A Michigan mother was initially charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with her 2-year-old daughter’s death, but authorities have now upgraded the charge to open murder, as reported by news outlets in Sturgis Township.
At a hearing, Paige Nichole Bohne, 21, was denied bond, according to reports from Kalamazoo ABC affiliate WWMT.
“I wish she would’ve sought out help before this would’ve happened,” said Thomas James, a resident of the Memory Lane Trailer Park where Bohne lived with her child. “There’s a lot of people she could’ve resolved to before this would’ve happened.”
On Thursday at approximately 12:45 p.m., deputies from St. Joseph County and other first responders responded to reports of an unresponsive child at the trailer park, as reported by The Strugis Journal.
Efforts to revive her were unsuccessful, and she was declared dead at the scene.
“The loss of someone is always difficult, but the loss of a child is especially tragic, and it impacts the whole community,” St. Joseph County Undersheriff Jason Bingaman said.
An anonymous aunt shared her experience of caring for a child named Octavia, as reported by CBS and Fox South Bend affiliate WSBT.
“My youngest daughter and Octavia were four months apart, and my kids are always, they call her ‘Bactavia,’” she reportedly said. “My son would always (say) Bactavia. ‘When is Bactavia gonna come here?’ My oldest daughter, Octavia would always go up to her with a smile and always wanting her to carry her around.”
She mentioned that she last saw Octavia during the weekend before Halloween for trunk-or-treating. A child dressed up as a bumblebee.
“Octavia deserved more. I know there [were] many, many people that loved Octavia, and all her mom had to do was reach out to one of us,” the aunt said. “Anybody would have helped in the need instead of what had happened to her.”