ROSEVILLE (WWJ) -- A Roseville woman who was convicted of murdering a little boy she was babysitting will spend the rest of her life in prison.
The Macomb County Prosecutor's Office says 24-year-old Kimora Launmei Hodges was sentenced Tuesday morning in Macomb County Circuit Court to life in prison without parole for Felony Murder, and 15 to 40 years for First-Degree Child Abuse.
Hodges was a neighbor who'd been babysitting the 22-month-old child for a couple of months, while the victim's mother was at work.
According to investigators, Hodges beat the toddler and threw him against the wall on June 13, 2022, in her apartment on Little Mack Ave. in Roseville.
On a GoFundMe page, the child's mother, who was just 18 years old herself, said she'd left her son, Kyrie, with someone she'd thought she could trust. "My baby had blood force trauma to the head and was bleeding out of his ears because his brain was swelling so badly that he needed brain surgery right away," the mom said.
The child suffered multiple injuries, including a subdural hemorrhage and bilateral retinal hemorrhages. Despite significant medical intervention, he died in the hospital.
The trial was delayed because of court appeals regarding incriminating statements Hodges made to police after she was arrested, admitting that she'd hit the boy.
Ultimately, the Court of Appeals ultimately ruled that one statement must be suppressed, while the other could be admitted.
After a six-day trial, a jury deliberated for just over two hours before finding Hodges guilty in July.
“The sentence handed down today reflects the severity of the crime committed. The defendant’s actions resulted in the tragic death of an innocent child, and the court has imposed a life sentence without the possibility of parole to hold her fully accountable. Our thoughts remain with the victim’s family, whose lives have been forever changed by this senseless act. The justice system has a duty to protect the most vulnerable, and today’s sentence underscores that duty,” said Macomb County Prosecutor Pete Lucido, in a statement.