MACOMB COUNTY

2 accused in girl’s death in messy house sent to prison

Associated Press

Mount Clemens — A Sterling Heights couple convicted of child abuse after their 11-month-old daughter died from eating a morphine pill has been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.

Harold Murphy was sentenced Tuesday in a Macomb County court to between 21/2 and 10 years in prison. His wife, Kimberly, received 3-10 years.

They were charged in the October 2013 death of Trinity Murphy. Prosecutors argued the couple committed the “reckless act” of maintaining an extremely messy house that allowed the child to ingest the pill that was intended for her recently deceased grandmother.

The couple’s attorneys say it was unclear how the child got the pill.

The Murphys were convicted of second-degree child abuse in December.