Morgan Moore (b. approximately 2006) died due to medical neglect at the hands of his parents, Dominique and Cynthia Moore. At the time of Morgan’s death, nine of the Moore’s children, both adults and minors, were living in the home. Moore and his six minor siblings were homeschooled. They ranged in age from 5 to 15 years old.
Morgan was fond of Japanese culture, and was excited to travel. His sister also described him as an artist. According to his sister, he was transgender, but many family members refused to accept his identity. According to Cynthia Moore, Morgan suffered from multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and symptoms of long COVID. He also had an abscess on his back that was left untreated. At the time of his death, he was unable to walk or care for himself. In spite of his worsening condition, Morgan had not seen a doctor for two years.
The Moores isolated Morgan and his siblings from their surroundings. Their paternal grandmother, Cynthia Jones, recalls that the little contact children had outside of the immediate family was through their XBOX console. Neighbors hardly saw the children. Detectives noted that the family lived in squalor: toilets did not function, windows were covered with blankets, and animal feces was scattered throughout the home. According to some reports, the Moores belonged to a death cult and would make the entire family lie in caskets.
The Moores homeschooled and submitted requisite documents to the Montgomery County District. The district has declined to answer questions about their records. When interviewed by police, none of the six children were able to describe what they did for school. The children showed signs of developmental delays, and had not received medical care or childhood vaccinations.
The abuse came to light on May 10, 2022, when Morgan choked while trying to swallow apple juice. A sibling called 911 while Cynthia Moore attempted to administer CPR. Morgan was dead by the time paramedics arrived, and weighed only 79 pounds with clothes on.
The six minor children were removed from the home and placed in foster care after Morgan’s death. After a year-long investigation, police determined that Morgan would have lived if he had received medical attention during the months leading up to his death, and Dominique and Cynthia Moore were charged with second-degree murder and neglect. The case is ongoing.
Note: at the time of writing, several of the sources listed misgender Morgan.
Date: May 10, 2022
Location: Montgomery Village, Montgomery County, Maryland
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