Couple Charged With Child Abuse After 5-Year-Old Found Dead And Malnourished, Investigation Ongoing

The death of 5-year-old Mackenzie Lynn Maison has instigated an investigation into the way her parents cared for her. Officers were called to the 800 block of Oak Street in Port Huron on May 26 at approximately 8:30 p.m. after the young girl became unresponsive. Officers tried to resuscitate her, but she was soon pronounced dead at the scene.

The initial investigation revealed that the young girl was extremely malnourished, as was a 3-year-old sibling. The 3-year old also seemed to be in poor health due to malnourishment and neglect. As a result, the 3-year-old and three other children were removed from the home due to suspected child abuse.

The Voice News reported that one of the children removed from the home was sent to the hospital for treatment.

The parents of the children, Hilery Maison and Andrew Maison, were both arrested and charged with one count of open murder, two counts of first-degree child abuse, and two counts of torture. Neither of the neglectful parents were awarded a bond and are expected to remain in jail until their probable cause conference, which is expected to begin on June 9 at 9 a.m. The preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 16 at 1 p.m.

The Bradford Era shared that Mackenzie was only 25 pounds when police were called to the house on May 26. It was shared that she suffered from pneumonia and a genital infection, in addition to being malnourished. Two of the other children, ages 10 and 1, appeared to be healthy. They were both admitted into foster care during the investigation.

Assistant prosecutor Mona Armstrong stated that the victims in the case were neglected for an extended time.

“There are two victims in this particular case,” Armstrong said. The girls were “severely neglected” and denied food and nourishment over the course of “weeks to months.”

St. Clair County Prosecutor Mike Wendling was disgusted by the case, distraught that the instance of child abuse and neglect happened at all.

“It’s heartbreaking. It’s not the type of case any prosecutor wants to handle, but it has to be handled.”

[Photo Courtesy: Bradford Era]