Saginaw Mom, Boyfriend Charged With Murder In 2021 Beating Death Of Toddler

[Sugar Cookie]

Two years after a toddler was beaten to death in Saginaw County, his mother and the man she brought into her home have been charged with murder.

The morning after their arrest, Marcelis M. James, 29, and Nia J. Kindred, 36, appeared before Saginaw County District Judge A.T. Frank for arraignment on charges of felony murder and first-degree child abuse. Both charges are life offenses.

Kindred’s son, Jaxxon N. Jones, was 18 months old when he suffered fatal injuries inside his mother’s Bridgeport Township apartment on Jan. 21, 2021. Before that, though, he suffered fractures to his right tibia, left humerus, left radius, left ulna, and left clavicle and blisters to his left foot that appeared to be burns, according to a bond recommended penned by Saginaw County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Melissa J. Hoover.

Jaxxon’s injuries only began after his mother began dating James, Hoover wrote. When Jaxxon was born on July 21, 2019, he had controlled substances in his system, she added.

On the fatal day, Kindred left her children with James, whom she had to know was abusing Jaxxon given his numerous, non-accidental injuries, Hoover wrote. Later, Kindred told James not to call 911 when Jaxxon became unresponsive because she did not want Child Protective Services getting involved, Hoover wrote.

This delay in seeking medical care likely contributed to Jaxxon’s death, Hoover wrote.

According to Jaxxon’s death certificate, he died of blunt force trauma to his torso, causing lacerations to his heart and liver.

Jaxxon is buried in the children’s section of Forest Lawn Cemetery. His grave remains unmarked, a shallow depression in the grass the lone indicator of his presence.

Speaking with MLive, Saginaw County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Blair N. Stevenson said lengthy investigations occurred between Jaxxon’s death and James and Kindred being charged. Among them was a CPS probe to remove Kindred’s surviving children.

Several medical experts also reviewed the case, with genetic testing conducted to make sure Jaxxon was not afflicted with brittle bone disease, Stevenson said. That testing confirmed the toddler did not have the ailment.

Authorities issued warrants for Kindred and James on May 11 of this year. Both defendants have criminal records, with Kindred being convicted numerous times of drug offenses and retail fraud dating back to 2003. James has been convicted of domestic violence and malicious destruction of property.

Saginaw mom, boyfriend charged with murder in 2021 beating death of toddler

Jaxxon N. Jones died at just 18 months of blunt force trauma to his torso.

www.mlive.com

 

[Crazy Cat Lady]

This is heartbreaking:

"Jaxxon is buried in the children’s section of Forest Lawn Cemetery. His grave remains unmarked, a shallow depression in the grass the lone indicator of his presence."

 

[Sugar Cookie]

Questioned by a police investigator on how his girlfriend’s toddler suffered fatal injuries in his care, a Holland man professed ignorance. As the interview wore on, though, he admitted to tossing the baby onto a bed in a moment of roughhousing.

The man, 31-year-old Marcelis M. James, listened silently as an audio recording of his interview played during his trial before Saginaw County Circuit Judge Andre R. Borrello. James is charged with felony murder and first-degree child abuse in the 2021 death of his then-girlfriend’s 18-month-old son, Jaxxon N. Jones. Jaxxon’s mother, 38-year-old Nia J. Kindred, faces the same two charges.

Saginaw County Assistant Prosecutor Melissa J. Hoover on Wednesday, May 7, played the recording of James’ interview with Bridgeport Township Police Officer Larry Biniecki, which took place more than a year after Jaxxon’s death. James was not under arrest during questioning.

Biniecki began the conversation by sympathizing with James, telling him he thought he was a good person who took care of Kindred’s three children and kept them well-fed while she lost herself in drugs. He prodded James by suggesting something happened between him and Jaxxon inside Kindred’s apartment on Jan. 21, 2021.

He confronted James with autopsy reports stating Jaxxon accelerated through the air at a high speed then came to a sudden stop. The impact broke one of Jaxxon’s ribs and dislodged his heart, Biniecki told James.

