SC teen weighed 47 pounds when he died. His mother is charged with his murder

The mother of a Spartanburg teen, who weighed only 47 pounds when he died, has been charged with his murder, according to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.

Hope Rae Fish, 38, “continually neglected her medically fragile child’s needs with a depraved indifference to human life” which resulted in his death, one affidavit read.

Robert Blake Fish, 13, died at the Spartanburg Regional Medical Center on Oct. 8, 2022. The teen had been diagnosed earlier in his life with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, a condition characterized by seizures and developmental delays.

Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger said the cause of death — ruled as a homicide — was determined to be malnutrition and dehydration, on top of withholding seizure medication.

According to affidavits, the teen’s medication had not been administered for months before his death and doctor’s orders were not followed. He was not provided proper nutrition or basic hygiene, and at the time of his death he had lost the ability to walk. Also, the home he lived in was in “deplorable” condition.

On Wednesday, Hope Fish was charged with murder, inflicting great bodily injury on a child and unlawful conduct toward a child, SLED said.

Two other family members, who were caretakers, were also involved, according to affidavits. The child’s uncle, Freddie Lee Fish II, 33, was charged with accessory before the fact to a violent felony and unlawfully placing a child at risk.

The child’s grandfather, Freddie Lee Fish, 64, was charged with unlawfully placing a child at risk.

The three were booked at the Spartanburg County Detention Center.

The 7th Circuit Solicitor’s Office will prosecute the case, SLED said.

This story was originally published April 27, 2024 at 1:47 PM.

Alexa Jurado

The State

Alexa Jurado is a news reporter for The State covering Lexington County and Richland County schools. She previously wrote about the University of South Carolina and contributes to this coverage. A Chicago suburbs native, Alexa graduated from Marquette University and previously wrote for publications in Illinois and Wisconsin. Her work has been recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists, the Milwaukee Press Club and the South Carolina Press Association.