MI - Shylae Thomas, 9, quadriplegic, found dead in storage unit, Flint, March 2009

[Texas Mist]

December 04, 2009 4:05 PM

FLINT, Mich. (AP) - A woman accused of starving her adopted quadriplegic daughter to death in Flint has pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter.

The body of 9-year-old Shylae (Sha-LAY) Thomas was found covered in mothballs in a storage unit near Flint in April. She had been dead for six weeks.

Defense lawyer Mark Clement (kleh-MENT) says Lorrie Thomas pleaded no contest Friday to involuntary manslaughter, four days before she was to go to trial on a second-degree murder charge.

Clement predicts a sentence of 3½ years to seven years in prison. Thomas will return to court on Jan. 11.

http://www.wwmt.com/articles/death-1370036-flint-quadriplegic.html

unfriggin' believable that this coldhearted b*tch got such a short sentence & most likely will be out of prison in a couple of years. :furious: :furious:

 

[Linda7NJ]

December 04, 2009 4:05 PM

FLINT, Mich. (AP) - A woman accused of starving her adopted quadriplegic daughter to death in Flint has pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter.

The body of 9-year-old Shylae (Sha-LAY) Thomas was found covered in mothballs in a storage unit near Flint in April. She had been dead for six weeks.

Defense lawyer Mark Clement (kleh-MENT) says Lorrie Thomas pleaded no contest Friday to involuntary manslaughter, four days before she was to go to trial on a second-degree murder charge.

Clement predicts a sentence of 3½ years to seven years in prison. Thomas will return to court on Jan. 11.

http://www.wwmt.com/articles/death-1370036-flint-quadriplegic.html

unfriggin' believable that this coldhearted b*tch got such a short sentence & most likely will be out of prison in a couple of years. :furious: :furious:

Justice? :sick:

 

[not_my_kids]

Justice? :sick:

I was afraid this would happen. Thank you David Leyton...now you have more time to pursue the REAL bad guys...like the saggy pants violators.

Sorry, our laws are backwards here. This is what was expected by a lot of people that live here.
Since I am local, now I will say that there were rumblings long before that there was something wrong in that house, and there are also rumors that there were 8 total children in the home, but I don't know if that is correct.

There were also allegedly many calls from family ( I believe they estimated between 10 and 30) in the prior months...no response from DHS. They could never tell them what they thought was happening to Shylae, so nothing was done.

Above is mostly local rumor.

 

[momtective]

3 1/2 to 7 years? That's it? Well that is just insane! She murdered this helpless child, stuffed her body in a garbage bag, covered the bag in mothballs and leaves her in a storage building and she gets 3 1/2-7 years...:shakes head:

 

[Lovejac]

When I saw this thread back up, I was hoping to hear she was punished appropriately. This is absolutely outrageous! I am sickened beyond words.

That sweet child had bed sores so severely her bones were sticking through. I honestly wonder how the people involved with prosecuting this case sleep at night!

 

[Turtles]

When I saw this thread back up, I was hoping to hear she was punished appropriately. This is absolutely outrageous! I am sickened beyond words.

That sweet child had bed sores so severely her bones were sticking through. I honestly wonder how the people involved with prosecuting this case sleep at night!

I am sickened and disgusted :furious: RIP Shylae, justice has not been served for you!

 

[PeteyGirl]

Was this sentence limited by the law or was the judge lenient?

 

[Texas Mist]

**updated information**

By Laura Angus | Flint Journal
December 04, 2009, 6:16PM

FLINT, Michigan — A woman accused of neglecting her 9-year-old quadriplegic adoptive daughter then stuffing her body in a plastic storage bin faces up to 15 years in prison for the girl’s death.
....
She had originally been charged with second degree murder for Shylae’s death but agreed to plead no contest to a reduced charge.

Thomas would have faced the possibility of life in prison if convicted on the murder charge but Leyton said Friday that involuntary manslaughter was appropriate under the circumstances.
....
Thomas’ attorney, Mark Clement, said an agreement was reached about Thomas’ plea just hours before she entered the plea.

Clement said he was willing to go to trial in the case but said the sentencing guidelines for involuntary manslaughter limited the amount of prison time she may have gotten if she was convicted.
....
Clement said Thomas pleaded no contest so that she wouldn’t jeopardize her attempts to regain custody of her three children in a pending family court case. :shocked2:

Leyton said his office will seek the maximum 15-year penalty against Thomas when she is sentenced on Jan. 11.

Thomas also pleaded no contest to second-degree child abuse, welfare fraud charges, tampering with evidence and moving a dead body without permission of the medical examiner.

Sentences on those charges would all run concurrent to the sentence for involuntary manslaughter.


Ohhh - puhhhleeeze -- keep those kids away from her!!

I hope she has to serve every.single.day. of her 15 yrs.....it still doesn't seem enough!!

 

[not_my_kids]

So they'll run 15 possible years concurrent with the maximum of 7 on the other charge.

This being MI, where we have an average 7 month jail year, figure she'll get half of the fifteen, so once you whittle that down to 7 months on the year, she'll be out in five.
Justice, I think not.
MI justice...Flint, MI justice...perfect example.
Big Fat MOO.