SOLON TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A Kent County mother is facing criminal charges of involuntary manslaughter and child abuse in the death of her son last year.
The charges against 39-year-old Jennifer Louise Mast were just recently authorized, after a lengthy investigation by the Kent County Sheriff's Office.
Back on the morning of August 25, 2023, the Solon Township Fired Department responded to a call for an unresponsive 2-month-old baby at a home near the intersection of 19 Mile Rd. NE and Division Ave.
Investigators say Mast was sleeping in the same bed as the baby. The child's father, a 38-year-old man, was also at the home.
First responders described "deplorable" living conditions in the Solon Township home.
Court documents obtained by FOX 17 detail what Mast allegedly said happened overnight.
She recalled there being a severe thunderstorm the night before, causing the power to go out at the home.
The boy's father was apparently outside for some time attempting to repair a generator.
"Jennifer stated that she had two vodka mixed drinks and a shot of vodka from the bottle of Popov [vodka] that she had bought. She stated that she did not drink the whole bottle, and it was empty because she accidentally spilled it. Jennifer did state that she smoked marijuana right before going to bed," a court document reads.
Investigators allege they found cannabis paraphernalia, and an empty bottle of Popov vodka on the dining room table, at the home.
The document continues, "When she went to bed, Wesley was already sleeping in his bouncy seat. At some point during the night, Wesley woke up and she fed him, changed him, then laid him in bed with her on the edge of the bed between her and the door. In the morning, she woke up while Steven was getting ready for work, and she was facing inwards on the bed, away from Wesley. She rolled over to check on Wesley and noticed that he was cold and not breathing. Jennifer said she grabbed Wesley and ran out to the front porch, and performed CPR until the fire department arrived on scene."
She was arraigned at Kent County's 63rd District Court Wednesday morning, placed on a $25,000 bond.
If convicted on the charges of involuntary manslaughter and second degree child abuse, she could face a sentence of life in prison.
Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye Young tells FOX 17 that the decision to issue criminal charges came after looking at the totality of circumstances surrounding the boy's death.
"It appeared that she inadvertently suffocated the child with her body as she was sleeping,” Sheriff LaJoye-Young explained.
A report by the medical examiner found the boy's cause of death to be asphyxia by suffocation.
In addition to the alleged alcohol and drug paraphernalia found in the Solon Township home, Sheriff LaJoye-Young says there was also a lack of basic amenities available to the children there.
“It was a very dirty home, there was evidence of ongoing drug use at that home, bathroom facilities weren't what they needed to be,” she said Wednesday.
“It's a very big responsibility to care for an infant child, things do happen... but that being said, in this circumstance, what contributed to this death was the behavior of the mom,” Sheriff LaJoye-Young said Wednesday.
“It would have been an accidental death and tragedy, but because the co-sleeping, the impairment, and the overall lack of concern for the safety of that child were present, that's why we're seeking charges.”
