Babysitter Charged In Death Of Infant Killed By Scalding Bath Water
PONTIAC (WWJ) - An 18-year old Pontiac woman faces manslaughter charges for allegedly killing her baby cousin by holding her in scalding bath water.
Breeze Henke was arrested Thursday by the Oakland County Sheriff's Fugitive Apprehension Team after a year-long investigation into the case.
Investigators say Henke lied when she initially claimed another young child had turned up the hot water that burned Samaria Chambers from the stomach down.
Henke, who was 17 years old at the time, was mad at the baby because she'd soiled her diaper, Sheriff's officials said. Henke was babysitting several of her aunt's kids at the time of the incident.
An expert at Detroit Children's Hospital — where Samaria died one day before her first birthday — said the girl's burns were consistent with being held down in bath water that reached 158 degrees.
The Wayne County Medical Examiner ruled Samaria died of burns and multiple infections. She was hospitalized for about two weeks before she succumbed to her injuries on Aug. 8, 2014.
Henke, who is also charged with second degree child abuse, was arraigned Friday in 50th District Court. Bond was set at $250,000 cash or surety and the next court date in the case was scheduled for Aug. 25.
Henke faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.