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KENTWOOD, MICHIGAN: Hope Marshall, a mother from Michigan who lost her toddler son in June 2022 to an antidepressant overdose, grieved and expressed her remorse as she was sentenced on Wednesday, July 12. For the tragic death of her 17-month-old son Kaiden Wood, Marshall, 27, was given a minimum 18-month prison term, and her charge of involuntary manslaughter was withdrawn in exchange for her guilty plea to second-degree child abuse. On the other hand, the toddler's father, Kyle Wood, was sentenced to spending at least 30 months in prison for the death.
Kaiden was found unconscious at their house in Kentwood on Prince Albert Street SE, close to Garland Street SE, in June 2022. A soup pot filled with vomit, a marijuana pipe, and Xanax were among the dangerous goods the investigators discovered during their house check. Additionally, they found three loose antidepressants that Marshall claimed belonged to her, as reported by Daily Mail.
Who is Hope Marshall?
Marshall is a Michigan resident and the mother of the late Kaiden, who died due to an overdose of antidepressant pills that belonged to her. The toddler died from "acute Bupropion and Duloxetine toxicity," two antidepressants, according to an autopsy report. "I'm a mother full of guilt, shame, regrets, and pain. A mother's worst nightmare is losing a child but what do you do when your own actions are responsible?" Marshall stated to Judge Paul Denenfeld, adding, "Kaiden is my world and I failed him so badly. I let my drug addiction destroy my precious son's life and my two other sons' life as well." She went on to express her intention to rectify her fatal error by using her time in prison and the years that follow, saying, "I hope you can see how badly I want to change my life and how sorry I am for my actions and how much I've reflected on them. I just want help and the fact that I had to lose my son to realize that is sad."
Kaiden Wood was found 'cold and blue' by Hope Marshall
Early accounts state that when detectives examined the house in the 400 block of Prince Albert St SE, they discovered it to be generally disorganized. Three loose Wellbutrin tablets were discovered by the police in the living room, along with Xanax on the kitchen counter, both of which are widely used as antidepressants. Marshall allegedly informed authorities at the time that the Wellbutrin was hers and that "she takes three (Wellbutrin) with her coffee each morning." Apparently, a vape pen was found in Kaiden's crib, and a broken Acetaminophen tablet was on the floor in the hallway, according to 13 ABC.
The last time Marshall saw her toddler alive was on June 23, 2022, at around 8 am, after she had fed him and placed the boy back in his bed. She reportedly found the toddler in his bed "cold and blue" two hours later. Paramedics tried to revive Kaiden, but they were unsuccessful since his jaw was already overly compressed, as per a report from the Kent County Medical Examiner's Office. An investigator from the ME's office said, "He was in full rigor mortis at the time of arrival of EMS. He was pronounced deceased at 10:25 a.m. on 6/23/22."
