A South Dakota mother, Naomia Prairie, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after authorities say she let her disabled son “rot” in a motel room. Prairie pleaded guilty to charges of child abuse and neglect of a disabled adult after her 18-year-old son, Donny Merrival—a quadriplegic—was found dead, weighing only 80 pounds. Prosecutors said his body resembled a Holocaust victim due to extreme malnourishment and neglect.
Investigators revealed that Donny wasn’t fed or bathed, was exposed to illegal drugs, and died in the motel room where Prairie lived with him and a 7-year-old child. Instead of calling for help, Prairie fled after her son’s death. The younger child, who had never attended school, was also found malnourished and had been taught to use methamphetamine by other adults.
Officials called the abuse “shocking” and “haunting.” Thankfully, the 7-year-old has begun recovering since being removed from Prairie’s care. The case serves as a reminder of the critical need to protect society’s most vulnerable.
