HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. – Two people are expected to face charges Wednesday in the death of a 4-year-old boy from Highland Park.
According to the Wayne County Medical Examiner, Robert Byrd died from starvation and neglect.
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Byrd lived with his aunt and uncle in a home at 229 California Street. Paramedics were called to the home Sunday. They took the boy to the hospital, where he died a short time later.
Police said boy's death is classified as a homicide, and that the aunt and uncle will be charged Wednesday.
The aunt's sister was stunned by the pending charges.
"No, it's not possible for my sister to have done this," said Connie Brown. "I just can?t understand that."
Byrd and his 6-year-old brother have lived with the aunt since their mother died of heart disease in 2007. The family moved into the home on California Street in March, but other relatives said they don't know where the aunt and uncle lived prior to that.
"She wanted them because those were her sister's kids," Brown said. "The fact that he?s gone and the way that he's gone is unbelievable."
According to the medical examiner, Byrd's body showed signs of long term abuse, rope burns, cut and burns.
A relative of the uncle was not surprised by the allegations.
Darryl Jimmerson said family members were not welcome in the couple's home. . "We never seen him (the uncle), his wife or the kids," said Jimmerson.
Jimmerson said the man in custody is his nephew.
When asked if he thought his nephew could have harmed the boy, Jimmerson said, "Yes. Yes he is capable of such a thing. He's weird. I swear to God. He's weird."
Jimmeson also described his nephew has erratic, unstable and prone to fits of anger.
Tuesday, Local 4 News learned that the aunt has had run-ins with the law in the past and that the neighbor of a family member has taken out a personal protection order against the aunt.
Police said the other children in the home on California, who did not show signs of abuse, have been placed in protective custody.
"I feel awful ... losing a son. I lost my other soul," said Byrd's father, Anthony, who was in prison.
Anthony Byrd said he has been granted visitation to his 6-year-old son while he is in foster care.
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Neighbor Reginald Bennett said the family moved to the neighborhood earlier this spring.
"The kids would just play outside for hours at a time by themselves pretty much until sunrise. They'd be out all day unsupervised," he said.