ROSEVILLE (WWJ) -- A 21-year-old Roseville woman is now being charged with murder after the 1-year-old boy she was babysitting died from a severe brain injury on Wednesday.
Kimora Hodges was charged Thursday with one count of open murder in the death of the young child, who would have turned 2 in July, reports FOX 2 Detroit.
Hodges was initially charged with child abuse after allegedly injuring the boy.
Kimora Launmei Hodges is facing life in prison in Macomb County after she allegedly admitted to authorities that she had abused the child over a week ago.
Roseville police said the infant was severely injured between the hours of 3:30 p.m. and midnight on June 13 at a home in the 30000 block of Little Mack Avenue in Roseville.
A local hospital called authorities after they received the young boy with severe head trauma.
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According to police, the boy's mother said her neighbor, Hodges, had been babysitting her son several times in the past two months; she had just picked up her 11-month-old when Hodges told her that her son didn't look normal.
The boy's mother called 911 and an ambulance transported the boy to a local hospital where doctors had to perform emergency surgery.
Hodges was arrested by authorities and later admitted that she had abused the boy, police said.
Macomb County Prosecutor Pete Lucido says abuse of babies is becoming an increasingly big problem.
"We're looking at the numbers and they're escalating," Lucido told WWJ Newsradio 950. "They're exponential, which means we're getting a call every week about a baby death in Macomb County."
He said last month is office received 2-3 calls a week about baby deaths.
A judge ordered Hodges be held on a $250,000 bond, no 10%. She is currently at the Macomb County Jail and will return to court next week for another hearing.
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