2-year-old girl died after her 22-year-old mother held her pressed against a couch until she stopped fighting just because she wanted to have more free time for herself; mother sentenced
Michigan – In a heartbreaking case in Michigan, a 22-year-old mother, identified as P. Bohne, has been sentenced to decades in prison after admitting to causing the death of her 2-year-old daughter by forcibly suffocating her so she could have time to herself. The young mother received a prison sentence of 18 to 45 years for first-degree child abuse and an additional 4 to 10 years for assault with intent to cause bodily harm. The sentences will run at the same time, and she has been credited for over a year already served.
The incident took place on November 7, 2024, when Bohne called 911 from her home, reporting that her daughter was unresponsive. First responders arrived quickly, but the child was already dead. An autopsy later confirmed that the toddler had died from suffocation. As investigators pieced together what happened, Bohne admitted that her daughter died “because she wouldn’t take a nap.” She told authorities she had pushed the child’s face into a couch and “held her down until she stopped fighting.” Prosecutors revealed that, before the suffocation, Bohne had given the little girl a large amount of melatonin gummies—nearly three times the recommended adult dose—in an effort to make her sleep. The child had not been given breakfast.
According to prosecutors, Bohne wanted her daughter to nap so she could spend time texting her boyfriend, scrolling on TikTok, and making meals without interruption. According to prosecutors, she placed a blanket over her daughter and held her down until the child was no longer moving. Prosecutor D. Davis described the behavior as “unconscionable,” adding that while the melatonin and minor respiratory issues did not directly cause the child’s death, pressing her face into a couch did.
In July, Bohne entered a no-contest plea to the charges of child abuse and assault. In return, prosecutors agreed to drop charges of murder and conspiracy to commit child abuse. On the day of sentencing, Judge P. Stutesman called the case one of the most troubling he had seen. He noted that the child was smothered because her mother “wanted to do other things,” and that Bohne continued the act until the girl stopped making noise and moving.
During the hearing, Bohne’s aunt gave a powerful victim impact statement, expressing the pain and devastation the family has endured. She described how the toddler had been denied freedom and love, and how Bohne’s actions had caused deep emotional scars within the family. “Because of what you did, children were torn from their homes,” she said. “We live with grief, anger, and trauma that doesn’t go away. We don’t get parole from this pain.”
Judge Stutesman agreed with the prosecutor’s recommendation for sentencing and emphasized that accountability in cases like this must send a strong message. He echoed the prosecution’s assessment of Bohne’s actions, stating plainly that she held her child down “because she wanted to do other things.” “She started crying, and then she did it until the child stopped moving and stopped making noise and then left her,” he said. Bohne did not speak during sentencing. The 2-year-old girl is remembered as a cheerful, vibrant little girl who loved music, pink clothes, cheese puffs, cartoons, and dancing. Her obituary described her as full of life and joy, with a deep love for her grandfather. As Bohne begins her lengthy sentence, the toddler’s death stands as a sobering reminder of the consequences when a child is failed by those entrusted to protect them.
