2/10/14 - A plea was entered last week in a custody case by a former Fowlerville woman facing separate criminal charges in the overdose death last year of a child. 22-year-old Chelsie Lenee Marme pleaded no contest on Friday in a neglect/abuse case after authorities say she failed to help the 4-year-old niece of her boyfriend after she swallowed his prescription opiate medication and later died. The case in Livingston County Family Court concerns the future custody of her infant son, who is now in foster care. Meanwhile, Marme and the childâs father, 24-year-old Jared Kyle Brock, remain charged with involuntary manslaughter and second-degree child abuse in Livingston County District Court. A preliminary exam will be held February 28th to determine if thereâs enough evidence to send their criminal case to trial. Authorities say the pair were babysitting Brockâs niece August 31st at his motherâs home in Handy Township when the child is believed to have swallowed a Suboxone pill that belonged to Brock. The synthetic opiate is normally used for treatment of opiate dependence. Authorities say Brock and Marme were twice told to take the child to the hospital, first by friends they had called and then Poison Control, but failed to do so. They also didnât tell the childâs paternal grandmother about the pill before leaving the home that afternoon. The child died later that night. Brock and Marme initially denied knowledge of the pill, but later admitted the child had swallowed it. Livingston County Prosecutor Bill Vailliencourt tells WHMI that while they have agreed not to seek the termination of Marmeâs parental rights at this time, they have reserved the right to do so upon conclusion of the criminal case. The termination of Brockâs parental rights, however, is proceeding in March. (JK)
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