While Kindred’s 3- and 4-year-old children were also present, neither of them would have had the strength to have delivered such injuries to Jaxxon, Biniecki told James. Kindred and James’ female cousin had left him to babysit the children as they ran errands.

“I don’t think you ever intended to kill this kid, but you were the only adult there, and we know a traumatic event happened,” Biniecki said.

“I didn’t throw him, toss him, none of that. I didn’t do nothing,” James said. “I wouldn’t throw my own kids.”

James went on to say the children were playing in a bedroom as he washed dishes in the kitchen. He went to the bedroom after about 10 minutes and found Jaxxon lying on the floor, he said.

“I don’t know what else happened when my back was turned,” he continued.

Biniecki pressed on, cajoling James by repeatedly saying he didn’t think he was a bad guy, that he may have hurt Jaxxon in a moment of frustration or accidentally. He assured James he did not believe he was the type to commit cold-blooded murder of a toddler.

The investigator surmised James tossed Jaxxon onto a mattress, but the baby struck a railing around the bed.

“Marcelis, you know, and it’s been sitting in your gut for a year,” Biniecki said. “Something happened that you didn’t mean to happen, but you gotta explain it. A child cannot cause this.”

Biniecki went on to say Kindred’s 3-year-old daughter told investigators, “Marcelis slammed him.”

James chuckled in disbelief.

“She didn’t see me slam him or nothing,” he told Biniecki. “I feel like somebody must have pressured the 3-year-old to talk.”

Biniecki continued to suggest James threw Jaxxon until the suspect abruptly changed tack.

“Something traumatic happened up there, dude, you can’t get past that,” Biniecki pressed. “Help me understand it.”

“Is that what you all wanna hear? Yeah, I tossed him on the bed. I tossed him on the bed. I didn’t toss him hard,” James said.

James said he was playing with the children when he tossed Jaxxon a few feet onto the bed. Jaxxon stood up afterward and walked around, albeit on wobbly legs, he said.

“He was happy about it, laughing,” James said. “He didn’t cry or nothing.”

Biniecki disputed Jaxxon would have been up and walking around after his injury. He asked James if he felt his toss was responsible for Jaxxon’s death.

James considered this for a moment before responding.

“That, I don’t know,” he said. He speculated responding paramedics who worked on Jaxxon may have caused his fatal injury. Biniecki shot down that theory.

A little later, James admitted he tossed Jaxxon “kinda hard.”

“I wish none of this would have happened,” James said. “I still love the little dude, care about him like he was mine.”

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MSN

 

[Sugar Cookie]

 

[Sugar Cookie]

A Holland man has been found not guilty of killing his girlfriend’s toddler son in a Bridgeport Township apartment more than four years ago.

Jurors in the trial of Marcelis M. James, 31, delivered their verdicts about 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 9, finding the defendant not guilty of felony murder and first-degree child abuse. The jury deliberated for about two hours.

“The jury did the right thing,” said defense attorney James F. Piazza.

Kindred, 38, remains charged with felony murder and first-degree child abuse. Her case is slated for a status conference on May 29. She invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination to not testify in James’ trial.

MSN

 

[Sugar Cookie]

A Bridgeport Township mother is heading to prison for her toddler son’s death in 2021, even though the man prosecutors alleged inflicted the fatal injuries was acquitted of wrongdoing.

Nia J. Kindred, 38, pleaded no contest to involuntarily manslaughter, a 15-year felony. In exchange, the prosecution dismissed charges of felony murder and first-degree child abuse.

https://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw-bay-city/2025/12/bridgeport-mother-gets-prison-for-toddlers-2021-death-despite-boyfriends-acquittal.html

I can live with her going to prison even if she did not cause the fatal injuries because she enabled them by failing to protect her child.

I hope this dummy realizes that the first thing that man did when he was acquitted was getting his dick wet in anther woman.

Name: NIA JENAE KINDRED

Earliest Release Date: 08/03/2027


Maximum Discharge Date: 08/03/2038


Offense: Homicide - Involuntary Manslaughter

Minimum Sentence: 4 years

Maximum Sentence: 15 years

If there is any justice she will do the whole 15 years.