The body of 9-year-old Shylea Thomas, who was quadriplegic, has been found in a plastic garbage bag inside a public storage facility, said Michigan authorities today. Shylea's adoptive mother is in police custody and may face charges ranging from misdemeanor moving a corpse to first-degree murder.
The adoptive mother has not been identified, but is a biological relative of the deceased girl, according to a prosecutor. No charges have yet been filed pending the results of an autopsy, which is expected to determine whether or not foul play caused Shylea's death.
Shylea became quadriplegic after nearly suffocating in her crib as an infant. She used a feeding tube for nutrition. Relatives and friends of Shylea described her as a cheerful child who loved music and smiled frequently. The girl had been missing for six weeks, but relatives only reported her missing this Tuesday.
Prosecutor David Leyton described conditions at Shylea's former home as "absolutely filthy." In a statement, Leyton said, "For her to have to live like that, and then to die and be stuffed into
a bag and plastic bin in a storage facility, just breaks my heart."
When police discovered Shylea's body, it was stuffed in a garbage bag inside a plastic bin. Moth balls had been scattered inside the bin in an apparent attempt to mask the odor.
Related: Nine Charged in Starvation, Death of Girl with Cerebral Palsy
