With his arraignment yesterday afternoon, more details have emerged about a Tuscola County parent arrested over the weekend after the death of a one-year-old child Sunday.
Brian Stewart Elswick, age 26 of Caro, was arraigned in Tuscola County’s 71-B District Court on Monday, February 12, on five charges, including a count each of open murder and first degree child abuse, and three counts of lying to a peace officer.
Elswick was one of several adults interviewed Friday, February 9, after first responders were called for a medical emergency involving a child at his home at 3086 E. Deckerville Road in Caro. A Tuscola County Sheriff’s deputy was the first to arrive at the scene, reportedly observing signs of child abuse and/or neglect as he provided first aid to the unresponsive toddler.
As investigation efforts began, the child, a one-year-old boy, was transported to a Saginaw hospital and later airlifted to a higher-level trauma center for care. Unfortunately, he ultimately passed from his injuries on Sunday, February 11, with it determined that the child had suffered a traumatic brain injury.
After interviewing family members, including the child’s parents, as part of their investigation, the sheriff’s office arrested the child’s father on Saturday, February 10. It was later learned that Elswick was involved in a similar incident in Michigan’s Oakland County, which saw his other biological son suffer significant physical injuries at only 10-months old in October 2022.
During his Monday arraignment, Elswick was given a $500,000 cash/surety bond. He is next due in court on February 20, with his preliminary examination scheduled for February 27. 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.”
