Murder of Mary Welch
| Murder of Mary Welch | |
|---|---|
| Location | Solon Township, Kent County, Michigan, U.S. |
| Date | August 2, 2018 |
Attack type | Child neglect, starvation, dehydration |
| Victim | Mary Welch, 10 months old |
| Perpetrators |
|
| Motive | Child abuse, religion |
| Verdict | Both found guilty |
| Convictions | Murder, child neglect |
The murder of Mary Anne Welch (October 23, 2017 – August 2, 2018) was perpetrated by her parents Seth Welch and Tatiana Fusari. Mary, a 10-month old infant, died of malnutrition and dehydration in Solon Township, Kent County, Michigan on August 2, 2018. Both parents were convicted of first-degree murder after Mary's death was attributed to neglect.[1]
Background
[edit]Child Protective Services had been in contact with the family dating back to 2014 after THC was found in the system of their eldest newborn child.[2]
Mary Welch weighed only 8 pounds at the time of her death, only 1 1/4 lbs more than at the time of her birth. “The autopsy of the child showed visible injuries to the child's lungs, heart, abdominal organs, as well as a shrunken thymus gland and bone marrow incapable of producing white or red blood cells. An expert testified that this confirmed that the child died from malnourishment and dehydration.” People v. Welch, No. 357501, (Mich. Ct. App. Nov. 10, 2022) [3] While the parents were aware their daughter was underweight, they refused to seek medical assistance. The couple cited religious reasons and a lack of trust in the medical system.[4][5] At the time of Mary's death, two of the couple's three children had never been to a licensed doctor.[2]
In this case, the jury was presented with several of defendant's text messages to his wife complaining about his infant daughter. In one instance, for example, defendant wrote, "I can't deal with [the child] tonight. She is being a total cunt. Can you get out early or something because it's wild. I'm about to fuck her up. I gagged her for a bit. It's so bad." In addition to this shockingly callous and malicious text message, photos were extracted from defendant's phone that showed that he was checking on his daughter through the peephole of her bedroom door (rather than actually going into the room), and one detective testified that defendant had told him during an interview that he would not go near the peephole if things were quiet. It was also testified that defendant did not take his daughter to the doctor, even though he supposedly expressed concerns regarding her weight. Based on this and other evidence of a similar character, a rational jury could reasonably infer from defendant's consistent disregard of his infant daughter's basic needs that defendant knowingly caused her death through malnourishment and dehydration.
People v. Welch, No. 357501, 2 (Mich. Ct. App. Nov. 10, 2022)
The county sheriff testified that the family home was unhygienic during the initial investigation. He cited evidence of vermin, insects, and mold. The doctor who performed the autopsy stated that the infant was suffering from chronic malnutrition, which he believed was caused by the withholding of food and water. Following the death of Mary, CPS sought to terminate the parental rights of the couple.[3]
Aftermath
[edit]
The couple was initially charged with homicide felony murder in August 2018. The video of their reaction to the charge subsequently went viral.[6][7] In June 2020, Seth Welch was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.[8] In 2021, Fusari testified that her husband was abusive, and would rape and beat her. She stated that she was not permitted to take her daughter to a doctor,[9] and blamed the abuse for not being able to provide care for Mary.[10] However, Fusari claimed she did not notice that Mary was unhealthy, and did not know what caused her death.[9]
In November 2021, Fusari was also sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder. She was additionally sentenced 15 to 30 years on the charge of first-degree child abuse.[7]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Van Gilder, Rachel (17 November 2021). "Mother gets life in prison for baby's starvation death". WOODTV.com. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ a b "Man accused in child's neglect death says charges unfair". AP NEWS. 10 August 2018. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ a b Donnelly, Francis X. (20 November 2018). "Couple charged with death of daughter could lose two other children". The Detroit News. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ Bever, Lindsey (8 August 2018). "A 10-month-old died after her parents refused to get help for religious reasons, police say". Washington Post. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ Raphelson, Samantha (31 August 2018). "Michigan Child's Death Puts Spotlight On Clash Between Medicine And Religion". NPR.org. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ "Couple Stunned After They're Charged With Murder in Death of 10-Month-Old". YouTube. Inside Edition. 8 August 2018. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ a b Lamb, Jerry (17 November 2021). "Woman Sent to Prison for Murdering Infant Daughter Whose Eyes Police Described as 'Sunken Into Her Head'". Law & Crime. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ "Father sentenced to life in baby daughter's death". Wood TV. 20 May 2020. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
- ^ a b Francis, Jacquelyn; Van Glider, Rachel (12 October 2021). "Mother charged with baby's murder tells jury she was abused". WOODTV.com. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ Agar, John (11 October 2021). "Mom of starved baby to testify that husband's abuse kept her from caring for her, attorney says". mlive. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
People v. Welch, No. 357501, (Mich. Ct. App. Nov. 10, 2022)