Commerce Township Man in Custody Following Infant’s Death
(OCSO, Dec. 11, 2021)
Commerce Township, MI – A 1-year-old Commerce Township boy died Friday, hours after he was found unresponsive in the bathtub with his face under water while his father – who had been bathing him – was in another room. Sheriff Michael Bouchard said Detectives are investigating possible child neglect charges against the father, a 37-year-old Commerce Township man. He is in custody in the Oakland County Jail. “It is heartbreaking to see a tragedy such as this which is so easily prevented,” Bouchard said. “We intend to hold this father fully accountable for this senseless death.”
The incident happened about 11:18 a.m. Friday at a home in the 8000 block of Bywater. Deputies were called to the home on the report of a possible drowning. The 1-year-old was unconscious and not breathing when Deputies arrived to find the mother performing CPR. Deputies took over until Commerce Township fire paramedics arrived.
The child died Friday evening at Children’s Hospital in Detroit. The father told Deputies he was bathing the child when his phone rang. The father went into another room to answer the phone. The mother was at the store at the time.
Deputies said the father was unsteady and abnormally calm when describing what had happened to his son. He was later interviewed at the Sheriff’s Office Commerce Township substation. While seated in the interview room, he fell asleep and slumped over in his chair. He was taken to an area hospital for further treatment. Blood was drawn from the father to search for evidence of possible illegal drug use.
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