PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Plymouth Township police said a disturbing series of investigations tied to the same household has led to disturbing charges, including child abuse, torture, unlawful imprisonment, and narcotics trafficking.
“To have someone mauled, and then to uncover all of these other allegations afterward, it’s very concerning,” Plymouth Township Police Chief James H. Knittel Jr told Local 4.
The Investigators on Local 4 obtained reports surrounding the cases against Kelita Yolanda Jackson-Holland, 56, and her boyfriend, Edward Alan Turner, 56, who are now facing multiple felony charges, including first-degree child abuse, torture, drug charges, and felony firearm.
“This neighborhood has really been jarred by this situation,” Knittel said. “It’s a very quiet neighborhood, and all of a sudden you have all these negative issues developing.”
The violent dog mauling
The investigation into the couple began after a brutal dog mauling on March 28, then escalated into two separate cases, police said.
Dispatchers received multiple 911 calls around 6:30 a.m. reporting that a jogger was being attacked by three dogs, two Cane Corsos and a Pitbull.
Police said this was the second time the dogs had gotten loose from the home on Beacon Hill Circle.
“The callers said the man was lifeless, not protecting himself,” Knittel said.
Police said one dog was shot after allegedly lunging at officers.
A second dog was captured safely.
A third dog escaped and was later shot after police said it charged at an officer.
Investigators later determined the dogs had escaped from the same Beacon Hill Circle home the previous day, had been returned by their owners, and had gotten loose again the next morning.
The victim, a man in his mid-60s, suffered severe injuries and remained hospitalized for an extended period.
Knittel said he personally visited the victim in the hospital and has continued checking in on him throughout his recovery.
“[His injuries were] mostly to the arm region, but also injuries from being knocked to the ground,” Knittel told Local 4.
Following the investigation, prosecutors charged Jackson-Holland with three counts tied to dangerous animals causing serious injury and Turner with one count related to ownership of one of the dogs.
Knittel said the pair had been cooperative during the dog-attack investigation, only for an entirely different situation to unfold weeks later.
Child abuse investigation
Police told Local 4 the child abuse investigation began around 6:45 a.m. May 7, after dispatchers received a slew of 911 calls. Some had been from inside the home, and others had been reporting a disturbance and fighting outside.
According to police reports obtained by The Investigators at Local 4, the initial dispatch was a 911 hang-up call.
The verified offenses later included felonious assault on a family member, domestic violence, weapons offenses, and narcotics violations.
Officers arriving at the scene found two brothers physically fighting in the driveway area while family members yelled nearby.
One officer said a teen was “extremely emotional and crying” while holding dreadlocks in his hand.
Police also noted visible injuries, including a bloody mouth.
According to the report, Jackson-Holland yelled toward officers that the teen had stolen her 9mm handgun and “needs to go to jail.”
At first, police believed the incident centered around a missing firearm and a fight between siblings.
But investigators said the story changed dramatically once the teenage victim was interviewed.
‘She cut it:’ Teen describes alleged torture
According to the report, the teen later told officers he had been asleep in a bunk bed when his grandmother, identified as Jackson-Holland, whom he referred to as “Nana,” woke him up. He said she was holding a machete.
The victim told police Jackson-Holland scraped and hit the bed frame repeatedly with the knife while yelling, “Where is the gun?”
“He said Kalita was trying to poke his face with the knife but was unable to reach due to the position of the blanket,” the report said.
Investigators said the teen described Jackson-Holland as “slashing” at the bed frame hard enough to leave marks in the wood. Police later documented large slash marks and knife impressions on the bed railing that they said were consistent with the teen’s story.
The victim also said Jackson-Holland slapped him repeatedly, and at one point threatened, “I’m gonna cut off the hand you took it with!” She then allegedly ordered Turner and another child to get her some zip ties.
According to police, Turner returned with black and white zip ties, which Jackson-Holland then used to restrain the teen to a chair.
The victim told officers he had a rope wrapped around his waist at one point during the encounter.
Police said they later found broken white zip ties from a blue chair in one of the bedrooms, along with “red climbing-style rope” found underneath a vanity in the primary bedroom.
Investigators also said the teen described Jackson-Holland trying to cut off his braids with the machete.
“He said Kelita became visibly frustrated, likely due to the machete having difficulty cutting his braids,” the report said, because it was “likely too dull.”
The teen said Jackson-Holland then returned with another knife and continued cutting his hair while threatening him. Police later recovered four severed braids as evidence.
“She cut it. She cut it,” the teen allegedly said while crying uncontrollably.
When officers asked who cut it, the victim allegedly responded: “Nana.”
According to the report, the teen then pulled braids from his pocket and told officers, “She cut these off too.”
Police documented injuries including cuts to the lip and face, bruising, scratches near the eye, marks on the wrists and arms, and hair that had been cut off.
“When we spoke with the teens, it was very concerning,” Knittel said. “We were able to substantiate not only through statements, but through physical evidence, child abuse, to include torture and false imprisonment.”
Because dispatchers received reports of multiple weapons and firearms, Plymouth Township Police called in the Western Wayne Special Operations Team, a SWAT-style unit, to assist in their search of the home.
“Yeah, I put a zip tie on him”
According to the report, Jackson-Holland later admitted to threatening the teen.
“She stated, ‘Yes, I threatened him a little bit. Look, I shook him up,’” the report said.
Police said Jackson-Holland also admitted to putting zip ties on the teen but claimed they were loose.
Jackson-Holland: “Guess what? If it was tight, he couldn’t have got it off, right?”
The questioning ended after that, however, because police said Jackson-Holland requested an attorney.
Police said several teenagers were staying at the home at the time and are now safe with other relatives.
In the child abuse case, Jackson-Holland and Turner are both charged with First-degree child abuse, Torture, Unlawful imprisonment, Assault with a dangerous weapon, and Domestic violence.
They were both given $25,000 cash bonds with conditions prohibiting contact with minors and possession of firearms.
Guns, cocaine and another search warrant
There’s still a third case against the couple.
While searching the home regarding the abuse allegations, investigators said they discovered evidence of narcotics trafficking in plain view, leading detectives to obtain a second warrant for the home, also last week.
According to police reports, investigators found suspected cocaine stashed throughout the primary bedroom, along with digital scales, packaging materials, and dozens of unused dime bags.
Police said they seized approximately 9.2 grams of suspected cocaine from a dresser drawer, along with a kitchen sifter containing narcotics residue, multiple small containers with white residue, and “more than 100” unused small Ziploc-style bags.
Investigators also found psychedelic mushrooms, additional hallucinogens, including suspected DMT, mescaline, and peyote, as well as glass vials containing residue and a digital scale.
During the search, police said they also found multiple firearms, including an AR-15-style rifle and a Maverick Arms shotgun with a defaced serial number that investigators said were stuffed under a mattress in the primary bedroom.
Police said they also found ammunition, seized multiple cell phones, and more narcotics paraphernalia.
“We observed evidence in plain view of narcotics trafficking,” Knittel said.
In this narcotics and weapons case, Jackson-Holland and Turner are charged with Delivery/manufacture of a controlled substance involving cocaine under 50 grams, two counts of felony firearm, and Safe firearm storage violations involving minors.
Both received $25,000 personal recognizance bonds in this case, with the same restrictions.
What happens next?
Knittel said investigators worked day and night gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses as the case rapidly expanded into three cases.
“These are difficult cases because they involve family members,” he said. “Our investigators did a phenomenal job. We worked pretty much straight for four days pulling everything together.”
Jackson-Holland and Turner are scheduled to appear for preliminary examinations at 11 a.m. on May 29 in 35th District Court in Plymouth.