard to get therapy when you can't leave the house. After many attempts, I was able to be assessed and prescribed meds. The meds took the edge off enough that I could actually sometimes attend therapy. Here is where I learned the coping skills to take off more of the edge.
My parents and siblings would help me walk down the street. Maybe to the corner store. Take the bus 2 stops and walk back home. We would drive around the block, maybe park at the grocery store. Maybe even enter the grocery store. When I tried to go to school again my mum would wait in the car in the parking lot for an entire class until I freaked out and she would help me.

They never gave up on me. Even when I resented them for making me leave my comfort zone. I'm sure I told them i hated them, screamed at them in sheer panic that they would even dare encourage me to face my fears. Even when I told them to give up on me because I felt like a burden and I was ruining their lives. But because of their actions, after some years I got my GED, went to college, and have worked since then. I have friends and I go out to events. Ive even vacationed. I still struggle and take meds, and I will for life. And other medical conditions haven't helped. But I didn't rot away in my bed.

I wish LF had parents like mine who advocated for her, even when the situation was new and confusing and hellish for them too. This should have never happened. Even when she became an adult there were options.

Everything is my own experience and opinion.
Thanks for reading if you got this far lol

 

[Marysmith]

I've come and gone from reading this case a few times as it's extremely upsetting. But I wanted to finally say something.

I've seen a lot of people commenting about how could someone so happy, social and vivacious suddenly be house-bound and have no contact with anyone. Something traumatic could have happened to suddenly send her into the state she was in, but it doesn't always work that way. IMO. I wanted to share my own similar experience, because there are many parallels between her story and mine.

PLEASE NOTE: I will never defend her parent's actions, I think they are sick and deserve to be locked up IMO. Her parent's actions or inaction is where our stories differ.

I was a very social child. My parents had to put a limit on how many friends I could bring over at lunch. I excelled in school, even ranking #1 in standardized testing in elementary school.
At age 12-13, I suddenly developed SEVERE anxiety. This was about 2003-2004. It started with having panic attacks in certain situations - shopping, going to the movies, going to youth group, going to school, having friends over, and within months I could no longer leave my house. It escalated quickly. The trigger? Who knows. Puberty, genetics.. I became a Hypochondriac and developed a severe phobia of vomiting - emetophobia. The fear of having a panic attack while in a certain situation would trigger a panic attack - it's a cycle that feels impossible to break from.
I was pulled out of grade 9 to receive treatment, since I had already failed all my classes from truancy. I stopped talking to people because I felt like a burden, I couldn't understand what was happening to me, how could I explain it to anyone else? Even 20 years ago, teachers, parents, friends, everyone seemed to be absolutely clueless about mental illness. I heard rumours about myself and what I was experiencing. I felt stupid for going through something so "illogical" to me.
I could barely eat because the anxiety made me feel sick, and my brain told me that all my symptoms were heart attacks, stroke, cancer. Hypochondria tied in closely. People had germs. Germs cause vomiting. Nothing was safe. I was almost paralyzed with anxiety, multiple panic attacks a day. No one was allowed to touch me when this happened. Couldn't even talk to me - it was all too much and I felt like I would explode. And I don't have ASD. I can't imagine how overstimulating it could be for someone with ASD, jmo.

Panic attacks are also painful, they're exhausting. It was draining to do anything, even brush my teeth or feed myself.
Again, this is MY experience but its what I thought about when reading this story.

But like I said, it differs from this point on.
My parents fought like hell for me. I was fast tracked through the ER into intense therapy. It was slow at first - it's hard to get therapy when you can't leave the house. After many attempts, I was able to be assessed and prescribed meds. The meds took the edge off enough that I could actually sometimes attend therapy. Here is where I learned the coping skills to take off more of the edge.
My parents and siblings would help me walk down the street. Maybe to the corner store. Take the bus 2 stops and walk back home. We would drive around the block, maybe park at the grocery store. Maybe even enter the grocery store. When I tried to go to school again my mum would wait in the car in the parking lot for an entire class until I freaked out and she would help me.

