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Shylea Thomas Found Dead In Storage Unit

April 23, 2009 at 11:26 am by  

Flint, Michigan–Very little information is being released in the case of 9-year-old Shylea Myza Thomas, but this is what I have discovered. Shylea hadn’t been seen in over six weeks–relatives reported her missing to DHS on Tuesday. On Wednesday, her body was found, surrounded by mothballs and stuffed into a garbage bag, locked up in a storage unit in Michigan. Shylea suffered from quadriplegia because of a ‘suffocation issue’ in her crib at 3 weeks of age.

19pfmx Shylea Thomas Found Dead In Storage Unit

Shylea Myza Thomas

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton describes the child’s living conditions as filthy, ‘For her to have to live like that, and then to die and be stuffed into a bag and plastic bin in a storage facility, just breaks my heart,’ he said. Mine too. He also announced that an arrest had been made in the case.

The child’s adoptive mother, Lorrie Mae Thomas, was taken into custody as a suspect in the child’s death. The woman could face numerous charges, including murder, first-degree child abuse, abuse of a corpse, and welfare fraud. Charges, of course, are pending autopsy. Investigators are also trying to determine why the girl’s disappearance wasn’t reported until six weeks after she went missing.

I will provide more details on this heart-breaking story as more information becomes available. RIP baby girl.

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Shylea Thomas Found Dead In Storage Unit
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38 Comments

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  • CassieMomma

    Sounds like this poor girl was doomed from the start…..sad!

  • Jury

    OMG, this has to be the lowest.  That adoptive mother deserves a body bag.

  • CassieMomma

    Also I wonder if the adoptive mother was her “mother” before she suffered the accident at three weeks of age or after…

  • mazzi

    Why are all the pictures of her as an infant and toddler? That’s shameful, and it sure speaks volumes. Not one person cared enough to take pictures of her? Poor baby – she’s surely better off now.

  • Lavonna

    WTF? Missing for 6 weeks before reporting her missing?
    Heartbreaking to know she suffered like she did before dying.

  • buggysmommy

    I see a 9 yr old girl who had a mind.  She probably was able to speak, and probably could think for herself.  She just couldn’t do for herself.  This is fucking horrendous.  Makes me sick.

    God Bless Baby…

  • silvahalo

    This is beyond sad it’s utterly horrific. That a child brought into the world was treated so unfairly and with unimaginable cruelty is beyond me. From the beginning she was not properly cared for. She lived as a second thought to those caring for her and died and put away to be forgotten.

    I won’t forget you Shylea Myza Thomas. You deserved a happy life.

  • http://www.dreamindemon.com Morbid

    So the girl was a living PEZ dispenser for 9 years before being discarded in a garbage bag.  It must be tough to believe in God when shit like this happens. I guess stories like this is where the “mysterious ways” and “got to have faith” comments originated.

  • 2 boys mom in NC

    Morbid:
    So the girl was a living PEZ dispenser for 9 years before being discarded in a garbage bag.  It must be tough to believe in God when shit like this happens. I guess stories like this is where the “mysterious ways” and “got to have faith” comments originated.

    Yeah, and the “eternal burning fires of hell” because that’s the only thing the adoptive mom bitch deserves.  Comforts me sometimes to believe in those burning pits. 

  • http://www.myspace.com/justdazin So Jaded

    Morbid: So the girl was a living PEZ dispenser for 9 years before being discarded in a garbage bag.  It must be tough to believe in God when shit like this happens. I guess stories like this is where the “mysterious ways” and “got to have faith” comments originated.

    Maybe god needed to call another angel home….or some shit like that.

  • http://www.dreamindemon.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=12 Athena

    God is an abusive parent.

  • Dakota Valkyrie

    I hope my imagination is more vivid than reality, but having been around here for a bit, I am afraid to read any updates.

  • http://www.dreamindemon.com Morbid

    Athena: God is an abusive parent.

    More like an absentee father. We are all a proverbial Latchkey Kid.

  • http://www.dreamindemon.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=12 Athena

    Well, if death is “His will”, then certainly the quality of their life is, as well. And if that’s the case, He could stand to be a little more absent.

  • MadeaBecBec

    Welfare Fraud?? Lorrie Mae Thomas, must’ve been cashing the checks that were supposed to aid in Shylea’s care!!

