WHITE CLOUD, Mich. — Matthew Bradley will go to trial for allegedly concealing the death of 4-month-old Natallya Rich.
Bradley waived his preliminary hearing Thursday in Newaygo County District Court and was bound over to circuit court for trial. The concealing the death charge is a five-year felony.
Rich’s body was found in the early morning hours of May 13 in the basement of her grandmother’s White Cloud home. According to probable cause testimony, Bradley admitted he was on drugs like meth, norco pills and morphine on the days before and after she died.
Bradley allegedly told investigators that he was in charge of watching Natallya on Saturday, May 9 when her mother, Brittany Rich, went to work. He claims that he took a nap, and when he woke up the baby was unresponsive. He said he tried CPR on the baby but it didn’t work.
He allegedly hid Natallya’s body- in her car seat- in the crawl space of the basement. When Brittany returned home, he told her the baby was sleeping. He told police he was too afraid to tell anyone.
Rich and Bradley were arrested May 12 in Big Rapids. An autopsy was performed May 14, but more information on the infant’s cause of death could take up to one month.
Bradley pleaded guilty Wednesday to an unrelated concealed weapons charge.
