Flint woman gets prison term in disabled girl’s death

BY BEN SCHMITT

A 41-year-old Flint woman was sentenced to 10-15 years in prison today in connection with her no-contest plea to charges of starving her 9-year-old quadriplegic niece to death, then hiding the girl's body in a rented storage unit for weeks.

Lorrie Thomas pleaded no contest last month to involuntary manslaughter — which carries a maximum 15-year sentence — and four other felony counts: tampering with evidence, second-degree child abuse and two counts of welfare fraud.

A no-contest plea is not an admission of guilt, but is treated as a conviction for sentencing purposes.

Thomas entered the plea after facing trial on a second-degree murder charge in the death of her adopted daughter Shylae Thomas, who had been dead several weeks before her body was discovered in late April.

Officials said Thomas starved Shylae, then hid her body so she could continue collecting more than $3,000 a month in welfare money that she received to care for the girl, who was physically and mentally challenged and unable to feed herself.

“She hid the body in a storage unit and she continued to cash welfare checks intended for the benefit of Shylae,” Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said today.

“The tragic story of Shylae should never have occurred and it did not need to occur,” he said.

Thomas was given credit for 266 days she served in jail and was ordered to pay $11,538 in restitution.