    As a loving parent and grandparent, I understand God’s position, in all the tragedies we read about here on D’D….. I feel His frustration!  We’re all the proverbial teens that know it all, want it all (without toiling) thinking He just doesn’t get it and give us what we beg for immediately!! If you are (or have been) a parent of a teenager, then you get what I am saying!  Before we were created in the womb, God loves us, just like any good parent and He also hopes that, given the chance, we’ll use the freewill He bestowed on us to be Loving, Caring and kind, instead of evil and cruel….
    If you are parenting, then you view your children as God views us, look at your children and try to make the same decision you think God should make, when it comes to discipline……

  • whisperswing

    This broke yesterday and I said to my husband I was surprised b/c this is right near us and there was nothing about a missing child.No amber alerts nothing,and I found out why later b/c this is the Michigan version of  CAYLEE.No one reported her missing for 6 weeks.Heres a video just updated on news  http://www.clickondetroit.com/video/19254896/index.html.The update held earlier this afternoon was to say they think they have enough for felony murder against the aunt that had adopted her.The aunt was raising 8 children including Shylea and another of Shyleas siblings a older girl I believe they are charging welfare fraud.

  • tmdgirl

    Here is a news article released earlier today on yahoo http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090423/ap_on_re_us/us_body_in_storage

    I can’t believe nobody thought to report this poor little girl missing. Its sad that she wasn’t important enough for anyone to even take notice that she was gone.

    May she be guarded by angels now and free from pain.

  • whisperswing

    http://www.clickondetroit.com/index.html this also is the one of the  main news stations here and they are really covering the whole case,

  • KAEB4

    I’ve never heard it put better than this

    Morbid:
    More like an absentee father. We are all a proverbial Latchkey Kid.

  • nadine

    This story made me cry so much and it just breaks my heart… May she for sure be forever watched over by angels and she will never have pain ever…How dare someone take someone elses life?>????
    WHO do you think you are????? If you did not want the child you should have taken her to someone/ hospital, church somewhere and give to them… Someone would have cherished her and loved her the way she deserved to be not dead at NINE years OLD you selfish fucking cunt and i don’t use the C word too tooo much but you know she is what she is and i hope she DIES a horrible DEATH and NO one WILL CARE

  • http://www.myspace.com/justdazin So Jaded

    When Shylea Thomas’ biological mother stood to lose her daughter five years ago, she skipped the court hearing terminating her parental rights.

    More info and the time line here…

    http://www.freep.com/article/20090424/NEWS05/904240388/1007/NEWS/Quadriplegic+girl+s+sad+story+ends+in+death

  • Redshoes

    Morbid: More like an absentee father. We are all a proverbial Latchkey Kid.

    haha

  • CassieMomma

    So Jaded:
    When Shylea Thomas’ biological mother stood to lose her daughter five years ago, she skipped the court hearing terminating her parental rights.
    More info and the time line here…
    http://www.freep.com/article/20090424/NEWS05/904240388/1007/NEWS/Quadriplegic+girl+s+sad+story+ends+in+death

    Thanks!!

  • http://www.myspace.com/aurniastar my_2_Cents

    where did the “abuse of a corpse” come from? I don’t understand that one.just curios.
    how fucking horrific for anyone to go through. Once again,WTF?

  • Uvgottabkiddin

    my_2_Cents:
    where did the “abuse of a corpse” come from? I don’t understand that one.just curios.
    how fucking horrific for anyone to go through. Once again,WTF?

     
    she was stuffed into a plastic bag then a bin.

  • http://www.myspace.com/aurniastar my_2_Cents

    Uvgottabkiddin:   she was stuffed into a plastic bag then a bin.

    ohh… ok that makes sense thanks. still horrific…

  • whisperswing

    They just had a update on news here,they announced in Aug 2008 she weighed 66 lbs and when she died 6 weeks ago she weighed 31 lbs.The LE and Drs,said she suffered considerably and thats why they are wracking up as many felonies on her (the aunt/adoptive mom) as they can.She didnt bother to feed her through her feeding tube ,house full of piss,shit cock roachs etc,.With moving body,covering with moth balls(tampering)all sorts of felonies they want to have against her .They are going to announce the final list later but at least 5 felonies so far.

  • http://www.myspace.com/justdazin So Jaded

    Nine-year-old Shylea Myza Thomas, whose body was found stuffed in a storage box Wednesday, weighed just 33 pounds when she died from neglect and malnutrition, a prosecutor said Friday before charging her adoptive mother in the child’s death.

    Lorrie Thomas, 40, of Flint, who is the child’s aunt and adoptive mother, was arraigned in Flint’s 68th District Court on multiple charges in the child’s death Friday, including second-degree murder, child abuse, tampering with evidence, removing a dead body and welfare fraud over $500.

    An autopsy revealed Shylea — whose name also is spelled Shylae in some court documents — weighed just 33 pounds at the time of her death about six weeks ago, Genessee County Prosecutor David Leyton said at a press conference. The girl had untreated bed sores and bones sticking through skin, he said.

    http://www.detnews.com/article/20090424/METRO/904240423/1408/LOCAL

  • AMinFH

    I just read for the charge of the welfare fraud, the “mother” had just cashed a check for the care of the girl on April 13 for the amount of $2885…she was paid more than most people in this state make a month!  Fucking pathetic bitch had the nerve to cry at her arraignment. 

