LAPEER COUNTY, Mich. (TCN) – A mother will spend the rest of her life behind bars in connection with the medical neglect of her son, who died in 2019 from throat cancer.
WJRT reports that Elizabeth Dubois, 43, was sentenced on March 23 to life in prison without parole for felony murder. In addition, she will serve a 15-year sentence concurrently for first-degree child abuse. A jury found her guilty of the charges in January.
Dubois’ son, Austin Raymond, had a rare form of throat cancer. Relatives saw the lump on his neck and pleaded with Dubois for years to get treatment. According to prosecutor John Miller, Dubois claimed she did not have the time or money to get treatment for him, WJRT reports.
MLive reports that Raymond had testified against Dubois during a preliminary examination in the case; he had noticed the lump at age 15 in July 2016 and as his symptoms worsened, he became unable to eat or speak easily. He continued to ask for treatment; Dubois reportedly told him he was fine when he was unable to eat solid food by November 2016.
Child protective services began an investigation at the end of 2016, and urged Dubois to get medical treatment for Raymond, as did his stepfather, according to MLive. He was eventually admitted to the University of Michigan hospital, where he was diagnosed with chordoma. He died at the age of 19 after the child abuse case was going to circuit court for trial. Following his death, a murder charge was added to the case by prosecutors after an appeal with the Michigan Supreme Court.
During the investigation, investigators consulted with medical experts, including one who said that Raymond’s cancer would have been treatable had his mother sought medical care for him, WJRT reports. At the time of his death in May 2019, Raymond weighed 83 pounds.
Raymond’s obituary said he had a generous and helpful attitude, and that he often thought of others first. The obituary described him as an avid fisherman and hunter who loved watching baseball.
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