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New evidence delays case against parents

Posted at 6:01 PM, Aug 30, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-31 07:24:04-04

Six months pregnant, Brittani Hill remained quiet throughout her short hearing.

The preliminary exam was adjourned after the 22-year-old's defense attorney told the Judge he received new information on the case late last night and needs time to prepare his defense.

The attorney for the child's father, Timothy Young, did the same.

The new evidence comes from the autopsy report.

"The autopsy did reveal there was a fracture to the skull," Jackson County Sheriff Steve Rand explained. "Now, the key is going to be, and we're working with MSU's anthropology department to determine this, trying to determine when this occurred, whether postmortem or prior to death."

Was it before or after Hill and Young buried their 9-month-old son Matthew in the backyard of this home in Waterloo Township?

"The forensic pathologist and the anthropologists will be working together to make that determination," the Sheriff said.

Jackson County Prosecutor Jerry Jarzynka tells us that determination could bring additional charges against Hill and Young.

Right now, they're each facing two charges -- concealing the death of their son and removing his body without a medical examiner's approval.

"Any additional charges certainly would depend on what evidence an additional investigation will show," the Prosecutor explained.

He's hoping to have that figured out within the next few weeks.

Until then, the baby's parents will remain behind bars.

"Obviously it's really a tragic case," the Sheriff said. "They were, we believe, were trying to hide something. Whether that was a case of abuse or homicide we don't yet know, but clearly they're trying to hide something by burying this child."

The investigation continues.

Hill's defense attorney also asked to have her bail lowered from $500,000, saying that's way higher than some of his defendants who have been charged with murder.

He said her father lives in the area and she'd stay with him if she bonds out.

The Judge agreed to lower it to $100,000.

Because Hill is a pregnant inmate, the Sheriff tells us his staff and a medical team are giving her extra attention.

It's still unclear if Young is also the father of the baby she's carrying.