Posted for: Hauviette
A 55-year-old woman in Michigan has been charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of her 11-year-old adopted daughter, who authorities say died after the mother allegedly sat on her until she lost consciousness.
Sherry Leak was taken into custody over the weekend, according to the Fruitport Township Police Department. She faces one count of manslaughter in the death of Mialah Leak.
Police were called to a home in the Clover Estates Mobile Home Park, roughly 190 miles northwest of Detroit, after a report of an unresponsive child. First responders found Mialah unconscious and not breathing. Emergency medical personnel attempted to revive her but were unsuccessful. Leak was arrested at the scene.
Deputy Police Chief Gregory Poulson told the Grand Haven Tribune that the 911 call was placed by Leak. He said initial reports indicated a possible physical altercation between mother and daughter, possibly involving restraint. “Unfortunately, the 11-year-old did pass away, and there was an autopsy conducted today. Our detectives are continuing to investigate this incident,” Poulson said.
At her arraignment in Muskegon County District Court on Tuesday, prosecutors provided further details about the allegations. Muskegon County Prosecutor’s Chief Trial Attorney Matt Roberts said, “The evidence at this point has led us to the conclusion that the defendant, by her own admission, did sit on the child, and that appears to have been the cause of death here.” The autopsy results are still pending.
Following Leak’s arrest, Child Protective Services filed a petition to terminate her parental rights to Mialah’s twin sister, who was reportedly hospitalized after the incident.
Leak is being held at the Muskegon County Jail on a $100,000 bond. A public defender has been appointed, and she is scheduled to appear in court on December 9 for a probable cause hearing.
A neighbor told WZZM that Leak adopted the twins at a young age but described her relationship with Mialah as contentious. “They fight a lot. I’ve seen some things I would rather not see, and I’ve heard things I’d rather not hear,” the neighbor said. “You live in a trailer park. You see everything, you hear everything in it.”