LANSING (WWJ) – Charges from multiple jurisdictions against Rashad Trice, the man charged in the kidnapping and death of 2-year-old Wynter Cole-Smith, will be consolidated and prosecuted by Attorney General Dana Nessel in one trial.
Trice is currently facing charges of kidnapping, sexual assault, fleeing police and other charges across multiple local jurisdictions. The charges stem from an alleged attack on the toddler’s mother in Lansing, a police chase that ended with his arrest in St. Clair Shores and the discovery of the girl’s body in Detroit.
Nessel’s office announced Thursday she is working with Ingham County Prosecutor John Dewane, Macomb County Prosecutor Pete Lucido, and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy to review all charges and reissue them from the AG’s department.
Cole-Smith was found in a Detroit alley on July 5, three days after an Amber Alert out of Lansing led to an intensive search involving multiple law enforcement agencies across the state.
Trice is accused of sexually assaulting and stabbing the girl’s mother, his ex-girlfriend, and then kidnapping her, stealing her car and fleeing to Metro Detroit.
Though authorities believe Trice murdered Wynter before dumping her body in the area of Harper and Van Dyke on Detroit’s east side, no murder charges have been filed.
The AG’s office says it has begun the process of reviewing police reports for potential murder charges.
In addition to the charges under review by Nessel’s office, Trice is also facing federal charges of kidnapping a minor and kidnapping resulting in death. Earlier this week he was bound over for a grand jury hearing scheduled for later this month to determine whether there’s enough evidence to send the case to trial.
While Michigan does not have the death penalty, it could be on the table due to the fact it’s a federal case.
“This is a tragic case, and by consolidating the prosecution into one venue, we are recognizing the hardship the surviving victim and family continue to face,” Nessel said, per a press release. “I am grateful for the partnership with Prosecutors Dewane, Lucido, and Worthy which allow all of us to place the victims’ needs first while seeking justice for Wynter and her mother.”
Lucido says consolidating the cases will "reduce burden" to the victim's family.
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