We have very little information about this particular case, in part because the events are so recent and still under investigation, but we do know that a Detroit mother is facing very serious charges. She is accused of causing the death of her newborn baby. How this will impact her other children, and the extent to which Child Protective Services will be involved, remains to be seen.
Glencetta Gloster-Washington, a 39-year-old resident of Detroit, is facing numerous criminal charges. These include First Degree Murder, Felony Murder – First Degree, and Concealing the Death of an Individual. According to court records, the investigation began when relatives discovered Gloster-Washington in her home, bleeding and unresponsive. Concerned, they called 911 and she was transported to a local hospital, where an examination revealed that she had very recently given birth.
Concerned for the welfare of the baby, which relatives had not seen when they discovered Gloster-Washington, police searched the home. The the body of her deceased newborn baby daughter was later found inside a trash bag, stashed inside a garbage can, outside of her home. Currently there is very little information surrounding this story, and we have no idea what the details are. For that reason, we strongly urge all of our readers to withhold judgement until they know all of the facts.
Gloster-Washington was arraigned on the murder and body concealment charges on Saturday, April 1st 2017. Her defense attorney pointed out to the Judge that she had no prior criminal record, and that she is a 14-year employee of the Unites States Postal Service, in addition to being the mother of five other children. This is where the case may get complicated.
We do not know the details, and we do not wish to speculate about what may happen in this case. However, we do know from years of experience defending the rights of parents in Michigan that when a parent is accused of a crime against a child, CPS often steps in and petitions to have the rest of that parent’s children removed from their custody. In some cases, they go all out and petition the court for a termination of parental rights, depending on the severity of the alleged crime.
According to Brandy Thompson, a family law attorney at The Kronzek Firm, “Michigan calls this the “anticipatory neglect doctrine”. In short, courts may view evidence of how a parent treats one child as evidence as to how they may treat all other children in their care. The doctrine is frequently used by CPS to request removal (or even termination) of all minor children from a home even if only one child was allegedly harmed.”
Gloster-Washington has five other children, although we know nothing of their ages, or even if she currently has custody of them. If CPS becomes involved, it is likely that she may lost custody of her other children, even if it turns out that the criminal charges were unfounded. Although a not-guilty plea was entered, and Gloster-Washington was ordered jailed on a $500,000 bond, it remains to be seen what actually happened here. Until then, we will have to wait and see…
Until then, if you or a loved one have been accused of a crime against a child, or you have been threatened by CPS with the loss of your children, contact us immediately at 866 766 5245. We have decades of experience handling CPS, and we can fight on your behalf for your family, and ensure that your rights are protected.