KENTWOOD, Mich. (WOOD) — The parents of a Kentwood toddler who died from an accidental overdose in June are facing criminal charges in the child’s death.
Kyle Aaron Wood, 27, and Hope Christine Marshall, 26, were charged Wednesday with involuntary manslaughter in the death of their son, Kaiden Wood.
According to an autopsy, the 17-month-old died from “acute Bupropion and Duloxetine toxicity.” Bupropion and Duloxetine are antidepressants and Duloxetine also treats nerve pain.
Court records show trace amounts of cocaine and fentanyl were also found in Kaiden’s system.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed in Kentwood District Court, police responded to a report of a child not breathing on Prince Albert Street SE near Garland Street SE the morning of June 23.
“Officers and detectives found the residence to be in a general state of disarray with numerous hazardous items located throughout the residence. Three loose Wellbutrin pills (Bupropion) were found scattered in the living room, with two on the floor and one on the coffee table,” wrote a Kentwood police detective in the affidavit.
“A soup pot filled with vomit and a marijuana pipe were also located on the living room floor. One and one-third Xanax pills were located on the kitchen counter. One broken Acetaminophen pill was located on the floor of the hallway. A strawberry Breeze vape pen was located in the victim’s crib.”
According to the affidavit, police returned to the residence on Aug. 30 to conduct an additional search, which “led to the discovery of five uncapped needles stuck into a mattress and an additional vape pen in a drawer of the coffee table.”
The detective went on to note that Hope Marshall acknowledged the Wellbutrin discovered in the living room was hers. Marshall allegedly told police “she takes three (Wellbutrin) with her coffee each morning.”
The court record reported Kaiden’s father said he had seen Wellbutrin pills on the ground before he went to bed the night prior to Kaiden’s death.
According to a report from the Kent County Medical Examiner’s office, Marshall said she’d last seen Kaiden alive at 7 a.m. when he awoke.
“He was fed some cheerios and was laid back in his crib around 8:00 a.m. At 10:00 a.m., she went to check on him and he was cold and blue in his crib. She removed him from the crib and placed him on the living room floor,” wrote an investigator with the medical examiner’s office.
The M.E.’s report also noted paramedics on scene attempted resuscitation but were unsuccessful because the child’s jaw was already too rigid.
“He was in full rigor mortis at the time of arrival of EMS. He was pronounced deceased at 10:25 a.m. on 6/23/22,” wrote the investigator.
Marshall and Wood’s bonds were set at $250,000 cash/surety each during arraignment Wednesday afternoon in Kentwood District Court. They are expected back in court Oct. 17 for a hearing. If convicted, they could face up to 15 years in prison.