Derricka Fleming Clinton Township mom charged with 5 year old son freezing to death in park after leaving boy alone only for him to wander outside into the elements and die during Michigan winter.
A Michigan mother has been charged with the death of her 5-year-old son, after the boy wandering away from a Clinton Township home during the evening only to be found frozen to death the following morning.
Prosecutors said that Derricka Fleming, 24, put her son, Lamar Tyrone Mitchell, to bed in their apartment on January 23 before going upstairs to visit a neighbor, at the Saravilla Apartments, The Detroit News reported.
While she was gone, the boy got out of bed and left the apartment. He was later found in a nearby park and pronounced dead at a hospital.
Mother held to account
Fleming who was arraigned on Wednesday on one count of involuntary manslaughter faces up to 15 years in prison if she’s convicted.
‘As the prosecutor in this case, we are deeply saddened by the tragic and preventable loss of a young life,’ Macomb County Prosecutor Pete Lucido said. ‘The charges against Derricka Fleming reflect the gravity of the situation and the responsibility she bears in the death of her son.’
Lucido said that ‘the evidence suggests a severe breach of parental duty and neglect that led to this devastating outcome.’
While noting, ‘We will vigorously pursue justice for the victim and hold the defendant accountable for her actions. Our thoughts and condolences go out to the family and loved ones affected by this heartbreaking incident.’
