Inset: Enzo J. Peters (Merkle Funeral Home). Background: The area where Enzo and his mother lived in Michigan (Google Maps).
Authorities in Michigan arrested a 36-year-old mother in connection with the death of her 1-year-old son after she allegedly turned her thermostat up to 90 degrees and left him in his crib with a space heater pointed at him.
Deputies took Coralan Kaye-Elizabeth Peters into custody earlier this month and charged her with one count each of homicide by involuntary manslaughter and second-degree child abuse in the death of Enzo James Peters, court records show.
Police and emergency medical personnel responded to a 911 call from Peters” home in the 1000 block of East Sixth Street at about 9:48 a.m. regarding a report of a deceased child, The Monroe News reported. Upon arriving at the address, first responders located the victim unresponsive and still inside his crib. The toddler was pronounced dead at the scene.
Prosecutors reportedly alleged in court documents that Peters exposed the 19-month-old boy to “an unsafe level of heat” which led to his death.
Authorities investigated the circumstances of Enzo’s death for several weeks before placing Peters under arrest on Feb. 2. She appeared before Monroe County District Judge Christian J. Horkey on Feb. 4 for her arraignment, during which the judge set her bond at $750,000.
A police report obtained by Toledo CBS affiliate WTOL provided some additional information about the events preceding the boy’s death.
Police at the scene reportedly noted that the inside of Peters’ home was very warm, with the heat set to 90 degrees. The bedroom where the child was found was especially hot due to multiple vents blowing hot air into the room.
In addition to the thermostat, investigators reportedly said that Peters had positioned a portable space heater in the room and had it turned to high and pointed directly at the boy’s crib. Investigators used the same make and model space heater to conduct a test, turning it to the highest setting and facing it at a crib. The inside of the crib reportedly got as hot as the mid-90s.
Authorities further noted that the home itself was in deplorable condition, reportedly finding garbage, rotting food, and dirty diapers throughout the inside.
A rough timeline showed that Enzo was put to bed at about 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 22, 2025. When someone checked on the toddler at about 2 a.m., he reportedly woke up briefly before going back to sleep. Someone in the house checked on him again at about 9:45 a.m. and found him unresponsive, WTOL reported.
A subsequent autopsy conducted by the Lucas County Coroner’s Office reportedly found that Enzo had internal and external signs indicating he suffered from a “heat-related injury” and dehydration. There was no evidence the boy suffered any blunt force trauma. A determination on the manner and cause of death remains pending as investigators await laboratory results.
Peters is currently scheduled to appear in court again on the afternoon of Feb. 19 for a probable cause conference, records show.
