CALEDONIA, MICH. — Nearly six months after the tragic death of her son, a Caledonia mother is advocating for change to prevent other parents from experiencing similar heartbreak. Brandi Morey-Pols is determined to turn her pain into purpose following the loss of her son, Rowan Morey, who was just six years old.
Rowan was a bright-eyed child full of life and a strong bond with his mother. “He got the tiniest cut on his finger and started crying mommy and then limped over to me. He was very babied, yeah, and I'm so glad about that,” Brandi recalled. She described him as someone who loved his large, blended family, stating, “He talked about us and how big his family is, and how much he loved his huge family with all of his brothers and sissies.”
Rowan's stepdad, Brian Pols, remembered him as “a wonderful kid,” noting his exceptional manners and impressive math skills for a kindergarten student. Unfortunately, Rowan would not have the chance to continue developing those skills.
In August 2024, while staying with his father, Michael Winchell, in Isabella County, Rowan was reported missing after his mother says Winchell failed to show up for a scheduled custody exchange. “I sometimes just feel like I'm just like he's still there, and I'm just waiting for him to come home,” Brandi said. Tragically, Rowan was found dead days later, with reports indicating that Winchell killed him before taking his own life.
Brandi described the anguish she experienced, stating, “It was awful. It was torture. I didn't sleep.”
Brandi and Rowan’s father, Michael Winchell, had shared custody of Rowan for years, but Brandi reported ongoing issues in their co-parenting relationship. She recalled, “I was a hairdresser, so you know, what better way to get back at me?” in reference to multiple instances of Rowan's head being shaved. She added, “So he did this four times. The second time was when I was diagnosed with breast cancer” and “The last time he did, it was right after we got married.”
Brandi also addressed difficulties concerning the return of their son. “He had withheld returning him two or three times before this. It was only for a few hours, but in those hours, oh my gosh, to be his mom,” she said. Although she reported these issues to officials, she felt her concerns were dismissed. “I felt like they thought I was just being ridiculous, and they treated me as such,” she noted.
A Freedom of Information Act request filed by FOX 17 revealed that after Brandi reported Rowan missing, wellness checks were conducted at Winchell's home. However, state policy prevented an Amber Alert from being issued. Brandi expressed frustration, stating, “To get an Amber Alert on a child is so difficult, and if there's a high conflict co-parenting situation, like those sheriffs treated me like, Oh, he's just messing with her. Like, this kid was missing 52 hours before we found out he was gone.”
Rowan's story has reached state lawmakers, including Representative Jerry Neyer, of the 92nd Distict.
They are collaborating to enact legislative changes. Neyer stated, “So we're hoping to modify that law where, when a parent or a guardian makes a request, it can be put into effect sooner. Right now, there was a 24 hour plus waiting period that the local law enforcement couldn't act upon until that was done. And in this case here, that wasn't soon enough.”
Brandi remains committed to her fight in memory of her son. “I won't quit. I want his story out there so much because he was such a light when he was so sweet. He really loved his mom,” she said. “He always wanted to be a superhero, and I can tell you he's already saved some children.”
Neyer's office is currently working on a bill to amend the Amber Alert law, with the aim to introduce it in the House sometime this spring.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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