Mother & Caregiver arrested for toddler’s death

Caius Henry was a two-year-old boy from South Rockwood, who died last year shortly after emergency responders rushed him to a local hospital for treatment. His mother had called 911, explaining that her little son had hit his temple the night before and now was having trouble breathing.

 
But after the little boy had died, the medical examiner’s findings told a very different story. According to the medical examiner the little boy had suffered multiple blows to the head, labeled “blunt force trauma” and the result was eventual death.

 
Jordan A. Henry, the little boy’s mother, and Roger A. Schear, her partner, were alone with the boy during the time he allegedly sustained his injuries. Police assume it is either one or both of them who caused the head trauma. In the end, the investigators determined that Schear had been the cause of the injuries, but that Henry should also be charged, as she had not protected her child.

 
Although there was much hemming and hawing about who may have done what, and a significant delay between Caius’ death and the arrests, police finally received warrants just a few days ago. Both Jordan Henry and her partner, Schear, were arrested for the toddler’s death.

 
Caius’ mother has been charged with second degree child abuse, which under Michigan law is a felony punishable by up to ten years in prison. Second degree child abuse specifies that the person in question caused serious harm to a child. In this case, this is because the prosecutor believes that Henry either knew, or should have known, that leaving the toddler in Schear’s care was endangering his life.

 
Schear has been charged with homicide or open murder, along with a single count of first degree child abuse, and two counts of third degree child abuse. Open murder means that the prosecutor has not decided whether to charge the defendant with first or second degree murder, and will be asking the jury to make that choice.

 
Under Michigan law, first degree murder and first degree child abuse are both punishable by any number of years in prison, up to and including a life sentence. Third degree child abuse, however, while still a felony, is punishable by only a maximum of two years in prison.

 
No information is available yet on either Henry or Schear’s next court date.