Mother Sentenced to 20 Years for Starving Autistic Daughter to Death

Tragic Discovery and Initial Investigation

• 🚨 Cora Laskiewicz, a 23-year-old with severe autism, was found deceased in her home weighing only 70 pounds.
• 💔 Her mother, Amy Laskiewicz, called 911 reporting Cora was beyond help, leading to the discovery of her emaciated state.
• 🏠 Investigators learned Cora had been isolated at home since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, nearly three years prior.

Mother's Account and Autopsy Findings

• 🗣️ Amy Laskiewicz claimed Cora had a poor appetite and was urged to eat, but she did not believe she was starving her daughter.
• 🩺 Autopsy results revealed Cora died from dehydration and malnutrition, with her hip bones, ribs, and sternum visible, indicating extreme emaciation.
• ⚖️ The medical examiner found no evidence of malignancy or infection, ruling the death a homicide due to the mother's failure to provide adequate nutrition and hydration.

Cora's History and Social Isolation

• 🏫 Cora attended school until the pandemic, after which she refused to leave the house due to fear of masks and public spaces.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 While she previously had family visits, Cora began to resist visitors, showing anxiety and preferring isolation with her mother.
• 🛁 Daily care, including bathing and dressing, was a struggle, and Cora did not independently manage her hygiene or eating habits.

Medical Care and Legal Proceedings

• 📅 Cora's last doctor's visit was in 2017, and she had only two virtual doctor's appointments in 2022, where her weight was inaccurately reported as 110 lbs.
• 👩‍⚕️ The doctor conducting the virtual visits stated she would have insisted on an in-person examination if she had known Cora's true weight.
• ⚖️ Amy Laskiewicz was charged with recklessly subjecting an at-risk individual to abuse causing death.

Plea, Sentencing, and Aftermath

• ⚖️ Amy entered an Alford plea, maintaining innocence but acknowledging the state's evidence could lead to a guilty verdict.
• 🏛️ The judge compared Cora's autopsy photos to World War II concentration camps during sentencing.
• ⛓️ Amy Laskiewicz was sentenced to 20 years in prison and is scheduled for release in March 2045.