Oldest daughter of Lorrie Thomas runs away from foster care

Shannon Murphy

The Flint Journal

The daughter of a quadriplegic girl's accused killer is in a new foster care home after running away Saturday, reportedly for not wanting to testify against her mom.

Lorrie Thomas has been charged with second-degree murder and child abuse in the death of her adoptive daughter Shylae Thomas, 9. Shylae's malnourished body was found April 22 in a Vienna Township storage unit.

Thomas' five other children and two grandchildren were put in emergency foster care when their mother was arrested.

On Saturday, her oldest daughter, a 15-year-old, ran away from the foster home she was staying at with her own two young children, said Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton. She was found Monday staying with friends and family. The state placed her and her two children in a new foster care home.

Leyton and police declined to comment on why the girl ran away, but according to a police report she had said she didn't want to testify in her mother's murder case.

A preliminary examination for Lorrie Thomas is expected to continue July 20. It is unclear if her daughter is going to testify then.