LEE COUNTY, Fla. — A Lee County Grand Jury has indicted a couple on capital murder charges in connection with the death of their 12-year-old son who prosecutors say endured "extreme and shocking neglect."
Qwentosha Massaquoi and Louis Moinina Massaquoi were indicted Sunday on first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse and failure to report suspected child abuse charges by the grand jury.
The indictment claims the couple killed the boy between September 1, 2024, and January 27, 2025, in Lee County.
The Lee County Sheriff's Office previously told Fox 4 that parents were searching "child death" online before authorities were called to their home on January 27, 2025.
According to the police report, the child had been feeling sick for several days before his death. When first responders arrived, the report says life-saving measures were already in progress, but the 12-year-old died.
Deputies said the boy was malnourished.
The medical examiner ruled the 12-year-old boy's death a homicide.
The first-degree murder charge carries the possibility of the death penalty.
The Massaquois also face charges for failing to report known or suspected child abuse to the central abuse hotline, or preventing another person from doing so.
The case involves charges that occurred over nearly five months, according to the indictment. Both capital felony charges could result in life imprisonment or the death penalty if the defendants are convicted.
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