Angela Alexie Gets Up to Life in Prison

 

Angela Alexie, the young mother whose baby was found dead on a conveyor belt at a recycling center in 2015, was recently sentenced in the Macomb County Court by Judge James Biernat Jr.

 

Angela Alexie’s newborn son, later dubbed “Henry” by employees at the medical examiner’s office, was found frozen solid and wrapped in an old T-shirt in amongst recyclables at the Roseville Recycling Center. He survived only a few days after birth as Alexie left him in the unheated garage where she had birthed him, unassisted, during late December.

 

Although she tried to feed him several times, and checked on him often, the baby died. According to the prosecution, Angela Alexie had many options available to her. She could have called 911 and handed her newborn off to an officer – an action which under Michigan’s safe haven law would have protected her from any legal consequences, as long as the hand off occurred within three days of birth and the baby was unharmed.

 

But according to Alexie’s attorney, she had fewer choices than you might think. Given the fact that she was homeless, had just given birth to a child without any medical assistance, and had no parenting skills or family support network to fall back on, she wasn’t as capable as one would think.

 

At her sentencing, Alexie told the Court that she was sorry for what she had done and wished she could undo it all. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to happen.” she said to the judge. “I wish I could take it all back.” Her attorney added to that, saying that she was remorseful and that due to mental illness and immaturity, she made a “tragic decision.”

 

The jury’s verdict last month was that Alexie was guilty of both first degree child abuse and felony murder. All in all, it took the Macomb County jury less than 90 minutes to convict her on both felony charges. Court watchers said that while Alexie sometimes cried at points during the trial, she was without emotion when the verdict was read to the court. Both charges are punishable by up to life in prison, which is exactly what Judge Biernat sentenced Alexie to at the recent sentencing hearing.