A Tuscola County parent is facing a charge of homicide and child abuse in the first degree after the death of a one-year-old child Sunday.
First responders were dispatched to a home in Tuscola County’s Ellington Township on Friday, February 9, for a medical call involving a child. Initial reports indicated to responders that the one-year-old was in medical distress and possibly not breathing, which was confirmed by a Tuscola County Sheriff’s deputy who arrived at the scene first and found that the child was unresponsive.
As the officer began providing first aid, they immediately saw signs of possible neglect and/or abuse, with a criminal investigation beginning right away. The child was transported to a Saginaw hospital and later airlifted to a higher-level trauma center, but ultimately passed from their injuries on Sunday, February 11.
After interviewing family members, including the child’s parents, as part of their investigation, the sheriff’s office arrested one of the parents Saturday, February 10, for first degree child abuse and lying to the police, with a homicide charge added Sunday.
The Tuscola County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate this incident. They were assisted on scene by the Caro Police Department, MSP, MMR, and the Caro Fire Department. As the investigation develops, the sheriff’s office noted that some reported details may later turn out to be different than what was initially shared.
In a statement on social media, the Tuscola County Sheriff’s Office noted that, “These types of calls are not easy for officers and families,” before extending their “deepest sympathy…to family members dealing with this incident.”
