REED CITY, Mich. — The woman accused of catastrophically injuring her girlfriend’s 4-month-old child has now been charged with murder. Initially facing one count of child abuse, the 31-year-old was arraigned on additional charges after the child was taken off life support.
Renzi McCall, just 4 months old, was taken to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital on July 21 with a long list of apparent injuries.
On July 25, the young girl was taken off life support, leaving a family and community shattered.
It all happened at the apartment on West Franklin shared by Miller and her girlfriend.
Miller was watching Renzi while her biological mom was working. The baby’s mother got off around 1:40 a.m., immediately trying to call Miller.
“She did not answer. She texted her. All of her text messages went unanswered,” court documents obtained by FOX 17 say.
The baby’s mom and a co-worker showed up to the apartment but couldn’t get inside.
Eventually, the pair were able to peek through a bedroom window where they allegedly saw Miller asleep.
After screaming and banging on the window, Miller eventually woke up and let them inside.
“Both females walked into the room and observed the baby in a Pack ‘n Play. The baby was laying on her back, face up, on the top of a blanket. The baby had bruises all over her body. Most notably, a very severe injury to her right eye, orbital, and bruises to her stomach, and bruises to her hip,” court documents explain. “The baby was unresponsive at that time, so Amber McCall’s co-worker felt the baby’s stomach. The baby wasn’t breathing at that point, but two seconds later the baby started to breathe.”
911 was immediately called, and Renzi was taken to the hospital.
Miller was arrested on a count of child abuse and taken into police custody.
Investigators would soon get the chance to speak with her about what happened.
Miller allegedly told them that she had been sober for about three to four months on the night in question.
“So, after three or four months, she said for some reason, she doesn’t understand why, she decided to Door Dash a package of 10 mini shooters of Fireball,” a detective testified. “She is of average height and weight, but she admits that her tolerance is really low to alcohol because she hasn’t drank in four months.”
Miller claimed that the injuries were the result of a series of unfortunate accidents, including a fall from her bed, and a fall from a kitchen counter.
She also claimed that she accidentally slammed the baby's head into a “sharp edge” while walking out of the kitchen.
“She admits that she was the one in charge of the baby’s well-being at that time,” the documents say. “She said the entire night was very blurry.”
She is now facing four counts in all: child abuse (first degree), child abuse (second degree), felony murder and second-degree murder.
While she was initially issued a $150,000 bond on the single child abuse charge, it has since been revoked.
She will remain behind bars for the time being.
On Thursday, FOX 17 spoke to Regina Resseguie and Desiree Gilbert, stepsisters of Savannah Miller. They say they have been trying to sound the alarm about Miller's behavior for years.
“She should not have even been in Reed City; she should have been in jail,” Resseguie said. “Savannah is a really good manipulator.”
They spoke of trying to alert authorities that Miller was a danger to her own biological children: three boys.
“We've always been concerned for their well-being, and if it means protecting them from their own mother, that's what we have to do,” Resseguie said.
Gilbert added, “We have been trying for years to serve justice to her, because this is not the first incident of abuse that Savannah has inflicted on to children,” Gilbert said.
They plan to attend all of Miller’s court hearings, devastated at the loss of life allegedly at the hands of their sister.
“That mother, she had no idea who she moved in with her, because there was never any charges filed on [Miller],” Resseguie explained.
Miller is scheduled to be back in court on Aug. 1. A lot of people will be watching, seeking justice for baby Renzi.
Friends of the baby’s mother have started a GoFundMe to help with the situation.
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