Police: Michigan Father Covered Up Missing Baby's Death

WHITE CLOUD (WWJ/AP) - A White Cloud man is being charged with concealing the death of his 4-month-old daughter, who had been reported missing for several days.

Twenty-seven-year-old Matthew Bradley was arraigned Thursday on a felony charge of concealing a death. The girl's grandmother, Heidi Thill, says authorities found the body of Natallya Rich in the basement of her home Tuesday.

Michigan State Police Trooper Barry Wolf says Bradley told police he fell asleep while watching his daughter May 9 and awoke to find her dead.

According to Wolf, Bradley panicked and put her in her car seat and set it in a cabinet inside a basement crawlspace. Wolf says Bradley lied about the girl's whereabouts.

Thill contacted police early Tuesday after Natallya wasn't returned home. Bradley reportedly told family members he left the child in the care of a babysitter on Saturday, but the babysitter said she never saw Natallya.

After a widespread search, Bradley and the child's 25-year-old mother were located by investigators in Big Rapids Tuesday night and were taken into custody for questioning. About an hour later, police showed up at Thill's home with a search warrant. Shortly thereafter, the Natallya's body was discovered.

The baby's mother is said to be cooperating with police.

Officials are awaiting autopsy results to determine when and how Natallya died.

Bradley is being held on a $150,000 cash bond. It wasn't immediately clear if he has an attorney.

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