Woman found dead, "melted" on couch in shocking neglect case

A 36-year-old Louisiana woman suffering from locked-in syndrome was found dead in her parents' home. Her body was gaunt and covered in feces "melted" on the couch.

The body of Lacey Ellen Fletcher was found on January 3 slumped in a hole in the living room couch of her parent’s home, Sheila and Clay Fletcher, NOLA.com reported.

Sheila called 911 that morning from the home. Upon their arrival, police officers found a gruesome scene and a pungent stench, said District Attorney Sam D'Aquilla.

In what authorities said was one of the worst cases of neglect in the city’s recent history, the East Feliciana Parish coroner ruled Lacey's shocking death as a homicide, leading to a criminal investigation.

"Her caregivers [her parents] just let her sit on the couch. She just peed and used the bathroom on the sofa," D'Aquilla told NOLA.com this week.

"It was so horrible," he said, adding that it was unclear how long Lacey had been in that same spot inside the house, but it could have been years.

D'Aquilla said that he would ask a grand jury to bring second-degree murder charges against her parents.

According to the Daily Mail, Lacey suffered from locked-in syndrome, a rare neurological disorder characterized by complete paralysis of voluntary muscles, except for the eyes.

The medical examiner said Lacey had not seen a doctor in 20 years.

When she was found, her feet were crossed underneath her, dug deep into the hole she had made through the upholstery and foam padding, which was filled with feces and urine, NOLA.com reported.

Severe ulcers covered her lower body, which appeared to be "rotten to the bone," D'Aquilla said.

He also said Lacey weighed only 96 pounds and was infected with COVID-19.

"The question on everyone's mind is, how can her guardians, who live in the house with her, have her in a condition like that" D'Aquilla asked.