A 4-month-old boy was murdered by his mother’s boyfriend Oct. 25 in Brandon Township, police said.
Donald Kyle Raleigh, 27, was arraigned Oct. 27 on one count of felony murder and one count of first degree child abuse, both punishable by life in prison, in front of 52nd District Court Magistrate Judith Holtz. He remains in the Oakland County Jail without bond.
‘This case and all that involve adults causing the deaths of babies are disgusting,? said Sheriff Michael Bouchard. ‘If you can’t take care of a baby or stand to hear the baby crying, call someone that can, for heaven’s sake. There is no cell deep and dark enough for people like this.?
According to police reports, at about 2:30 p.m., Oct. 25, Brandon deputies and Brandon Fire Department personnel responded to the 300 block of Hidden Hills Lane for a 4-month-old male infant not breathing. Upon arrival, the child was lying on the living room floor, unresponsive.
Raleigh was the only adult in the home, left to care for his girlfriend’s son while she was at work. The suspect’s four-year-old daughter was in the home and asleep at the time at the time of the incident. Deputies observed head trauma to the 4-month-old boy as Brandon medics performed CPR on the child.
The baby was transported to Genesys Regional Medical Center for treatment and was pronounced deceased at the hospital. A doctor confirmed the infant suffered from severe head trauma. The Oakland County Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy concluding the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and ruling the death a homicide.
‘This is the most violent and brutal act I’ve ever seen done to an infant,? said Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Pete Burkett, commander of the Brandon substation. ‘We have officers with 20 to 30 years on the job and it has affected them deeply.?
Raleigh has an extensive criminal history dating back to 2002 when he was a juvenile. In 2003, he was sentenced to two to 20 years in prison after being convicted of three counts of breaking and entering with intent, and safe breaking. He was paroled from the State of Michigan prison system in 2005 and discharged from parole in 2009.