  • http://www.myspace.com/dneil73 Dneilz

    Rest in peace little one. Rot in hell piece of shit mother with no heart.

  • maureen

    I’m a long time reader first time poster and this case just broke my heart.  The state of Michigan is giving this woman tons of money to take care of this baby and she removes this beautiful child from school, lets her get covered in bed sores, and lets he lose half her body weight.  Why?  It’s just evil.  She didn’t have to die.   This woman was getting nearly 3,000 dollars for Shylea and all she has to show for is messy house and a dead child.  I don’t know why nobody did anything when she was removed from school.  She’s 8 and special needs.  She belonged in school in a special education program.

    The Aunt is also the proud grandmother of 2 grandchildren via her 15 year old daughter.  So depressing.

  • http://www.myspace.com/justdazin So Jaded

    Hi Maureen…
    It is a very heartbreaking story…I don’t see Lorrie getting anything near what she deserves as far as punishment. This never, ever should have happened.
    And, thank you for coming out of lurk-mode to post. Hope to see you in the comments more often.

  • silvahalo

    For sometime the bio mother was defending her piece of shit sister and saying Shylae likely died from natural causes. Now, that has changed her tune and in a public display cried out the following…. “The biological mother of a quadriplegic girl was ejected from a courtroom Wednesday after loudly declaring her sister had “starved my baby to death.”
    “She’s not in a position to give an opinion on what a good mother is,” he said. “She thinks she was a good mother and yet lost five children. I don’t see how her opinion is meaningful.”

    Rachel Thomas, on the other hand, is determined to become the mother she never was to her remaining children.

    “I want to bury my baby, and I want the rest of my kids,” she said. “When I couldn’t make it, I cried out for help.

    “It was real hard, but I wanted the best things for my babies.”
    The artile continues here…

    It’s very sad. I don’t doubt the bio-mother who relinquished custody of Shylae feels remorse. For failing her as a mother from the beginning and the guilt of giving her up and not keeping close tabs. It’s a little too late for Shylae. It seems mothers who are near almost absent in their childs life have much to say after the death of a child.

    Sounds like she did the right thing giving Shylae up but did so recklessly. CPS didn’t seem officially involved from the beginning and tabs were not kept on how little Shylae was doing in her new home. So many people let this poor baby girl down.

    I’m glad mother has stopped defending her sister. 33lbs for a 9 year old girl is an outcry. No doubt she was beat and starved as the injuries indicate. It makes me sick. Little Shylae was completely helpless, dependent on others to care for her. If they were not up for caring for a child with special needs, they should have given her up years ago. Now its just too late. Little Shylae is dead and nothing can change that.

    Sweet Shylae, you showed have been enjoying life with the sun on your face….
    Rest in peace sweet one.

  • http://www.dreamindemon.com/forums/ Dakota Valkyrie

    [...]
    “The autopsy shows it’s a homicide, and the cause of death is medical neglect, dehydration, malnutrition and starvation,” Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton told the Free Press on Friday. “It’s brain death by starvation.”

    Leyton said the autopsy by Dr. Allecia Wilson of the county’s Medical Examiner’s Office was completed Thursday and backs up his theory that Shylae Thomas’ adoptive mother, Lorrie Thomas of Flint, was not providing the girl with formula for her feeding tube.
    [...]

    Shylae weighed 33 pounds and had been dead for six weeks when detectives found her body in a storage facility in Vienna Township.

    The report also states that Shylae was blind, deaf and mute.
    [...]

    Leyton said he plans to use the autopsy to argue for a reversal of Family Court Judge Paul Gadola’s June 30 decision that Thomas’ other five children can visit her in jail.
    [...]

    Source

  • Coyote

    Lorrie Thomas pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter today, just four days before she was to go to trial on second-degree murder and other charges. Defense lawyer Mark Clement predicted Thomas would get 3 1/2 to seven years in prison when she returns to court Jan. 11. The maximum punishment is 15 years.

  • http://www.dreamindemon.com Morbid

    A Flint woman was sentenced to a minimum of 10 years in prison for the death of her adopted quadriplegic daughter whose starved body was stashed in a storage unit. In a tearful plea to the judge, Thomas denied killing Shylae and said, “I am not a monster.” She did not explain why the girl's health had deteriorated.

    http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,582799,00.html

  • Skeptical

    That's it? Minimum of 10 years? She is a monster! Or too ignorant to be a parent or both! For her ten year stay of incarceration may she receive the same treatment that poor baby girl did in her care. That is what I wish for her.