A 30-year-old Wayne woman has been charged with first-degree child abuse and felony murder in the death of her 8-year-old daughter.
Chelsea Renee Duperon, 30, is accused of inflicting the head and neck injuries that resulted in the death of her child. A not guilty plea was entered for her during a court
hearing last week. She was remanded to police custody without bail due to the severity of the charges and a danger to the community, according to court records.
The charges stem from an incident reported at about 5:30 a.m. March 16 when Wayne police officers were dispatched to a home in the 35000 block of
Phyllis Street near Wayne Road and Michigan Avenue in response to a 911 call.
The caller told dispatchers that an 8-year-old child had fallen down the stairs and was not breathing.
When officers arrived on the scene they found the unresponsive 8-year-old in a bedroom with severe head and neck injuries. Duperon told officers her daughter had fallen down the stairs but when questioned about obvious swelling on her own hand, Duperon told officers that her daughter was possessed by spirits, according to police reports.
The Special Investigation Section of the Michigan State Police Second District was requested at 7:30 a.m. to take charge of the investigation.
Investigators interviewed Duperon’s boyfriend who said the child had been severely injured during the previous week and suffered serious injuries and swelling. Reportedly, Duperon purchased diapers for the injured child who could not get out of bed. The boyfriend told investigators he did not take the child to a hospital as he was not the father of the child.
According to a report from the Wayne County Coroner’s officer, the child might have survived with medical attention.
