A Michigan family is looking for answers after the death of a 2-year-old girl resulted in the arrest of her mother. Paige Bohne called 911 on November 7, 2024, to report that her daughter was unresponsive. Officers reported that Paige Bohne seemed concerned on the phone when she told authorities that her daughter was not awake.
But when police arrived to investigate, they determined Paige Bohne was somehow responsible for the child’s death.
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After Paige Bohne, 21, called police, deputies traveled to the Memory Lane Trailer Park in Sturgis, Michigan. They found the toddler, 2-year-old Octavia, unresponsive. Authorities attempted to revive Octavia but eventually pronounced her dead on the scene.
When officers initially arrested Paige Bohne, they charged her with involuntary manslaughter, WWMT reported. But by Friday, prosecutors upgraded the charge to open murder. Prosecutors said they escalated charges because of the manner in which the child died.
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Paige Bohne’s mother, Susan Bohne, was in disbelief. “She has never laid a hand on either one of her kids,” she told WWMT. Paige Bohne is also the mother of a 4-year-old son, Sturgis Journal reported. Officers took Paige Bohne into custody, and she was denied bond.
“It’s really hard for both of us, me and my daughter, we have always been really close,” Susan Bohne said. While Susan Bohne is concerned about the relationship with her daughter, her primary focus is learning what happened to Octavia.
“She was a happy baby constantly, she woke up happy and went to bed happy,” the grandmother said. “I just want to know what happened to her, all that matters right now.”
Other family members believe there was foul play involved. Octavia’s aunt, who asked to remain anonymous, said the little girl deserved better, WSBT reported. The aunt, claimed she was Octavia’s most present guardian and often watched her along with raising her five other children.
“I know there was many, many people that loved Octavia, and all her mom had to do was reach out to one of us,” she said. “Anybody would have helped need instead of what had happened to her.”
In the meantime, one of Octavia’s aunts, Shelby Bohne started a GoFundMe to help with burial costs. “Our family is just kind of barely middle class, we can’t really afford to put her to rest the way we should,” Shelby Bohne said. “We want to give her the right burial and do this the right way.”
At the time of publication, they’ve raised $3,670. Investigators are still collecting evidence and have not yet released a cause of death. Octavia’s body will be autopsied on Friday. Paige Bohne is set to have a pre-exam conference on November 19.
