Plea Entered in Overdose Death of Handy Twp. ChildPlea Entered in Overdose Death of Handy Twp. Child

6/11/14 - A man has entered a plea to criminal charges filed in the overdose death last year of a child in the Fowlerville area. 24-year-old Jared Kyle Brock pleaded guilty as charged today to involuntary manslaughter and 2nd degree child abuse in Livingston County Circuit Court. In exchange, a charge of being a 4th time habitual offender was reduced and prosecutors agreed to a mid-guideline sentencing cap, which could be anywhere up to 30 years in prison. Should the judge exceed that recommendation, Brock will be able to withdraw his plea. Authorities say Brock and 22-year-old Chelsie Lenee Marme were babysitting Brock’s niece August 31st at his mother’s 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 by Poison Control, but failed to do so. They also didn’t tell the child’s paternal grandmother about the pill before leaving the home that afternoon. The child died later that night. Marme entered a similar plea last week and will be sentenced along with Brock on July 17th. She retains parental rights to the couple’ son, while Brock’s parental rights were recently terminated. (JK)