Babysitter and Boyfriend Claim Toddler’s Homicide Death Was Due to Illness
In a tragic case of child abuse, Brandon Bryce Sullivan, a 29-year-old man from Portage, has been accused of abusing and killing an 18-month-old toddler named Jacob Flowers. Sullivan has been charged with first-degree child abuse and felony murder.
The incident took place on December 15, 2022, when the child’s mother, Jennifer Lawson, left her son with a babysitter who had been watching him regularly since October. The babysitter, who remains unidentified, left Jacob with her boyfriend, Sullivan, at her apartment while she attended to her own children and ran errands.
The couple initially informed detectives that Jacob had suddenly “gotten sick” while in their care, experiencing what seemed like a seizure followed by vomiting. However, an autopsy report received on March 22 revealed that the toddler had died from blunt force head trauma in a homicide, sustaining a severe traumatic brain injury. Lawson described her son as a bright, curious child who was just beginning to talk and learn about the world around him.
Further investigation revealed inconsistencies in the couple’s story. The babysitter eventually admitted to leaving Jacob with Sullivan for approximately two hours. The oldest child of Sullivan and the babysitter also disclosed to detectives that there were secrets involving Jacob and their father, which they were not supposed to discuss with anyone.
When confronted with this new information, Sullivan continued to lie about the babysitter’s presence during the incident but failed to provide any plausible explanation for Jacob’s injuries. Eventually, he allegedly admitted responsibility, stating that he may have unintentionally caused harm to the child. It was also discovered that Sullivan had conducted several internet searches about babies with internal head injuries shortly after the incident occurred.
Sullivan has been denied bond and is currently held in the Kalamazoo County Jail, awaiting a probable cause conference scheduled for April 4.
