Child abuse charges dismissed in case of Detroit toddler injured in motorcycle crash

Charges of child abuse, among other charges, against a 35-year-old Detroit father who is accused of crashing his motorcycle while intoxicated and leaving his 1-year-old daughter injured at the scene have been dismissed, according to court records.

The charges were dismissed on Thursday, according to court records, after the complaining witness failed to appear.

On June 28, at approximately 11:30 a.m., it is alleged that the Detroit man brought his daughter to a party at a residence in the 12800 block of Braile Street in Detroit, took the toddler to a neighboring home, asked people he didn't know to allow her to swim with their children and returned to the party, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office.

The father allegedly returned approximately five hours later, intoxicated, operating a motorcycle, placed the child unsecured on the motorcycle and drove at a high rate of speed before losing control, causing both of them to fall and slide along the roadway, prosecutors say. 

The child struck her head on a curb and sustained lacerations to her head, face and legs and was transported by medics to a local hospital for treatment, according to the prosecutor's office. 

The Detroit man then allegedly tried to flee the scene in a vehicle before abandoning it and fleeing on foot, prosecutors say.

"I do not recall in all of my years as a prosecutor and judge ever seeing a set of facts like this. The alleged conduct of this defendant was way beyond atrocious and horrendous. This poor baby deserved the appropriate care, dedication and simple human decency. It is miraculous that she is still among the living," said Prosecutor Kym Worthy.

The Detroit man was arraigned on July 15 in the 36th District Court on one count each of second-degree child abuse, child abandonment, fourth-degree child abuse, reckless driving and operating while license suspended, revoked or denied, the prosecutor's office said. 

It's not clear whether prosecutors will seek to refile the charges.