Authorities say the 4-year-old was removed from a hospital against medical advice and did not receive prescribed seizure medication.

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. — A Michigan mother has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after investigators alleged that her 4-year-old son died when she failed to give him prescribed seizure medication or obtain further medical care as his condition worsened.

Latoya Washington, 37, was arraigned June 23 in 46th District Court in connection with the Jan. 25, 2025, death of her son, Curtis Washington. Southfield police said the child had been hospitalized two days earlier after experiencing several seizures. Medical workers stabilized him and prescribed medicine intended to prevent additional episodes, according to investigators. Authorities allege Washington then removed Curtis from the hospital against medical advice and did not administer the prescribed treatment after taking him home.

The charge followed a police investigation that lasted about 17 months. Officers and emergency medical workers were called to the French Quarter Apartments on Basin Street in Southfield on Jan. 25, 2025, after someone reported that a child was not breathing. First responders found Curtis unconscious and unresponsive. They provided emergency aid before he was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police later focused on the medical care he had received during the final days of his life.

Investigators said Curtis began having seizures on Jan. 23 and was transported to a hospital for treatment. Doctors brought his condition under control and prescribed medication to reduce the risk of further seizures, police said. Authorities allege that Washington decided to take him home after she saw an improvement, even though medical workers had advised against discharging him at that time. Publicly released accounts do not identify the hospital or specify how long doctors wanted Curtis to remain there.

Police said the child experienced additional seizures on Jan. 24 and again on Jan. 25. Washington allegedly did not give him the medication that had been prescribed for ongoing seizure prevention. Some reports also said authorities accused her of failing to provide rescue medication during the later episodes. The publicly available police account does not identify the medication, describe its dosage or state whether the prescription had been filled before Curtis died. The Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office authorized a charge formally listed as homicide — manslaughter — involuntary. Prosecutors allege that Curtis died because of Washington’s grossly negligent failure to provide necessary medical care. The accusation is not a finding of guilt. Prosecutors must prove the charge in court, and Washington is presumed innocent unless she is convicted or enters a plea resolving the case.

Involuntary manslaughter cases generally center on whether conduct that was not described as an intentional killing was so reckless or negligent that it caused another person’s death. In this case, the prosecution’s theory is tied to decisions made after Curtis was treated for seizures, including the alleged decision to remove him from the hospital and the alleged failure to follow the medical treatment plan at home. The full evidence supporting that theory has not been made public.

Washington was released on a $20,000 personal bond after her arraignment and was ordered to wear a GPS tether, according to police and court reporting. A personal bond generally allows a defendant to remain out of custody under court-ordered conditions without first paying the full bond amount. The court could modify or revoke those conditions if it finds that a defendant failed to comply with them.

No defense attorney was listed for Washington in court information reviewed by local reporters shortly after the arraignment. As a result, no detailed defense response to the allegations was available in the initial reports. It was also not clear whether Washington disputes that medication was not given, disputes the prosecution’s account of the hospital discharge or plans to challenge the alleged connection between her decisions and Curtis’ death. Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren described the case as a reminder that young children with serious medical problems depend on adults to recognize changes in their condition and carry out treatment plans. He said parents and caregivers must respond promptly when a child’s health worsens because a young child cannot independently seek treatment or explain every medical need.

“This case is a heartbreaking reminder that children, especially those with medical conditions, depend entirely on the adults responsible for their care,” Barren said in a statement released with information about the charge. He urged caregivers to follow medical instructions and seek immediate help when a child’s condition becomes more serious. His statement addressed caregiver responsibility broadly and did not disclose additional evidence against Washington.

The police department also encouraged relatives, neighbors, educators, medical professionals and other community members to report suspected child abuse, neglect or denial of necessary medical care. That request was issued as a general public-safety message. Authorities have not publicly said whether anyone outside the home witnessed Curtis’ later seizures, knew whether medicine was being given or contacted officials before emergency workers were called on Jan. 25.

Several major questions remain unanswered in the public record. Authorities have not released Curtis’ complete medical history, the results of any autopsy, the formal medical cause and manner of death or a detailed account of what doctors told Washington before she left the hospital. Officials also have not publicly explained why more than a year passed between the child’s death and the filing of the criminal charge.

The delay may reflect the time required to obtain medical records, expert opinions, laboratory findings or other evidence, but authorities have not publicly attributed it to any specific part of the investigation. The timing is significant because proving a death resulted from omitted medical care can require more than showing that treatment was not followed. Prosecutors may also need evidence addressing whether the alleged omission was a substantial cause of death and whether the danger was understood at the time.

The early reports contain a date discrepancy that requires caution. Most local reports and the Southfield police account place Curtis’ seizures and death in January 2025. One secondary national report described the hospitalization as occurring in January 2026, but that conflicts with the police timeline, the reported date of death and accounts noting that the death occurred about 17 months before Washington was charged. The 2025 timeline is therefore the one supported by the stronger local reporting. Washington had been scheduled for a probable cause conference before District Judge Cynthia Arvant on July 2. Such conferences are early-stage proceedings used to address the status of a felony case, possible negotiations and preparations for a preliminary examination. The reliable public sources reviewed for this article did not establish the outcome of that scheduled appearance or confirm whether a later hearing date was set.

The case remains an allegation pending in the Michigan court system. No conviction or plea was reported in the available sources, and the prosecution’s evidence has not yet been tested at trial. Further court filings may provide additional information about the medical evidence, the defense position and the circumstances surrounding Curtis’ hospital discharge and death.

Author note: Last updated July 23, 2026.