4 charged in alleged plot to torture, murder child
LANSING, Mich. (WOOD) — Four people are facing charges for allegedly plotting to rape, torture and murder a young child they planned to abduct from a public place.
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette announced the charges Friday against 37-year-old David Bailey of Coldwater (formerly Kalamazoo), 32-year-old Matthew Toole of Battle Creek, 32-year-old Talia Furman of Springfield and 19-year-old Jayme LaPointe of Athens.
The attorney general’s office said they all played a role in a plan to kidnap, subdue, torture and sexually assault a child until death, then dispose of the body.
Police said they were investigating three people for child pornography when they uncovered conversations about plans to commit the acts. The group allegedly considered abducting a child from the Branch, Calhoun and Jackson county fairs, a couple of parades and Walmart and Meijer parking lots without security cameras, Michigan State Police said.
The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force thinks the group was close to going through with the crimes when authorities uncovered the plot.
All four suspects are awaiting arraignment in Branch County on three counts each of conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit kidnapping and conspiracy to commit first-degree criminal sexual conduct. Each charge carries a sentence of up to life in prison.