GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.- A memorial is planned on Saturday to honor a mother of five who is presumed to have been murdered. Police believe Latrice Maze was killed by her boyfriend, Jahleel Hoskins, who is now behind bars.
Investigators say Latrice’s body was likely thrown in a dumpster and then incinerated.
Relatives want one of Latrice’s daughter’s, Marihya, to attend her mother’s memorial. But, the young girl is in foster care and has serious medical conditions. So serious, doctors say contracting the slightest cough or cold could be fatal. Therefore, she’s not cleared to go.
Family members are protesting the decision, they even gathered in Grand Rapids to make their voices heard.
Kenneth Harris, Marihya’s father, says, “Let my daughter come be there for her family and for her mother one last time.” He says losing Latrice is the hardest thing he’s ever had to deal with.
Harris tells us, “She was born with a heart and lung disease where she has to breathe through a trach (tracheotomy) in her neck.”
The foster care manager says Marihya can’t go to her mother’s memorial, saying in an email “It was determined that it would not be in M’s best interest both emotionally and medically to attend the service.” They continue on to say, “M’s doctors have made it very clear that any exposure to a single illness can be fatal for her.”
Marihya’s Great Aunt, Tonya Harris, led the protest outside DA Blodgett opposing the decision. She says, “It’s not the memorial that’s chaotic, what is chaotic is the fact that they will not allow us to bond with her the way that the family should bond with her during this time of bereavement and that’s what hurts so much with the family.”
In the email, the foster care case manager offers to send pictures and videos of Marihya to “…show the family how she is doing and that she is happy and thriving.”
Family of Marihya says they have put in a request with her judge hoping he will overturn the decision. Kenneth Harris says he has regained custody of 2-year-old Essie. Marihya’s great aunt says she is currently filing to become Maryihya’s foster mother and hopes to eventually become her legal guardian.
Related articles
- Family: Case of Missing Mother of 5 Considered ‘Homicide’ (fox17online.com)
- Family Of Latrice Maze Begins To Mourn, Wants Answers From Boyfriend (fox17online.com)
- Family: Charges Authorized in Latrice Maze’s Murder (fox17online.com)
- Boyfriend Of Latrice Maze To Be Charged With Her Murder (fox17online.com)
- Latrice Maze’s Former Boyfriend To Be Charged With Her Murder (fox17online.com)
