The tragic story of Lacey Ellen Fletcher has shocked the nation. The 36-year-old, who lived with autism, had not been seen outside of her parents’ home in Louisiana for more than a decade before she was found dead in January 2022, fused to their couch in a layer of her own excrement.
Robert Blades, a neighbor, recalls the last time he saw Lacey outside of her home was fifteen years ago when she was exercising outside, carrying weights while walking around the neighborhood. Blades knew Lacey as a “fun, normal kid” before she became more isolated at the age of fourteen.
Blades further explains that Lacey was still seen around the neighborhood until she was about twenty-one years old, and she appeared physically normal during that time. “I’d see her a few times, gently getting some exercise in the roadway,” he says. However, Lacey vanished from her community and was not seen for more than a decade until her tragic death.
When authorities found Lacey’s body, she was fused to the sofa with her body emaciated and smeared with feces and other excrements. Her body had worn a hole in the fabric of the sofa. It was a shocking sight and a tragedy that no one could have predicted.
Clay and Sheila Fletcher, both 64, were Lacey’s parents, and they must now face the consequences of their actions. Following a grand jury hearing, both parents were charged with second-degree murder and could spend the rest of their lives behind bars.
Despite being prominent Christian role models in their community, the Fletcher parents were arrested just hours after the grand jury decision. They managed to escape temporary confinement in East Feliciana Parish Jail by each posting a $300,000 bond. The case has stunned the nation and highlighted the importance of treating individuals with disabilities with respect and care.
Retired welder Robert Blades reveals that he asked Clay Fletcher about his daughter’s whereabouts five years ago but did not receive an adequate answer.
“I asked Clay because I hadn’t seen her for so long. I actually thought maybe she got married and moved on,” he says. “He replied, oh no, she’s still here. She’s fine. And then changed the subject. And that’s it. He didn’t explain why we hadn’t seen her at all. I just took him at his word. I had absolutely no suspicions about what actually happened at that house over the road from us. No alerts, nothing.”
The case has raised questions about the treatment of individuals with disabilities and the importance of being vigilant about their welfare. It is a tragedy that Lacey had to suffer in such a manner, and it is important that justice is served for her. The Fletcher parents must now face the consequences of their actions, and hopefully, this tragedy will raise awareness about the importance of treating individuals with disabilities with respect and compassion.
Source: AWM