Michigan man sentenced to life in prison without parole for killing 16-month-old son
GENESEE COUNTY, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - A Genesee County man has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in the 2022 murder of his 16-month-old son, the prosecutor's office announced.
Michael Christopher Butler, 41, of Mt. Morris Township, was convicted of felony murder, first-degree child abuse, concealing the death of an individual and aggravated domestic violence last month.
On Monday, March 18, Butler was sentenced to life in prison without parole on the felony murder charge, according to the Genesee County Prosecutor's Office.
On Aug. 25, 2022, a woman saw a man, who was later identified as Butler, get out of his car on Dodge Road and put something in the ditch across from her house, according to testimony given at Butler's trial.
The woman walked across the ditch to see what Butler had put there, and she found a blue blanket with a skull sticking out. She called 911, and when authorities arrived, they discovered a small body wrapped inside the blanket.
The baby was later identified as Butler's son, Chaos. Officials believe Chaos had been dead for several weeks when his body was discovered.
The autopsy showed that the baby boy had skull fractures that likely happened around the time of his death. In addition, Chaos had fractures to his skull and ribs that had healed, along with methamphetamine and cannabis in his system.
"This was a tragic and sad case and this morning's sentence is a just conclusion under the law for the actions of Michael Butler," said Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton.
