KYLE HOLLAND - 5 yo (2010) - Lincoln Park (SW of Detroit) MI

A 5-year-old boy was found dead on his bedroom floor this morning, and
police in Lincoln Park are trying to determine if he had been mauled to
death by one of two family dogs.
Kyle Holland had significant trauma to his chest and one of his legs
when his 29-year-old mother discovered him about 9:30 a.m., according to
Lincoln Park police Chief Thomas Karnes, who said the death is being
treated as a homicide.
“We have a very tragic situation in which a 5-year-old lost his life,” Karnes said. “If there was wrongdoing
by somebody, we will do what is necessary.”
The family’s two dogs — a 35-pound black and white Labrador mix and a 90-pound husky and
German shepherd mix — are being held at a shelter in Allen Park, pending
the outcome of the investigation. Neither dog had a license as required by the city.
Karnes said neighbors of the home in the 1500 block of Empire believe the
larger of the two dogs could actually be a wolf hybrid.
Police have been interviewing the mother and her live-in boyfriend. No charges had been filed this afternoon.
Karnes said the mother told police she put the boy to bed at 10:30 p.m.
Sunday, gave him a glass of chocolate milk and turned on a TV so he
could watch cartoons. The next morning she found his body on the floor after he had been mauled.
Because police are unsure when the
boy died, they are unable to say if they believe he was mauled to death
or if there was another cause of death prior to the attack. Karnes said
he hopes to have autopsy results from the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office as early as Tuesday.

BRIEF: Autopsy confirms Lincoln Park boy was mauled to death by dogs

Posted on: Wed, 14 Jul 2010 19:08:08 EDT

Jul 14, 2010 (Detroit Free Press - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --


An autopsy has confirmed that a 5-year-old who was found dead in his Lincoln Park bedroom Monday morning was mauled to death.Kyle Holland died of multiple crush wounds because of dog bites, Lincoln Park police Chief Thomas Karnes said in a news release today. Kyle's death is considered a homicide.He was bitten on the head, face, neck, shoulder, chest, left leg and arms, according to the release.The family's two dogs -- a 35-pound black and white Labrador mix and a 90-pound husky and German shepherd mix -- are being held at a shelter in Allen Park. Neither dog had a license as required by the city.Police have interviewed the boy's 29-year-old mother and live-in boyfriend, but no charges had been filed today. Once the investigation is completed, the findings are to be submitted to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, the release said.The family's home is in the 1500 block of Empire.Karnes said the mother told police she put the boy to bed at 10:30 p.m. Sunday, gave him a glass of chocolate milk and turned on a TV so he could watch cartoons. The next morning she found his body on the floor after he had been mauled.Contact ERIC D. LAWRENCE: 313-223-4272 or elawrence@freepress.com.

A woman and her boyfriend have been charged in the dog-mauling death
of her 5-year-old son in Lincoln Park last summer, the Wayne County
Prosecutor's Office announced Monday.Earl D. Adkins, 35 -- owner
of the wolf-hybrid that mauled Kyle J. Adkins on July 12 -- is being
charged with one count of a dangerous animal causing death, as well as
possession with intent to deliver or manufacture marijuana after police
found 15 marijuana plants in the basement of his home.The boy's
mother, Debralynn Holland, 29, is being charged with manslaughter,
second-degree child abuse and being an accessory after the fact of a
felony for helping dispose of marijuana plants.The Prosecutor's
Office said Kyle was partially eaten by the dog, which was allegedly in
the home for protection and not in its cage while the child slept.Adkins and Holland
are expected to surrender to police to be arraigned Wednesday.

http://www.freep.com/article/20110628/NEWS05/106280388/2-charged-boy-s-mauling-death

