By JAMES MITCHELL
Sunday Times Newspapers
TAYLOR — Preliminary testimony continued Friday in 23rd District Court to determine if a father will be bound over to Wayne County Circuit Court on felony murder charges in the death of his six-week-old daughter.
Prosecutors and police allege that Luis Smolen, 23, beat his daughter, Payton, in December at their residence in the 15000 block of Park Village.
According to police reports, officers went to the home in response to calls that the baby was not breathing. Payton was transported to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead that afternoon.
Police Chief Mary Sclabassi said the child appeared to have been beaten. During a preliminary examination before 23rd District Court Judge Geno Salomone on March 7, responding officers reportedly said Smolen admitted to having struck the child. She’d been crying and he admitted to having lost his temper.
A second examination Friday had been scheduled for testimony from the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s office, expected to note that Payton had suffered head trauma. Police reportedly testified Smolen admitted to having “killed his daughter.”
Smolen stands charged with first-degree felony murder and first-degree child abuse, and remained in custody without bond. If convicted of murder Smolen could be sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole.
(James Mitchell can be reached at [email protected].)