DOUGLASS TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — The death of a toddler west of Stanton this week has been ruled a homicide, authorities say.
The determination came after a Tuesday autopsy, Michigan State Police said. No charges had been filed as of Wednesday afternoon.
Vayda Vasquez would have been 2 in April.
She was found unresponsive Monday morning at her babysitter’s home on W. Stanton Road near Dickerson Lake in Douglass Township. Emergency responders couldn’t save her, and she died at the scene.
Vayda’s parents lost full custody of her more than a year ago because of drug charges. At the time of her death, her mother was in jail and her maternal grandmother had custody. The grandmother had sent her to the babysitter’s home on W. Stanton.
Tonia Rose, the grandmother, told News 8 Tuesday that the babysitter is a longtime family friend and that Vayda loved to go to the house to play with other kids.
But Rose also said she believed foul play was involved and wanted justice to be served.
**Correction: A previous version of this report stated Rose and Vayda’s father shared custody. Vayda’s father actually had visitation rights, not custody.