02-20-2006, 08:50 AM
Investigation still open
No suspect named in Mt. Pleasant Center homicide
By SUSAN FIELD
The Morning Sun - Michigan USA
Monday, February 20, 2006
An investigation into a 30-year-old Kingsley man's homicide death at the Mt. Pleasant Center remains open but no suspects have emerged.
Robert Wright's death from internal injuries May 10, 2005, was ruled a homicide by forensic pathologist David Start of Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids.
But an extensive probe failed to yield enough evidence to link anyone to the death, according to Mt. Pleasant Police Department records.
Detectives interviewed several employees at the Mt. Pleasant Center who were working when Wright was found unresponsive in a bathtub, but there was not enough evidence to charge anyone, Isabella County Prosecutor Larry Burdick concluded.
"Upon review of the investigative report, at this time there is not sufficient evidence linking any particular person or persons to Robby's death to support criminal charges,“ Burdick said. "The Mt. Pleasant Police Department will continue to review and investigate any leads which come in concerning this tragedy.“
Wright, who was autistic and had a history of seizures, died from blunt force injury to his abdomen, according to Start's autopsy report.
Employees interviewed by police said Wright, who was left unattended in the bathtub for about 10 minutes before an aide found him, his head half underwater, appeared fine in the hours before his death.
The employees interviewed also told police they were surprised to hear that Wright, whom workers said stayed in bed and slept frequently, died of internal injuries and not by drowning, according to the report.
Workers who were in the D wing at the time of Wright's death also told police that when Wright was found "blue“ in the tub, the employee who found Wright yelled for help and began trying to revive him, along with other employees.
After talking to several employees about Wright's death, detectives served a search warrant on the center to get personnel records of 21 workers in an attempt to determine if any of the employees had a history of physically abusing residents, according to the police report.
Detectives submitted reports to Burdick, who in turn asked police to get more information.
In one case, the employee who helped Wright get into the tub before going on break and was considered a possible suspect, could not be re-interviewed because her attorney would not allow it, according to the police report.
Another employee refused to take a polygraph test, according to the report.
Detectives also attempted to talk to Rosanne Wright, Robert Wright's mother.
Detective Dave Tuma called Rosanne Wright in August 2005, who told Tuma she wanted to talk to an attorney before talking to police, according to the report.
As of eight days later, police had not heard back from Rosanne Wright, according to the report, which contained no subsequent supplemental reports regarding Rosanne Wright.
Police worked in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Community Health, who fully cooperated in the investigation, Mt. Pleasant Police Inspector Tom Forsberg said.
Wright, who lived in the Mt. Pleasant Center's D wing with 15 others, was on medication for seizures and for behavioral problems, according to the police report.
ENDS
No suspect named in Mt. Pleasant Center homicide
By SUSAN FIELD
The Morning Sun - Michigan USA
Monday, February 20, 2006
An investigation into a 30-year-old Kingsley man's homicide death at the Mt. Pleasant Center remains open but no suspects have emerged.
Robert Wright's death from internal injuries May 10, 2005, was ruled a homicide by forensic pathologist David Start of Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids.
But an extensive probe failed to yield enough evidence to link anyone to the death, according to Mt. Pleasant Police Department records.
Detectives interviewed several employees at the Mt. Pleasant Center who were working when Wright was found unresponsive in a bathtub, but there was not enough evidence to charge anyone, Isabella County Prosecutor Larry Burdick concluded.
"Upon review of the investigative report, at this time there is not sufficient evidence linking any particular person or persons to Robby's death to support criminal charges,“ Burdick said. "The Mt. Pleasant Police Department will continue to review and investigate any leads which come in concerning this tragedy.“
Wright, who was autistic and had a history of seizures, died from blunt force injury to his abdomen, according to Start's autopsy report.
Employees interviewed by police said Wright, who was left unattended in the bathtub for about 10 minutes before an aide found him, his head half underwater, appeared fine in the hours before his death.
The employees interviewed also told police they were surprised to hear that Wright, whom workers said stayed in bed and slept frequently, died of internal injuries and not by drowning, according to the report.
Workers who were in the D wing at the time of Wright's death also told police that when Wright was found "blue“ in the tub, the employee who found Wright yelled for help and began trying to revive him, along with other employees.
After talking to several employees about Wright's death, detectives served a search warrant on the center to get personnel records of 21 workers in an attempt to determine if any of the employees had a history of physically abusing residents, according to the police report.
Detectives submitted reports to Burdick, who in turn asked police to get more information.
In one case, the employee who helped Wright get into the tub before going on break and was considered a possible suspect, could not be re-interviewed because her attorney would not allow it, according to the police report.
Another employee refused to take a polygraph test, according to the report.
Detectives also attempted to talk to Rosanne Wright, Robert Wright's mother.
Detective Dave Tuma called Rosanne Wright in August 2005, who told Tuma she wanted to talk to an attorney before talking to police, according to the report.
As of eight days later, police had not heard back from Rosanne Wright, according to the report, which contained no subsequent supplemental reports regarding Rosanne Wright.
Police worked in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Community Health, who fully cooperated in the investigation, Mt. Pleasant Police Inspector Tom Forsberg said.
Wright, who lived in the Mt. Pleasant Center's D wing with 15 others, was on medication for seizures and for behavioral problems, according to the police report.
ENDS