They never gave up on me. Even when I resented them for making me leave my comfort zone. I'm sure I told them i hated them, screamed at them in sheer panic that they would even dare encourage me to face my fears. Even when I told them to give up on me because I felt like a burden and I was ruining their lives. But because of their actions, after some years I got my GED, went to college, and have worked since then. I have friends and I go out to events. Ive even vacationed. I still struggle and take meds, and I will for life. And other medical conditions haven't helped. But I didn't rot away in my bed.

I wish LF had parents like mine who advocated for her, even when the situation was new and confusing and hellish for them too. This should have never happened. Even when she became an adult there were options.

Everything is my own experience and opinion.
Thanks for reading if you got this far lol

Thank you so much for sharing your life with us! Your family is amazing and so are you! <3

 

[evilwise]

Great post @LeahBee - I wanted to bring up a point and your post makes it a lot easier.

What happened here is a case of contagious mental illness. Lacey went through a slow decline and something about the circumstances of that descent caused some sort of very specific psychological disruption in her parents. In the beginning, when she was just beginning to be truly self-isolating, I'm sure they tried to get her "out of her shell" and were met with intense crying resistance. At that time, it probably wasn't all that horrible - one of those cases like dudes who never leave the basement and pee in 2 liter bottles. They might have thought it was better to give her a chance to turn it around on her own since it upset her greatly for them to try to get her out and she seemed to be happy in her sanctum.

Then as it gradually, gradually became worse and worse something about the way she handled her interactions with them eroded a very specific part of their objectivity. Most likely they both have some lesser version of the brain chemistry that combined to make her vulnerable to this sort of psychosis and she could hit them with the other half of it in a way that effectively got them to leave her alone.

I find it fascinating and would love to read a study on them, which I think should be the least of what they are compelled to do to pay their debt to society.

 

[LeahBee]

Thank you so much for sharing your life with us! Your family is amazing and so are you! <3

Thank you, Mary! Even to this day there is a lot of stigma surrounding mental illness. 20 years ago was worse, and i cant imagine what wouldve become of me if i had experienced the same condition 50, 80, 200 years ago -- oof.
It's one of those things that can't be understood unless experienced first hand, and even then it's not like you can point to bloodwork or diagnostic imaging and explain the etiology. And many people are scared of things that don't make sense to them. I still don't get it either... just that my brain chemistry is wonky.
The mental health system around the world needs an overhaul. (I should probably mention I live in Canada so all of my therapy was free until my 20s, my prescriptions are affordable, and although difficult and with lengthy wait times- it is possible to find therapists as an adult that are covered by Healthcare if they are also an MD).

BUT AGAIN - there is absolutely NO excuse for what LF was subjected to. It just makes my blood boil...

 

[LeahBee]

Great post @LeahBee - I wanted to bring up a point and your post makes it a lot easier.

What happened here is a case of contagious mental illness. Lacey went through a slow decline and something about the circumstances of that descent caused some sort of very specific psychological disruption in her parents. In the beginning, when she was just beginning to be truly self-isolating, I'm sure they tried to get her "out of her shell" and were met with intense crying resistance. At that time, it probably wasn't all that horrible - one of those cases like dudes who never leave the basement and pee in 2 liter bottles. They might have thought it was better to give her a chance to turn it around on her own since it upset her greatly for them to try to get her out and she seemed to be happy in her sanctum.

Then as it gradually, gradually became worse and worse something about the way she handled her interactions with them eroded a very specific part of their objectivity. Most likely they both have some lesser version of the brain chemistry that combined to make her vulnerable to this sort of psychosis and she could hit them with the other half of it in a way that effectively got them to leave her alone.

I find it fascinating and would love to read a study on them, which I think should be the least of what they are compelled to do to pay their debt to society.

