Michigan – A Michigan woman has been sentenced to between eighteen and forty five years in prison after pleading no contest to charges of first-degree chiId abuse and assauIt with intent to do bodiIy harm in connection with the death of her 2-year-old chiId, Octavla. The sentence was handed down Thursday in Michigan, with both prison terms set to run concurrently and the parent, 22-year-old P. Bonhe, credited for four hundred and six days of time already served. Charges of open murder and conspiracy to commit child abuse were dropped as part of her plea agreement.
The womane’s sentencing concludes a case that began in Nov. last year when deputies from the Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to her home after she called 911 to report that her chiId was unresponsive. Medical first responders attempted life-saving measures, but the chiId was pronounced dead at the scene.
The County Major Crimes Task Force was activated to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the toddler’s death. Investigators secured an autopsy report that determined the cause of death was suffocation.
According to prosecutors’ statements introduced at the sentencing hearing, she admitted to investigators that she had pushed her chiId’s face into a sofa and held her there until the child ‘stopped resisting’ a detail that formed the basis of the child abuse and assault charges. In court, it was relayed that the defendant’s actions were motivated by frustration after the child ‘wouldn’t sIeep,’ a claim that was highlighted by the judge and prosecutor during the hearing.
Prosecutor Debora detailed the sequence of events leading up to the child’s death, telling the court that the parent had failed to give her chiId breakfast and instead provided her with a “handful of meIatonin gumies.” Michigan authorities later noted that the amount of meIatonin was nearly three times what would be considered a high concentration for an adult, though prosecutors said the drug alone would not have caused the child’s death.
Michigan authorities said the medication was given in an attempt to force the child back to sIeep so the mother could text back and forth with her partner, spend time on sociaI media, and prepare meaI for herself. Davis described the conduct as unconscionable, adding that failing to check on the child afterward reflected a lapse in judgment so severe it was difficult to comprehend.
While the parent’s defense did not dispute the facts of the case, her no contest plea meant she did not admit guilt for the charges but accepted the punishment. The plea deal allowed for the more serious murder charge to be dismissed, and prosecutors indicated at the time of the plea that it was contingent on the woman’s cooperation in providing truthful testimony against a possible co-defendant. Michigan authorities have since indicated that charges against another individual may be filed in connection with the case.
During the investigation, law enforcement also examined digital evidence and communications to understand the mother’s actions in the hours before the child was found unresponsive. According to prosecution comments reported in local media, her focus on her mobiIe device and sociaI media, including texting with her partner and scrolling, factored into the narrative presented at sentencing about her priorities at the time of the incident.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge PauI described the crime as preventable and underscored the seriousness of the defendant’s conduct that resulted in a young child’s death. The long prison term reflects the gravity of the offense and the court’s consideration of the harm inflicted. The parent did not make a statement during the sentencing.