KALAMAZOO County, Mich. – A 21-year-old is in the Kalamazoo County Jail on murder and child abuse charges nearly nine months after an infant’s death.
Toren Hains was arraigned Oct. 4, accused of killing 14-month-old Zoie Johnston. An autopsy showed alcohol and THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) in her system. Signs of abuse were also spotted.
Before this, Hains and the baby girl lived in an Oshtemo Township apartment with the child’s mother. On Dec. 30, 2012 deputies were called to the home after another tenant in their building called 911 while Hains was babysitting Zoie.
According to court documents, he said she fell out of his arms while he was alone with her.
“When the investigation started at that time, it looked like a medical call for service, but within a day the child that had received injuries died,” Kalamazoo County Sheriff Richard Fuller said.
Fuller said the autopsy consisted of several lengthy tests. After six months, those results pointed to murder. Hains’ next court date is scheduled for Oct. 31.
