A Kalamazoo County man is charged with murder in connection with the death of a Midland toddler.
Damian Garrett, 23, of Augusta, appeared in Midland County District Court for arraignment on charges of first-degree murder and first-degree child abuse.
The arraigning judge denied granting Garrett bond.
Police responded to a report of a child not breathing. They arrived to find emergency medical responders in the process of rendering CPR to an unresponsive girl.
The 21-month-old girl, Skylar Papple, was transported to Mid-Michigan Medical Center where staff pronounced her dead.
Garrett was in a dating relationship with the child’s mother, police have said.
Brooks said Skylar died due to drowning and also suffered some secondary head trauma. Garrett had been home alone with Skylar, giving her a bath, Brooks said.
At some point, he ran to neighbors’ homes seeking help, then flagged down a UPS driver, who called 911, Brooks said.
Man charged with murder, child abuse in Midland toddler’s death
The suspect was in a dating relationship with the girl's mother.
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