DETROIT – The man suspected of kidnapping Wynter Cole Smith after attacking her mother in Lansing and fleeing police in St. Clair Shores has officially been charged in connection with the 2-year-old girl’s death.
Rashad Maleek Trice, 26, of Detroit, was accused all along of being the one who abducted Wynter from her Lansing home late Sunday night, July 2.
His name was listed on the Amber Alert on Monday morning, with police believing he had attacked his ex-girlfriend -- Wynter’s mother -- before stealing her car and using it to flee the scene with her daughter.
But when Trice was arrested Monday morning in St. Clair Shores, Wynter was not with him, so he wasn’t charged in connection with her disappearance or death.
Wynter was missing for nearly three full days before Detroit police found her body in an alley around 6:50 p.m. Wednesday.
READ: A full timeline of Wynter Cole Smith’s disappearance and discovery
On Friday, Trice was officially charged with kidnapping resulting in death, which carries a sentence of life in prison. He is also charged with kidnapping a minor, which has a minimum sentence of 20 years and a max sentence of life in prison.
“The allegations in this case are heart-wrenching,” U.S. Attorney Mark Totten said. “My thoughts are very much with Wynter’s family, as we were all praying for her safe return home.”
Totten said the kidnapping resulting in death charge is also death penalty eligible.
Other charges
In Ingham County, for the attack on Wynter’s mother, Trice was charged with assault with intent to murder, first-degree home invasion, unlawful imprisonment, aggravated domestic violence (second offense), unlawful driving away of an automobile, felonious assault, and two counts of first-degree criminal sexual assault.
He is also facing charges in Macomb County for fleeing St. Clair Shores police and resisting arrest when they spotted the stolen car. He’s charged with third-degree fleeing and eluding, attempt to disarm an officer, receiving and concealing a motor vehicle, assault with a dangerous weapon, resisting and obstructing causing injury, and three counts of resisting and obstructing a police officer.
Trice was transferred from a Detroit hospital to the Ingham County Jail on Friday morning. He’s being held without bond.
Click here to read a full statement from the family of Wynter Cole Smith.