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A Michigan mother was charged with first-degree murder and child abuse after police allegedly discovered the decomposing body of her three-year-old son in a freezer, according to Sunday reports.
The mother, identified by The Detroit News as 31-year-old Azuradee France, was also charged with torture and concealing the death of an individual, according to prosecutor Kym Worthy, The Associated Press (AP) reported. Police discovered the child’s body Friday when they performed a wellness check at a residence on the 12760 block of Monte Vista Street in Detroit, according to The Detroit News. While specific details around the child’s death are still being investigated, the medical examiner ruled the death a homicide, according to the outlet.
In addition to allegedly discovering the child’s body in the basement freezer, police said they found five other children living in poor conditions, The Detroit News reported.
BREAKING: Wayne Prosecutor Kym Worthy has charged Azuradee France, 31, of Detroit in connection to an investigation involving a deceased toddler that was found inside of a freezer inside a Detroit home. https://t.co/kCnAO1sKPb
— WXYZ Detroit (@wxyzdetroit) June 26, 2022
Following the discovery and her arrest, France was arraigned and remanded to jail Sunday, according to The AP. The five other children have since been placed in Child Protective Services (CPS) custody, the outlet indicated. (RELATED: Idaho Couple Convicted Of Two Felonies For Starving Adopted Daughter)
France’s family said they had called CPS in the past prior to the child’s death, WXYZ Detroit reported. The family said there was a May incident where the child had been burned, which his mother allegedly said was the result of him touching a cup of hot noodles, according to the outlet. The child’s aunt, Tyshanna France, told WXYZ Detroit her sister allegedly had a history of abusing children. France reportedly said that she previously had custody of her nephew when he was two months old and her sister had lost custody of her children.
France’s other sister, Azvante Sauls, also spoke with WXYZ, claiming that she’d fought with her sister to take custody of her nephew but France refused.
France has a probable cause conference scheduled for July 8, according to The AP.