Yes! All of this!!
I put my parents through absolute hell when they were just trying to help me. I was even hurting myself constantly to show a physical representation of the emotional turmoil I was experiencing. I know it broke their hearts and sometimes they did have to take a step back and approach things differently. It was a learning curve for all of us.

I wouldn't be surprised if LF's parents did try in the beginning and were met with very intense pushback and resistance IMO. But when they stepped back, they stayed back. They seem to have concluded that everything was more peaceful if they just let their daughter "choose" to deteriorate. Often I felt like it's easier to sit and deteriorate than to try to fight this Goliath - but that isn't sound reasoning and nobody was about to let me get away with that.

jmo

 

[ChatteringBirds]

@evilwise Your assessment is very interesting. What do you think is the most fitting medical term for this phenomenon?

I think this is psychologically a complex case - the diagnoses they could give to Lacey and her parents would be numerous. And even now, when removed from the actual situation and seeing the result in hindsight, what it means that they still can't admit to themselves, and society, what they actually did.

 

[Lilibet]

I've come and gone from reading this case a few times as it's extremely upsetting. But I wanted to finally say something.

I've seen a lot of people commenting about how could someone so happy, social and vivacious suddenly be house-bound and have no contact with anyone. Something traumatic could have happened to suddenly send her into the state she was in, but it doesn't always work that way. IMO. I wanted to share my own similar experience, because there are many parallels between her story and mine.

PLEASE NOTE: I will never defend her parent's actions, I think they are sick and deserve to be locked up IMO. Her parent's actions or inaction is where our stories differ.

I was a very social child. My parents had to put a limit on how many friends I could bring over at lunch. I excelled in school, even ranking #1 in standardized testing in elementary school.
At age 12-13, I suddenly developed SEVERE anxiety. This was about 2003-2004. It started with having panic attacks in certain situations - shopping, going to the movies, going to youth group, going to school, having friends over, and within months I could no longer leave my house. It escalated quickly. The trigger? Who knows. Puberty, genetics.. I became a Hypochondriac and developed a severe phobia of vomiting - emetophobia. The fear of having a panic attack while in a certain situation would trigger a panic attack - it's a cycle that feels impossible to break from.
I was pulled out of grade 9 to receive treatment, since I had already failed all my classes from truancy. I stopped talking to people because I felt like a burden, I couldn't understand what was happening to me, how could I explain it to anyone else? Even 20 years ago, teachers, parents, friends, everyone seemed to be absolutely clueless about mental illness. I heard rumours about myself and what I was experiencing. I felt stupid for going through something so "illogical" to me.
I could barely eat because the anxiety made me feel sick, and my brain told me that all my symptoms were heart attacks, stroke, cancer. Hypochondria tied in closely. People had germs. Germs cause vomiting. Nothing was safe. I was almost paralyzed with anxiety, multiple panic attacks a day. No one was allowed to touch me when this happened. Couldn't even talk to me - it was all too much and I felt like I would explode. And I don't have ASD. I can't imagine how overstimulating it could be for someone with ASD, jmo.

Panic attacks are also painful, they're exhausting. It was draining to do anything, even brush my teeth or feed myself.
Again, this is MY experience but its what I thought about when reading this story.

But like I said, it differs from this point on.
My parents fought like hell for me. I was fast tracked through the ER into intense therapy. It was slow at first - it's hard to get therapy when you can't leave the house. After many attempts, I was able to be assessed and prescribed meds. The meds took the edge off enough that I could actually sometimes attend therapy. Here is where I learned the coping skills to take off more of the edge.
My parents and siblings would help me walk down the street. Maybe to the corner store. Take the bus 2 stops and walk back home. We would drive around the block, maybe park at the grocery store. Maybe even enter the grocery store. When I tried to go to school again my mum would wait in the car in the parking lot for an entire class until I freaked out and she would help me.

