Mom, Boyfriend Planned Murder of 3-Year-Old ‘to Make Room’ for a Child of their Own: DA

Two people have been arrested in Michigan nearly seven years after the suspicious death of a 3-year-old boy. Amanda Maison, 28, and her then-boyfriend, 31-year-old Maurice Houle, were taken into custody on Friday and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the 2018 death of Maison’s son, Matthew Maison. Houle also faces three additional charges for assaulting or obstructing police during his arrest. The arrests follow what authorities called “significant recent developments” in the cold case, which had remained unsolved since Matthew was found dead in his bed on February 18, 2018, at the family’s home in Port Huron Township.

Years of Abuse and a Shocking Motive

During a court hearing on Monday, prosecutors detailed years of alleged abuse Matthew endured at the hands of both defendants. Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Josh Sparling said the couple concocted false stories about the boy’s prior injuries before speaking with investigators. Both allegedly admitted the other had abused the child. Matthew was reportedly subjected to cruel punishments such as being forced to kneel for extended periods with his head hitting the wall, and being locked in his room without food or water. One particularly disturbing allegation claims Houle once placed a pillow over Matthew’s face under the guise of “playing.” Sparling told the court that Matthew’s death was not accidental, but the result of a deliberate and horrific plan. “There was a plan to kill Matthew to make room for a child the two of them could have together,” Sparling said, underscoring the level of cruelty and intent prosecutors are alleging.

Cause of Death: Blunt Trauma and Asphyxiation

Following years of limited public information, new details emerged about how Matthew died. St. Clair County Medical Examiner Daniel Spitz determined that the toddler suffered from multiple traumatic injuries and signs of suffocation. In his autopsy report, Spitz concluded that Matthew’s death was due to “blunt traumatic injuries with features of asphyxiation,” consistent with inflicted trauma. Investigators now believe Matthew was beaten and possibly choked to death, and that both adults in the home at the time were involved.

Family Tied to Prior Child Abuse Tragedy

Adding a chilling dimension to the case is Amanda Maison’s connection to another notorious child abuse case. Her brother, Andrew Maison, and his wife, Hilery Maison, are both serving life sentences without parole for the 2015 murder of Andrew’s 5-year-old daughter, Mackenzie Maison. They were also convicted of severely abusing his 3-year-old daughter, Makayla Maison. Authorities first responded to the death of Matthew on February 19, 2018, after a 911 call about an unresponsive child. First responders found him already deceased. Until recently, few details had been shared with the public. A Freedom of Information Act request in 2020 for the 911 call was denied due to the automatic deletion of old dispatch recordings.