LINCOLN PARK, Mich. -- A medical
examiner says a 5-year-old Detroit area boy was missing body parts after
he was mauled to death last year by a wolf-dog hybrid.Kyle Holland was killed July 12, 2010, when a 90-pound dog attacked him, police said.Wayne
County medical examiner Carl Schmidt testified Friday in a Lincoln Park
courtroom that part of one of Kyle Holland's thigh bones and much of
the soft tissue on the thigh were missing at the time of his autopsy. His chest cavity also was crushed and the boy had more than 80 puncture wounds."His
buttocks were gone to the point that his sacrum was gone, part of his
pelvis was gone, the right hip joint was only partially present,"
Schmidt said. The testimony came during the preliminary examination for the boy's mother, Debbralyn Holland, and Earl Adkins. Holland is charged with involuntary manslaughter and second-degree child abuse. Adkins is charged with dangerous animal death.The hearing is scheduled to continue on Monday.Adkins and Debbralyn Holland lived together at the time of the attack.
http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/29209769/detail.html

OMG, do these people live in a mansion? How could this happen and no one heard a thing? I have 3 big dogs and I can tell you that these injuries didn't happen in a vacuum, there was A LOT of noise while this happened. That child would have made noise at least initially, and NO ONE heard anything! That's unbelievable! What horror he suffered. These parents should get no mercy for what that child suffered.

Posted by Times-Herald Newspapers on 12/03/11 • Categorized as Stories

By JAMES MITCHELL
Sunday Times Newspapers
LINCOLN PARK — Preliminary examinations continued Friday for the July 2010 dog-mauling death of a 5-year-old boy, and will resume tomorrow before a decision is reached as to whether a manslaughter trial will be convened.

“Is this animal dangerous?” 25th District Court Judge David Zelenak asked rhetorically. “That’s what this examination is all about.”

The answer to that question will determine if Debralynn C. Holland, 29 and Earl Dwayne Adkins, 35, will face charges, including manslaughter, for the death of Holland’s son, Kyle, who was mauled by an animal owned by Adkins. Arguments Friday included a description of the 90-pound canine as a “wolf hybrid,” a definition that Adkins’ attorney, Daniel Blank, said was irrelevant and — should the case go to trial — would prejudice jurors.

The definition was allowed for the purposes of the preliminary examinations, which began in September following a July arraignment of Holland and Adkins.

Lincoln Park Det. Scott Lavis testified Friday that “wolf hybrid” was the description given by Adkins when interviewed following Kyle’s death. During testimony heard last month from Holland’s other son, a 9-year-old, the boy said that Adkins called the animal a “baby wolf.”

Holland and her two sons moved in with Adkins to the 1500 block of Empire Street shortly before the incident. Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Raj Prasad stated that Kyle, a disabled boy, was left unattended with the animal, named “Chase.” Friday’s testimony by Det. Lavis recalled his conversation with Adkins, who said that Holland was taking a variety of pills that day.

“She just went to bed,” Lavis recalled Adkins’ explanation of why the child was alone with the animal. “He never thought Chase would do something like this.”

According to reports from the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s office, Kyle suffered more than 80 puncture wounds and 250 abrasions during the attack. On Friday, Lavis described forensic analysis of the dog’s fecal matter, which included bits of clothing and human bones.

Holland faces a possible 15-year prison sentence if tried and convicted of involuntary manslaughter; Adkins may be charged with owning a dangerous animal causing death, also a 15-year felony.

The prosecutor, Blank said, “has to prove that the animal is dangerous, not its breed.”

Additional potential charges and testimony involved 19 marijuana plants located in and near Adkins’ home by police, who were called shortly after 9 a.m. when Holland discovered Kyle’s body. Friday’s testimony recalled that the two argued over contacting the police.

“He panicked and thought about the marijuana,” Det. Lavis said. “She came downstairs and assisted” in moving the plants, which were discovered in Adkins’ vehicle, basement and in an alley behind the house. Adkins faces several marijuana-related charges, and Holland may be charged as an accessory after the fact.

(James Mitchell can be reached at jmitchell@bewickpublications.com.)
http://downriversundaytimes.com/2011/12/03/exams-continue-in-dog-mauling-death/

D@amn drug addicts. They should be charged and given life. They chose drugs over those children. That's why he had the dangerous wolf dog--to protect his dope and keep intruders out.

