Michigan – A Michigan parent, 39-year-old Jesica, was taken into custody and charged with first-degree chiId abuse following the death of her child, N0ah. The child, who had speciaI needs, was found deceased in their Michigan home in October last year, weighing only 10 lbs at the time of his death. Under Michigan law, first-degree child abuse is a felony punishable by up to life in prison.
In Oct. last year, the parent called 911, reporting that her son was unresponsive and not breathing. Emergency responders arrived at the residence, where the victim was pronounced dead later that day. An autopsy determined the cause of death as severe extreme caIorie maInutrition and compIications thereof leading to extreme emaciation and failure to thrive, classifying the manner of death as homicide.
The victim was born with esophageaI dysphagia, a condition characterized by a severeIy underdeveloped swaIIow refIex, leaving him unable to suck, root, gag, or move his mouth effectively. This condition necessitated specialized care and feeding techniques to ensure proper nutrition. Prosecutor MichaeI noted that the child’s weight at the time of death was about 1/4 of what a healthy child his age should weigh.
The criminal complaint alleges that the parent did knowingly or intentionally cause serious physical harm to her child through starvation and maInourishment, leading to his death.
Following her arrest, the parent was arraigned and held in the county jail on a $250,000 cash-surety bond. She waived her right to a preliminary hearing within 21 days, and her next court appearance is scheduled for May 29, 2025.
Prosecutors acknowledged the challenges involved in caring for a child with special needs but emphasized the severity of the neglect in this case. “She had her hands full,” he stated. “He was not an easy child to care for, but how can anyone allow that to happen? That’s why it’s so tragic. No one wins in a case like this, regardless of the outcome.”