A mother in Sturgis Township has been charged with open murder following the death of her two-year-old child, a case that has shaken the local community. WOODTV reports that deputies responded to a call at Memory Lane Trailer Park yesterday just before 1 p.m. and found the child unresponsive, efforts to revive the toddler were unsuccessful and the child was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to the St. Joseph County Sheriff's Office, the mother, identified as 21-year-old Paige Nichole Bohne, was taken into custody, her initial charge of involuntary manslaughter was later escalated to open murder after an investigation by the Major Crime Task Force, as detailed by WZZM13; Bohne is currently held at the St. Joseph County Jail without bond.
WZZM13 included a statement from Undersheriff Jason Bingaman expressing his gratitude towards the deputies' efforts to save the child’s life, and acknowledging the profound impact of the child’s death on the community saying "The loss of someone is always difficult, but the loss of a child is especially tragic, and it impacts the whole community," first responders and family are being provided with support services during this difficult time.