LINCOLN PARK: Dogs in Kyle Holland mauling case euthanized

Published: Tuesday, May 08, 2012
By Alan Burdziak

LINCOLN PARK — Two years after they were seized, two dogs responsible for the death of a 5-year-old boy were destroyed last week , Police Chief Thomas Karnes said today.

A male German shepherd/husky mix and a female black Labrador retriever that had been held at the Allen Park Animal Shelter since the July 12, 2010, death of Kyle Holland, were kept alive at the order of Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy because they were considered evidence in the case.

However, after Earl Dwayne Adkins, 36, pleaded guilty in Wayne County Circuit Court on April 20 to dangerous animal death and Debbralyn Holland, 30, pleaded guilty to charges of second-degree child abuse, manslaughter and accessory after the fact, the dogs were signed over to Lincoln Park police and destroyed. Dangerous animal death is a charge similar to manslaughter.

Detective Sgt. Joseph Lavis said that while the husky was thought to be mostly responsible, they could not rule out that the Labrador had attacked the child as well.

Holland found her son, Kyle, dead of animal bites at about 9:30 a.m. in Adkins’ house in the 1500 block of Empire. She and Kyle had been living there for about 10 days when it happened.

Holland was charged with accessory after the fact because she tried to help Adkins dispose of marijuana plants he had in the house before calling 911.

It took almost a year for Worthy’s office to charge the pair. Several agencies, including the Michigan State Police, experts from Michigan State University and dental experts, aided in the investigation.

Judge Annette Berry will sentence Adkins and Holland on July 13.

As part of the plea agreement with the prosecutor, Adkins agreed to testify against Holland if necessary. He is expected to be sentenced to 24 months to 15 years in prison. Holland’s sentence is likely to be 29 months to 15 years. She pleaded no contest to the charges.

The investigation into Kyle’s death was thorough, Karnes said, because the department wanted to make sure the charges stuck and weren’t thrown out on a technicality. He said the boy was dealt a bad hand.

“All in all, it’s a terrible tragedy,” he said. “Young Kyle Holland got born into a situation that was not the best, had a very short life. There’s some people out there that loved him and cared for him while he was still alive and it’s unfortunate that he ended up with these two people as caregivers.”

Kyle’s father, Justin Holland, was from Tennessee. He died in a car accident on I-75 in 2005 when the child was an infant. His family still lives near Maryville, Tenn., where Kyle spent about half the year with his grandmother and aunts.

Judy Finchum, Kyle’s grandmother, said in an email that his family in Tennessee is upset that Adkins and Holland aren’t facing more prison time. Before the deal, Holland could have faced up to 24 years in prison and Adkins could have been sentenced to 19. Adkins had been labeled a habitual offender, which could have doubled his sentence.

“The devastation through it all has been an emotional roller coaster hoping and praying justice will be done,” Finchum said in the email.

She said the system for establishing sentencing guidelines in Michigan should be changed. Currently, a points system is made using the circumstances of the crime, prior convictions and other criteria as factors in determining prison time. Holland had no other criminal history. Adkins has two felony convictions for marijuana possession, one in Michigan and another in Ohio.

Finchum said she believes Kyle was neglected many times before his death and if someone had reported it, he could have been saved from his fate.

“I just hope and pray the judge will have mercy on my little grandson and give him the justice he deserves by giving the two who failed Kyle the maximum sentence,” she said. “Plea deals were not an option for us, but in the end is what we got.”

Kyle’s family in Tennessee started a petition to avoid plea deals in the case, garnering about 1,800 signatures before Adkins and Holland accepted their deals.

The case comes down to someone not taking care of the child, Karnes said, something police departments work to prevent.

“In the end, you have to be responsible for where your kids are and making your kids safe, no matter what animals or pets you bring into your home,” he said. “It can happen in many different ways, not just in this circumstance.

“It has to do with taking care of your kids. That’s the bottom line: keeping your kids safe.”

http://thenewsherald.com/articles/2012/05/08/news/doc4fa2f02f18fb9431642096.txt?viewmode=fullstory