“I cannot credit the medical staff at Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital enough for the miracle they performed,” said Deputy Police Chief Archie Hamilton.
A 9-month-old baby is lucky to be alive after ingesting a large amount of illegal drugs police say were carelessly left within the infant’s reach.
The incident occurred at around 8 p.m. Feb. 17, in the 4200 block of Quarry. Wyandotte police were asked to investigate a child abuse case after the parents walked into Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital with the lifeless body of their baby boy.
Fortunately, hospital staff took actions that ultimately saved the baby’s life.
Police officers and detectives interviewed all involved parties, collected evidence and executed a search warrant on the residence where the incident occurred.
Investigators concluded that the baby ingested a large dose of illegal narcotics, due to what police referred to as “the reckless actions of his father.”
Child Protective Services is expected to conduct a parallel investigation to ensure the baby’s future safety. The infant’s mother is 21 years old and resides in Wyandotte.
The baby’s father, a 20-year-old River Rouge resident, was arraigned Feb. 19 in front of 36th District Court Magistrate Laura Echartea and charged with child abuse in the second degree, a 10-year felony; and controlled substance possession, a 4-year felony.
He was released on a $20,000 personal bond. His next court date is March 3 at the 27th District Court in Wyandotte.
“I cannot credit the medical staff at Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital enough for the miracle they performed,” said Deputy Police Chief Archie Hamilton. “Oftentimes our society is critical of public services; however, incidents like this one truly represent the work our medical professionals do every single day.”
Despite the tragic nature of this incident, Hamilton said he felt it important to recognize the outstanding work by the members of the Wyandotte Police Department, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, and the staff at Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital.
“It is because of the people who work for these organizations that this baby will get to experience life and have a safe future,” he said. “Additionally, let’s not overlook the fact that the father is a kid himself. Hopefully this incident causes him to rearrange his priorities and act more responsibly.”
