Michigan – A Michigan woman was ordered to spend the next twenty eight to fifty years behind bars for the brutaI murder of a 3-year-old child, Harmony. The 31-year-old defendant, I. Haris, who had been a friend of the victim’s mother, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder earlier this month, admitting to fataIIy assauIting the child while she was looking after her last year.
According to Michigan authorities, the defendant was entrusted with caring for the 3-year-old child, a non-verbaI, autistic girl, at a residence in Michigan. According to prosecutors, the defendant locked the child and her own 1-year-old baby in a room for several hours while she smoked marljuana. When she returned, the 3-year-old had vomited on herself.Enraged, the defendant allegedly poured scaIding water on the child’s face and sIammed her head repeatedly against a tub. The victim was later found unresponsive and was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Michigan authorities responded to the hospital where the 3-year-old girl was taken and found the child already deceased.The defendant initially told the victim’s mother that the child had fallen down the stairs and bumped her head. However, investigators later determined that the injuries were consistent with bIunt force trauma and scaIding burns.
During the sentencing hearing, the victim’s family members addressed the court, expressing their profound sorrow and anger. The victim’s mother, P. EngIand, confronted the defendant, saying, “What’d she do? You can’t even tell me the truth about what happened.” Grandmother Sharia added, “Only God can forgive you because I can’t forgive you right now.”
The defendant, who had been charged with felony murder and first-degree child abuse, entered a plea deal, pleading guilty to second-degree murder. In exchange, the other charges were dropped. At the sentencing, she expressed remorse through her attorney, stating, “I pray for peace and for healing for everyone’s heart. Most of all, I pray for forgiveness for the pain that I have caused you. If I could rewind back today, I would.”
The case has left the Michigan community reeling, highlighting concerns about child safety and the responsibilities of caregivers. Advocates for children have called for increased awareness and stricter regulations to prevent such tragedies.The sentencing serves as a somber reminder of the vulnerability of children and the devastating consequences of abuse.