Charges amended to murder for woman whose 2 kids were found dead in freezer

Mitchelle Blair charged with murder, torture, child abuse

DETROIT – The Detroit woman whose two children were found dead in her home freezer has been charged with murder.

Mitchelle Blair, 35, was arraigned on the amended charges Thursday morning at a probable cause hearing. A not-guilty plea was entered on her behalf.

Blair had been previously charged with child abuse. However, the amended charges are felony murder, premeditated murder, torture, and first-degree child abuse.

Blair has been held on a $1 million bond and is now in the custody of the Wayne County Sheriff. She will undergo psychiatric competency evaluations -- one by a state doctor and one by an independent doctor -- and is scheduled to be back in court on Friday, June 19.

Blair's attorney Wyatt Harris asked for the two different psychiatric evaluations because he says his client is incompetent.

"There are times when she can communicate in a very effective manner, and there are times when she can't," said Harris.

Blair did not say anything during Thursday's court hearing. A tattoo on her right forearm was visible. It reads "Property Of ... " followed by the names of all four of her children and the father of two of the children, whose name is crossed off.

Court officers serving an eviction notice at Blair's home on March 24 found the bodies of Stoni Ann Blair and Stephen Gage Berry in the family's deep freezer.

Prosecutors said they think the two children died about two years ago, and that Stoni was 13 and Stephen was 9 when it happened.

Autopsies revealed the children were killed by blunt force trauma and thermal injuries.

Mitchelle Blair has two other surviving children, a 17-year-old girl and 8-year-old boy. Both had been living in the home, but have been placed in protective custody.

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