Gaston County woman charged in the death of autistic non-verbal woman who died of ‘severe’ malnutrition, court records say
She weighed around 80 pounds when she died
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DALLAS, N.C. (WBTV) – A Dallas woman was charged last week in the death of a 23-year-old woman, who required around the clock care in October 2025, according to Gaston County court records.
Around 11:40 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, Gastonia police said they found 23-year-old Aaliyah Michelle Fortner dead inside a home off Greenbrook Trail in Dallas, North Carolina.
Gastonia police said on Sunday before they found Fortner’s body, they responded to a vehicle crash on Interstate 85 northbound near exit 21 involving a semi-truck. The driver was identified as 59-year-old Marlo Wallace.
Officials said that Wallace was taken to a hospital where she allegedly told officers they would find a dead person inside her home off Greenbrook. Wallace allegedly took care of people with various disabilities. An autopsy said that Wallace attempted suicide earlier in the day.
An investigation by the North Carolina Medical Examiner said that police found a 23-year-old woman who was best described as “non verbal and profoundly autistic requiring around the clock care.” Fortner was found dead in the bedroom of Wallace’s home.
An autopsy said that Fortner had “severe intellectual disability, autism, and mood disorder and died of malnutrition. She weighed 75% less than her ideal body weight at the time of death. Fortner weighed around 80 pounds when she died and was reportedly 143 pounds at her last documented personal medical appointment six months ago.
The autopsy said that Fortner was found unclothed and only covered in a blanket. There was extensive blunt force injuries to her head, torso, and extremities. The injuries happened anywhere between within the last few hours and days to past two weeks, according to an autopsy.
The North Carolina Medical Examiner’s Office said that Fortner’s cause of death was “severe-protein calorie malnutrition due to inadequate nutritional intake due to caregiver neglect,” they ruled it a homicide.
On June, 4, Wallace was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Fortner, according to Gaston County court records.
Police charged Wallace on Nov. 7, 2025, with concealment of death from unnatural causes, patient abuse and neglect, felon assault of an individual with disabilities.
She was booked into the Gaston County Jail under a $1.5 million bond.
A second person, 55-year-old Vera Williams, was charged with patient abuse and neglect and felony assault of an individual with disabilities.