ECORSE, Mich. (WXYZ) — Ecorse police say she should have done more to protect her babies. Her family members agree, but her sister also asks: did she have the ability to do what she should have done?
“The court calls the case of the State of Michigan against Lisa Marie Reed,” said Judge David Zelenak as the arraignment began.
On Wednesday, the mom walked into court to face second-degree murder and first-degree child abuse charges for the death of her 13-month-old son Zyaire Reed.
She’s been in jail without bond since July facing child abuse charges for what happened to Zyaire’s twin, Zion Reed.
Ecorse police found both of the little ones brutally beaten at her apartment on July 28. Zion survived, but Zyaire did not.
“They never had a scratch on them until James Gibson came around,” said Jennifer Reed, Lisa’s sister.
Jennifer says she believes her sister made tragic mistakes but loved and cared for her twins. She says Lisa is mentally disabled.
At times the court has granted family members guardianship because she is incompetent and unable to set boundaries with others, but there are legal limitations to what family members are able to do.
Lisa’s older children have been in the custody of relatives for years, due to court rulings. They never were physically abused, but their mom was found mentally incompetent and unable to care for them.
When the twins were born, relatives urged Lisa to give them up for adoption, but she refused. Jennifer says she was able to care for them prior to James Gibson’s release from prison.
Jennifer says Lisa tragically met Gibson after a court ordered her into a mental hospital due to incompetence.
Jennifer says she believes Gibson recognized her as someone who could be manipulated and that is why he reached out when he needed a place to stay when released from prison early in May due to COVID-19.
“He targeted her because of his own manipulative ways and the fact that she is so naive and socially and emotionally vulnerable,” Jennifer said.
While Lisa quickly faced charges of child abuse in July, her boyfriend, who investigators said they believe physically hurt the children, did not for a time. The reason? Ecorse Public Safety Director Joseph Thomas says there is a higher standard for parents.
“Sometimes I think people forget that you can be with someday or you knew or should have known someone did something hideous and you can be charged with a crime," Thomas said.
Thomas says while details can’t be revealed due to the active case, that played a part in this case.
“The parent of the baby didn’t do what they had to do to protect that child,” Thomas said.
While Lisa was charged with child abuse in July, in September, Gibson also faced charges in connection with what happened to the twin who survived.
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First-degree murder charges against Gibson and second-degree murder charges against Lisa came this week.
The charges come now because the medical examiner’s autopsy report only became available last week, as time-consuming scientific processes were used to create a timeline of abuse.
“It took an expert in the medical field to say this is what happened to that child,” Thomas said.
Both are scheduled for their next court hearing on Oct. 27.
