Mother sentenced to 35-60 years in prison after 3-year-old Detroit boy found dead in freezer
DETROIT (FOX 2) - A Detroit mother is headed to prison two years after she killed her 3-year-old son and put his body in a freezer.
Azuradee France was sentenced to 35-60 years in prison, with credit for 767 days time served, on Monday. This sentence was part of a sentencing agreement after she pleaded guilty to second-degree murder earlier this month.
France sat quietly in court Monday with her hands over her face as her sister read a victim impact letter, and as Judge Tracy Green handed down the sentence for the murder.
"I pray that you find healing, that you one day actually regret what you did to your children, especially Chayce because he didn't deserve it," said Azuant Sauls, France's sister.
Azuradee France; mom of 3-year-old found in freezer (Detroit police photo)
When police responded to France's home in the 12760 block of Monte Vista for a wellness check on June 24, 2022, they found the boy's body in a freezer. An autopsy revealed blunt force trauma to the head was the boy's cause of death.
At the time, a neighbor told FOX 2 that France, 33, said that the boy had gone to Alabama with family members who were going to take care of him. However, Chayce never left Detroit.
Chayce Allen
After the murder, France was charged with felony murder, first-degree child abuse, torture, concealing the death of an individual, and second-degree murder. After pleading guilty to murder, the other four charges were dismissed.
Chayce’s siblings were witnesses to the murder, the prosecution said during the sentencing.
"Not only did two of the siblings of Chayce Allen witness Ms. France putting their deceased brother in the freezer – one of the children, who was nine years old at the time, at Ms. France's direction, went and got the laundry bag that she eventually put him in," Assistant Prosecutor Erin Wilmoth said.
The prosecution added that there were at least seven CPS rejected complaints and at least six CPS investigations against France.
"He was failed by so many during his short life," Wilmoth said.
Even France's defense attorney supported that argument.
"The one thing we can agree upon is that this child was failed (by) every single adult that could have helped him," said Defense Attorney Lillian Diallo.
As for the defendant's other children, they are now in foster care.
The judge also urged France to accept any mental health help that comes her way during her prison sentence.