They never gave up on me. Even when I resented them for making me leave my comfort zone. I'm sure I told them i hated them, screamed at them in sheer panic that they would even dare encourage me to face my fears. Even when I told them to give up on me because I felt like a burden and I was ruining their lives. But because of their actions, after some years I got my GED, went to college, and have worked since then. I have friends and I go out to events. Ive even vacationed. I still struggle and take meds, and I will for life. And other medical conditions haven't helped. But I didn't rot away in my bed.

I wish LF had parents like mine who advocated for her, even when the situation was new and confusing and hellish for them too. This should have never happened. Even when she became an adult there were options.

Everything is my own experience and opinion.
Thanks for reading if you got this far lol

A big thank you for sharing your story, @LeahBee! I have found that Websleuthers who have struggled with mental health issues are very generous sharing their experience that is relevant to particular cases. I have learned so much from members like you. Even though you don’t know WHY you developed this disorder, you are able to give us a glimpse of what it feels like from the inside. We have had suicide survivors tell us what they were thinking in the moment. These stories help all of us have increased empathy and less judgement. What a gift! Congratulations on struggling bravely and having a successful life in spite of it all. Please thank your parents from me (and no doubt all of us) for sticking with you in this uncharted territory. Big hugs!

 

[LeahBee]

A big thank you for sharing your story, @LeahBee! I have found that Websleuthers who have struggled with mental health issues are very generous sharing their experience that is relevant to particular cases. I have learned so much from members like you. Even though you don’t know WHY you developed this disorder, you are able to give us a glimpse of what it feels like from the inside. We have had suicide survivors tell us what they were thinking in the moment. These stories help all of us have increased empathy and less judgement. What a gift! Congratulations on struggling bravely and having a successful life in spite of it all. Please thank your parents from me (and no doubt all of us) for sticking with you in this uncharted territory. Big hugs!

Thank you!! I'll never be able to repay my family enough for how they helped me - but we bonded strongly because of it. My dad still says even though it was a horrible situation, he is grateful for being able to sit up with me at all hours of the night to calm me down. Waahhh!!

I don't want to derail this thread so I'll just say a massive thank you to everyone who takes the time to listen and empathize. It makes it easier for those of us struggling to reach out and feel less ashamed. I wish LF had this support around her in her life...
I still want to follow this case and see where it goes. JUSTICE please for this poor woman.

 

[Kindone7446]

Coroner found woman 'melted' into couch after she disappeared for a decade; grand jury weighing charges for her parents (wbrz.com)
''SLAUGHTER, La. – A grand jury will meet Monday to determine if a woman’s parents should be held accountable for her death, Sam D’Aquilla, the district attorney for the 20th Judicial District, said.

The body of 36-year old Lacey Fletcher was found rotting and melted into a couch of her parents' home back in January. Fletcher only weighed 96 pounds, and sources said it's one of the worst cases of neglect they have ever seen.

Dr. Ewell Bickham, coroner of East Feliciana Parish, was very limited in what he could say due to the pending grand jury hearing, but told the WBRZ Investigative Unit in his 30 years as a practicing physician he's never seen anything like it.

"I couldn't eat for a week, and I cried for a week," Dr. Bickham said.

Fletcher's parents, Sheila and Clay Fletcher, are longtime residents of Slaughter. Shelia was a town alderman who recently resigned her post in February.

The East Feliciana Parish coroner ruled Lacey's death a homicide after she died Jan. 3 in her parents’ home. The coroner’s office notified the district attorney and sheriff’s office of its findings, leading to the criminal investigation.

Sources told the WBRZ Investigative Unit she had insects all over her body and was covered in feces from head to toe. The couch was a "latrine" and her body had melted through the padding of the sofa. It's unclear when she was last mobile, but sources estimate she had been sitting in the same place for years.''

I’ve never been on this website. This is the first time I’ve replied to any article on here.

This I believe is due severe neglect and I do believe this can happen. It’s similar to the Turpin family neglect and sexual abuse case. They let her die for some reason. Only this is one is one child/ young woman. The Turpin parents I felt are mentally ill. Also Some parents never take their children to doctors. For check ups or anything..This is horrific what happen to Lacey.