Macomb County Mom Charged After Son Wandered From Home And Froze To Death: Prosecutors

CLINTON TOWNSHIP, MI — A mother is facing charges after her 5-year-old wandered from a Clinton Township home and froze to death at a nearby park in January, according to the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office.

Derricka Fleming, 24, was charged with involuntary manslaughter, which carries up to 15 years in prison. She was placed in jail with a cash bond at $100,000. If released, she will be required to wear a GPS tether. Her next court date is June 12.

Prosecutors said Fleming put her 5-year-old son, Lamar Tyrone Mitchell, to bed in their Clinton Township apartment on Jan. 23 and went upstairs to visit a neighbor.

While Fleming was upstairs, the boy got out of bed and left the apartment, prosecutors said.

Officers searched the area around the apartment complex and found the boy at a nearby park near Harper Avenue and 15 Mile Road, officials said.

Police took the boy to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead, officials said. Prosecutors said the boy froze to death.

No further information was released.

"As the prosecutor in this case, we are deeply saddened by the tragic and preventable loss of a young life," Macomb County Prosecutor Pete Lucido said. "The charges against Derricka Fleming reflect the gravity of the situation and the responsibility she bears in the death of her son. The evidence suggests a severe breach of parental duty and neglect that led to this devastating outcome."