Unidentified woman - murder of quadriplegic child - MI
Disabled girl's body found in bag By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Bookmark and Share The body of a nine-year-old quadriplegic Shylea Thomas was found in a Michigan storage unit. (AP) DETROIT - The adoptive mother of a nine-year-old quadriplegic girl whose body was found in a plastic bag in a storage unit has been arrested in her death, and is a blood relative of the girl, a prosecutor said Thursday. The unidentified woman was arrested Wednesday after the discovery of Shylea Thomas's body, said Special Assistant Genesee County Prosecutor John Potbury. She faces charges ranging from misdemeanour moving a corpse to felony murder, Potbury said. Shylea's body was found Wednesday in a plastic bag in a storage bin. Moth balls were scattered on top of the bag to mask any smells. Authorities said they were told by the family that Shylea had been paralyzed since nearly suffocating in her crib as an infant. Prosecutor David Leyton described conditions at her home as "absolutely filthy." "It appears that Shylea had a rough go in life," Leyton said in a statement. The statement said relatives of the girl told state Human Services department workers that Shylea had not been seen in six weeks. Officials notified police, who learned late Tuesday or early Wednesday that the girl was dead and her body hidden in the storage facility. http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2009/04/23/9221141-ap.html