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Child murder case hearing scheduled

Michaela Maupin

ESCANABA — A Gladstone mother charged with murder in the recent drowning death of her 15-month-old child, is scheduled for a preliminary examination in Delta County District Court next month.

Michaela Denise Maupin, 29, was arrested on one count of second-degree murder following investigation into the death of her daughter who drowned in the family’s home on Saturday, Oct. 7.

According to Delta County Prosecutor Philip Strom — who authorized the life felony the following Monday — the toddler “drowned after being unsupervised for an unreasonable amount of time in a bath tub with running water.”

Maupin was arraigned on the murder charge in district court later that day. For six weeks, she has been held in the county jail where she remains lodged in lieu of a $1 million cash bond.

Since her arrest, Maupin has changed attorneys a couple times and investigation into the incident has been on-going. She was initially scheduled for a preliminary examination in district court on Oct. 26. The hearing was postponed to Nov. 9 then postponed again to Dec. 7.

During a preliminary hearing, testimony and other evidence is presented in court and the judge determines whether a crime has been committed and if there is probable cause the defendant may have committed the crime. If so, the case is bound over to circuit court where the defendant may enter a plea or schedule a trial.

According to Gladstone Public Safety, at approximately 5:50 p.m. on Oct. 7, officers were dispatched to the report of an unresponsive 15-month-old child at Thorntree Apartments in Gladstone.

Upon arriving at the residence, officers performed CPR on the toddler who was transported by Rampart Emergency Medical Services to OSF HealthCare St. Francis Hospital emergency room where the child was pronounced deceased.

In addition to Gladstone Public Safety’s on-going investigation, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services also conducted an investigation. The police department also asked for assistance with the case from detectives at Escanaba Public Safety and Gladstone Michigan State Police.

According to Strom, Maupin’s other minor children, two sons, were removed from the home and a petition was filed in Delta County Probate Court for the court to take jurisdiction over the boys.

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