4-year-old Ivy Yurkus was rushed to the hospital, where she lived for a few hours with severe stomach pains, before passing away. In the wake of her death, investigators have looked into her condition and her injuries, and determined that she was most likely the victim of child abuse. The Roseville Police Chief, James Berlin, who is directly involved in the investigation, says that he is certain that her death wasn’t an accident.
According to police records, Ivy and her siblings were home with their mother’s boyfriend while their mother was at work at a nearby restaurant. Over the course of the evening, Ivy complained repeatedly of a belly ache and slowly became unresponsive. The boyfriend loaded all of the children into the car and drove them to their mother’s job. From there, the children’s mother called 911.
Ivy was transported to St. John’s Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit in critical condition on Wednesday evening. She died the following morning. An autopsy was conducted after her death by Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office, and it was determined that she died of blunt force trauma to her abdomen. As a result, her death has been ruled a homicide.
Ivy lived in a home in Roseville with two other siblings, a 7-year-old brother and infant sister, her 28-year-old mother, and her mother’s 25-year-old boyfriend. Police say that there is no record of an officer or a CPS agent ever being called to the home for prior abuse or neglect, the medical examiner says that the little girl’s body showed signs of previous injuries that may indicate prior abuse.
In a statement released by the Roseville Police Department, they explained the allegations of ongoing abuse. “It was reported that the child had a multitude of current injuries and evidence of past injuries that are consistent with a systematic pattern of abuse.”
In an interview with the media, Chief Berlin said that “A blow of quite some significance or power was applied to this little girl.” He also explained that the medical examiner’s office had specified that “This had to have been a purposeful blow by somebody and this is not the result of an accident or simple fall or anything along those lines.”
However, in the wake of Ivy’s death, CPS has become involved. They have removed the two siblings and placed them in foster care until the investigation is complete, and it’s determined that it’s safe for the children to return. The police are also investigating the situation, although no charges have been brought so far.
Child abuse charges are very serious. People convicted of child abuse in Michigan can end up behind bars for decades, if not their entire lifetime. If you or a loved one have been accused of abusing or neglecting a child, contact The Kronzek Firm immediately. Our skilled child abuse defense attorneys have successfully represented many parents and caregivers over the years. We can help you too.