Death of foster child, 3, ruled a homicide

Jack Kresnak

Detroit Free Press

Apr. 18--A 3-year-old foster child died of a head injury in his foster parents' home and his death has been ruled a homicide, a police detective said today.

James Earl Bradley Jr. died Friday after being found suffering an apparent seizure April 8 in the master suite of his foster parents' Van Buren Township home.

No one has been charged in James' death, although the Washtenaw County Medical Examiner's Office said the boy died of blunt-force trauma to the head as the result of the illegal action of another person, Van Buren Township Police Detective Bob Greene said Wednesday.

The licenses of his foster parents -- Christine Woodward and Lasana Karva -- to operate a day care center and a foster home for children were suspended last week by the state Department of Human Services.

Visitation for James and his family is until 9 p.m. today at the Caver Memorial Funeral Home, 19301 Van Dyke, Detroit. The funeral is 11 a.m. Thursday at Zion Hope Missionary Baptist Church, 4800 Van Dyke.