4-year-old boy born with “severely under developed swallow” died weighing 10 pounds after his mother intentionally starved him to death; mother charged
Michigan – In a heartbreaking and deeply disturbing case in Michigan, a 39-year-old mother, identified as J. Burke, has been charged with first-degree child abuse following the death of her 4-year-old son, who weighed just 10 pounds at the time of his passing. Authorities allege that Burke intentionally starved her special-needs child, leading to fatal malnourishment.
At approximately 4:10 a.m. on October 18, 2024, officers with the police department were dispatched to a rental property after Burke called 911 and reported that her 4-year-old son was unresponsive and not breathing. Emergency responders quickly arrived, but despite their efforts, the young boy was pronounced dead later that day. Following the tragic death, an autopsy was performed. The findings were horrifying. According to the prosecutor’s office, the medical examiner ruled the boy’s cause of death as “severe extreme calorie malnutrition and complications thereof leading to extreme emaciation and failure to thrive.” His manner of death was classified as a homicide.
The toddler weighed only 10 pounds—roughly a quarter of the average weight for a healthy 4-year-old, which is around 40 pounds. According to medical records, the boy had been born with Esophageal Dysphasia, described as a “severely underdeveloped swallow.” This condition left him without the ability to suck, gag, root, or even move his mouth, which made feeding and nourishment difficult without medical intervention. Prosecutors say Burke, who was the 4-year-old boy’s primary caregiver, failed to provide her son with adequate food or medical attention for an extended period of time. Authorities confirmed that photographs showed the boy with a feeding tube, indicating the need for specialized care, which Burke allegedly neglected.
Prosecutor M. Kanuszewski described the boy’s death as an “awful tragedy,” emphasizing that although the boy’s care required significant effort, the result of such sustained neglect was unacceptable. “She had her hands full,” Kanuszewski told local media. “He was not an easy child to care for, but how can anyone allow that to happen? That’s why it’s so tragic. No one wins in a case like this, regardless of the outcome.”
Court records say that Burke “knowingly or intentionally caused serious physical harm” to her son “by starvation and malnourishment.” This falls under the scope of first-degree child abuse, a felony in Michigan that carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. Despite the severity of the young boy’s condition and the final ruling that his death was a homicide, Burke has not been charged with murder or manslaughter. Prosecutors explained that after several months of reviewing the complex facts of the case, they concluded those charges were not legally supported.
Burke was arrested on May 14, 2025, nearly seven months after her son’s death. She appeared in the district court the following day, where she was formally arraigned on the felony child abuse charge. A judge set her bond at $250,000 cash or surety. Burke is expected to return to court for a preliminary examination on May 29, 2025, where further details surrounding the prolonged neglect may be presented.
The boy, who would have turned five years old just days later on May 24, had never experienced a life outside of severe medical hardship. A video memorial posted online by family shows clips and photos of the boy, offering a haunting glimpse of a young life cut short by tragedy and neglect. As the community grapples with the devastating loss of a vulnerable child, the case continues to spark outrage and sorrow, raising questions about oversight, accountability, and the heartbreaking consequences of untreated medical and emotional needs.
