STANTON, Mich. — Two child abuse charges were dismissed against a Greenville mother of two Thursday afternoon in Montcalm County 64B District Court.
The judge said he couldn’t find probable cause against or any evidence of child abuse against Samantha Slater of Greenville. She and her boyfriend, Benjamin Wilkins, were formally charged with one count of first-degree child abuse and one count of second-degree child abuse in April.
On Tuesday, a witness for the prosecution fell off the stand in a Montcalm County Court while having a seizure during the preliminary hearing. The witness, Rebecca Carriveau, was a roommate with Slater when the alleged abuse occurred. Medical personnel arrived within minutes and took Carriveau out on a stretcher.
Due to the circumstances the judge granted an adjournment. The hearing resumed Thursday.
Slater’s daughter, 2-year-old Brooklyn Slater, remains on life support at Helen Devos Children’s Hospital In Grand Rapids with severe injuries to her head, abdomen and liver.
Greenville police say Wilkins reported finding Brooklyn unresponsive in the bathroom after putting her in timeout. Brooklyn was in the care of Wilkins and her mother at the time.
Samantha Slater says she was asleep during the alleged abuse.
Wilkins’ case remains headed to trial.
