A Michigan woman is charged with felony murder in the death of a 4-month-old girl who suffered multiple injuries in her care.
The suspect, 31-year-old Savannah Marie Miller, told police that the girl, Renzi McCall, suffered injuries in falls from a bed and kitchen counter and when she bumped her head on a sharp edge in a hallway while Miller held her.
“She was going to call 9-1-1 and get medical attention for the baby, but she knew she was intoxicated and probably would get in trouble, and after few moments she decided that the baby would be fine,” Reed City police Officer Roger Collins said in obtaining a warrant.
The girl was taken to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital where she later died.
Miller is charged with felony murder, second-degree murder and first-degree child abuse.
Renzi’s mother, Amber McCall, and Miller lived together at Franklin Pointe North Apartments in Reed City.
McCall left her daughter with Miller the afternoon of July 20 while she went to work at McDonald’s. She finished work around 1:40 a.m. McCall called and texted Miller multiple times but Miller did not respond, the officer said.
McCall had a co-worker drive her back to the apartment. McCall started to panic when Miller did not answer the door.
She and the co-worker went outside and looked through a window. Miller appeared passed out. The baby was hidden by a Pack ‘N Play portable crib.
“The mother of the child started screaming loudly, banging relentlessly on the window,” Collins said.
Miller finally woke and answered the door. McCall and her co-worker found the child face up, on a blanket.
“The baby had bruises all over her body,” Collins told the magistrate. “Most notably, a very severe injury to her right eye, orbital, and bruises to her stomach, and bruisers to her hip.”
The baby was not responsive and wasn’t breathing when the co-worker touched her stomach. Seconds later, she started breathing. She was taken to the hospital in critical condition. She died on July 24.
Miller was arrested for child abuse the night the girl was injured.
The next evening, Collins brought her to the police station. She agreed to talk to investigators.
Miller told police that she had been sober for three or four months but decided to use DoorDash for a 10-pack of Fireball mini-shooters.
“She said the entire night was very blurry,” Collins said.
He said Miller blamed falls and a bump into a sharp object for the injuries, which included a 1-inch lump above her right eye.
“She also said she doesn’t remember the chain of events in the chronological order of which each event occurred, but she does recall – she is 85 percent sure that she sat the baby on the counter while cooking some eggs, and the baby fell off the counter smacking her face and stomach onto the ground,” Collins said.
Miller told police she was alone with the baby and obviously culpable but did not intentionally harm the girl and blamed her intoxication, the officer said.
