Mom and Her Boyfriend Allegedly Killed 3-Year-Old to 'Make Room' For Baby of Their Own: Prosecutor
A Michigan man and woman arrested in connection with the 2018 death of the woman's toddler are accused of killing the boy to make way for the child they planned to have together.
The boy, 3-year-old Matthew Maison, was killed on Feb. 18, 2018, the St. Clair County Sheriff's Office said in a statement announcing the arrests of his mother and the mom's ex-boyfriend.
Amanda Maison, 33, and Maurice Houle, 28, were arrested on a first-degree murder charge on Friday, April 11, per the statement.
Houle was Amanda's boyfriend at the time of the killing, per The Detroit News and ClickOnDetroit.
The investigation began when the boy was found dead in his bed by babysitters in his Port Huron Township, Mich., home, per the Times Herald and the Sanilac Broadcasting Company.
During the pair's arraignment on Monday, St. Clair County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Joshua Sparling alleged the suspects abused Matthew for years, culminating in his eventual death, ClickOnDetroit and WPHM reported.
The alleged abuse included locking up the child without food and water and suffocating the child with a pillow over his head, prosecutors said.
Houle and Amanda allegedly admitted the abuse to police, ClickOnDetroit reported, citing Sparling's assertions in court.
Amanda allegedly told police she would hit the child's head against the drywall so "forceful" that it would 'remove the backing of the drywall itself,' Sparling alleged in court.
Sparling alleged in court that the suspects abused and killed Matthew in a bid to 'make room for a child that the two of them could have together,' per the outlet.
Following Matthew's killing, Amanda's father and stepmother publicly advocated for an arrest in the case. Through a Facebook group 'Justice for Matthew,' they organized campaigns to raise awareness about the case.
"The fight is far from over — this is just the beginning. We deeply appreciate each and every one of you in Matthew's Army. Words cannot fully express the enormous support we feel from all of you," his maternal step-grandmother wrote in a Facebook post on Friday.In addition to the murder charge, Houle has also been charged with assaulting/resisting arrest injuring an officer, per online court records, which did not indicate attorney information.
Court records for Amanda also did not show attorney information. Both are being held without bond.
Both have entered not guilty pleas, per ClickOnDetroit.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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