DETROIT – More than two years after the death of 5-year-old Ethan Belcher at the hands of his mother and stepfather, the Office of the Child Advocate has released its report on failures in a prior abuse case by law enforcement and child protective services.
Background: Lincoln Park police investigated child abuse before 5-year-old killed, 3-year-old injured
The report finds that during the 2021 child abuse investigation, neither Child Protective Services (CPS) nor Lincoln Park Police consulted a medical child abuse expert to confirm that the injuries were non-accidental. No official photographs of the child’s injuries were taken by CPS or law enforcement, relying instead on low-quality images provided by a relative.
The report states that the Lincoln Park police report contained inaccuracies regarding the hospital involved and failed to interview key witnesses and a warrant packet was returned by the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office for further investigation, but no follow-up occurred.
There were also systemic issues in the closure of the case, the report finds.
Shane Shelton and Valeria Hamilton were charged with murder, child abuse, and torture in the death of their son, and they were sentenced to life in prison last October.
The Office of the Child Advocate report also offers recommendations to improve the child welfare system. It recommends ways to identify child abuse cases needing medical examinations and calls for the legislature to allocate funding for statewide regional child abuse medical centers.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services responded to the report with a statement: “The death of Ethan Belcher was a tragedy that involved multiple organizations within the child welfare system. We are committed to working with the legislature, law enforcement, judges and other partners to continue to improve Michigan’s child welfare system to meet the needs of kids and families.”
The department said it is focused on prevention, intervention and accountability to support for Michigan’s children and families.
The Lincoln Park Department has yet to respond to Local 4’s request for comment.
To view the Office of the Child Advocate report, click here.
