Mother sentenced to probation after 2 young kids found alone in Detroit motel

DETROIT – A mother faced sentencing Monday for a reduced child abuse charge after her two young children were found alone at a motel in Detroit.

Michelle Penick, 24, was originally charged with two counts of second-degree child abuse. One count was dismissed and the other was reduced to fourth-degree child abuse in which she pleaded guilty.

The two children -- a 1-year-old girl and a 7-month-old boy -- were found March 27 at the Cranbrook Motel on the Lodge Freeway service drive near 8 Mile Road.

“The court is going to reluctantly adopt this sentence agreement,” Judge Mark Slavens said. “Your attorney has done a wonderful job for you. What you did is absolutely reprehensible with regard to your children.”

Penick was sentenced to five years of probation.

Police were investigating a shooting that occurred in front of the motel when they noticed a bullet hole in a window of a motel room. Officers did a well-being check of the room and found the children unsupervised.

Authorities alleged Penick left the children alone at about 1 a.m. She was taken into custody just before 5 p.m.

Sources said a man was walking through the parking lot of the motel, heard some people arguing and then heard shots fired. He was hit by gunfire. Police said he is going to survive. 

The children were given to the biological father of the 1-year-old girl. He is not the boy's father, but he would care for them both, police said.

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