A Lapeer County man is facing life in prison after he was charged with severely injuring a 17-month-old girl who had been living in his home.
Emmanuel Castaneda, 28, is charged with first-degree child abuse and assault with intent to murder, both of which carry a sentence of up to life in prison.
The Lapeer County Sheriff's Office learned of the abuse around 8:30 p.m. Saturday, when the girl's mother brought her to McLaren Lapeer Region hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Police say the 17-month-old and her mother had been living with Castaneda for a few months. The mother is friends with Castaneda's wife.
Castaneda was alone with the 17-month-old and four other children on Saturday, according to the sheriff's office. The other children range in age from 1 to 5 years old, one of whom is the victim's sibling.
Sheriff deputies immediately responded to the residence after seeing the 17-month-old's injuries at the hospital. They determined the other children were not injured.
Police obtained a search warrant for the home. The investigation determined none of the other children was responsible for the 17-month-old's injuries and Castaneda was arrested.
Michigan Child Protective Services workers removed the four other children from the home and placed them in the care of other relatives while the investigation continued.
The sheriff's office says the 17-month-old remained in critical condition at Hurley Medical Center on Tuesday with a severe head injury.