Detroit woman who pleaded guilty in death of son found in freezer sentenced to 35 to 60 years

DETROIT (AP) — A Detroit woman who pleaded guilty to killing her blind 3-year-old son, whose decomposing body was found in a basement freezer, has been sentenced to 35 to 60 years in prison.

A Wayne County judge sentenced Azuradee France, 33, on Monday for Chayce Allen’s death. She pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in his death just before her trial was set to begin in mid-July.

Under her plea agreement, prosecutors dropped charges of felony murder, first-degree child abuse, torture and concealing the death of an individual that France had faced.

Detroit officers called to a Detroit home in June 2022 found Chayce’s body in a basement freezer. France told police she had kicked her son in the chest in March 2022 in frustration because he would not eat and later placed his body in the freezer, The Detroit News reported.

France was charged after an autopsy determined that Chayce’s death was a homicide caused by blunt force head trauma.

During Monday’s sentencing, France’s sister described how her nephew’s death had affected their family, the Detroit Free Press reported.

“You were supposed to protect Chayce, instead you hurt him to point where he can’t come back,” Azuant Sauls said during her victim impact statement.

France became so emotional during Sauls’ testimony that her attorney, Lillian Diallo, asked the judge to allow her client to leave the courtroom. But the judge denied Diallo’s request.