WAYNE, Mich. – A mother in Wayne was bound over for trial Monday on murder charges in connection with the death of her 3-year-old daughter.
Cassandra Kay Michalski, 24, is charged with felony murder and first-degree child abuse.
ORIGINAL REPORT: Death of a 3-year-old leads to homicide investigation in Wayne County
According to prosecutors, Michalski took her daughter to the hospital at about 8 p.m. Nov. 10, 2017. Skyler Rayne Michalski was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Authorities said hospital staff became suspicious and alerted authorities.
Officers were dispatched to the home in the 34400 block of John Street to investigate.
Prosecutors say Skyler was brought to the hospital with injuries on her head, neck and back. The medical examiner determined the cause of death was abusive head trauma.
Preliminary hearing underway
Michalski’s mother took the stand and told the court about her involvement in the care of the two children.
She broke down in tears at the mention of Skyler’s name.
Rita Bradybaugh, a nurse at Beaumont hospital, was called to the stand and told the court about the night Michalski arrived at the hospital.
Bradybaugh said that Michalski told hospital officials that her son had “jumped up and down on her daughter’s head.”
The defense attorney asked Bradybaugh about what type of information is recorded at the hospital.
Diana Lynn Shirkey, a case manager at the hospital, took the stand and discussed the conversation she had with Michalski at the hospital.
The case manager said Michalski alleged her daughter had fallen several times from a gate over the previous few days.
Joshua Lige Bailey Coaltrain was called to the stand to discuss their relationship and the children’s living conditions.
Michalski and her two children lived with Coaltrain for about six months.
They were staying with Coaltrain on the night of Nov. 10, 2017.
Coaltrain described the evening Skyler was found unresponsive. He said he woke to the sound of Michalski screaming. Skyler’s lips were blue.
He said Skyler had suffered bruises while staying with father just days before her death.
Det. Stephen Perez of the Wayne Police Department told the court about the night at the hospital.
Perez was called to the hospital. After brief interviews at the hospital, he obtained a search warrant for the home.
He was asked about a pillow and a dresser in the home that appeared to have been stained with blood. Testing revealed that the stain on dresser was not blood. Test results had not come back on the pillow.
Derrick Jordan, an interviewer with Michigan State Police, was called to the stand to discuss the conversation he had with Michalski.
Jordan read Michalski’s written statement into the record, which described an injury in the bathtub. The statement included two incidents after the bath where Skyler fell out of her mother’s arms.
The defense asked Jordan about the interview procedure.