Detroit mom charged after 3-year-old boy found in freezer
DETROIT, Mich. (FOX 2) - The mother of the 3-year-old boy who was found in a freezer by Detroit police officers was arraigned Sunday at the 36th District Court.
On June 24 at 12:45 a.m., officers responded to a home in the 12760 block of Monte Vista for a wellness check on a child. The officers found the 3-year-old's body in the freezer, police said.
"God knows how I’m feeling, I know Chase is in a better place but still don’t make me stop crying," said Zy’ar Anderson, Chase's cousin.
31-year-old Azuradee France was identified as the mother of the deceased 3-year-old. The boy's death was determined to be a homicide by the medical examiner.
Azuradee France; mom of 3-year-old found in freezer (Detroit police photo)
The Wayne County Prosecutor has charged France with First-Degree Child Abuse as well as Torture and Concealing the death of an individual. She was arraigned Sunday and remanded to jail.
Sunday night, a vigil was held to say goodbye to little Chase.
"This is a very hard to swallow, but we're going to pull through the grace of God," said Betty Jenkins, his great-great-grandmother.
Right now its unclear how Chase was killed and how long he has been dead.
"She told me he had gone to Alabama - family to take care of him-required a lot of attention-I believed that," said Cheryl Hardy, Chase's neighbor.
Family members also told FOX 2 that CPS had been called at least 13 times this year but each time, they were unable to make headway and were not allowed inside the home.
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Chase, 3, has been identified by family members and neighbors as the little boy found dead and decomposing inside of a family's freezer on Friday.