A Michigan mom is facing manslaughter charges after the death of her toddler. Coralan Kaye-Elizabeth Peters allegedly left her child in a room that reached extremely high temperatures while the little boy slept. At some point before his mother checked on him in the morning, the overwhelming heat ended his life. Normally, police might attribute a death like this to an error in judgment, but Peters aimed a space heater directly at her child. Having that kind of heat directly blown at someone is a sure way to overheat.
Although no one has yet made a direct comparison, based on a basic understanding of temperature, it has to be similar to being left in a car with the windows up.
Peters was taken into police custody on February 2, 2026, according to Law & Crime. She was charged with one count each of homicide by involuntary manslaughter and second-degree child abuse, court records obtained by the outlet showed.
Police and emergency medical personnel were called to Peters’ home after receiving a 911 call around 9:48 a.m. on December 23, 2025, Law & Crime reported, citing The Monroe News. When they got to the home, they found Enzo James Peters unresponsive inside his crib. The 19-month-old was declared dead at the scene.
Prosecutors alleged in court documents that Peters exposed the boy to “an unsafe level of heat,” which led to his death. According to police reports, the home was very warm when they arrived, WTOL reported. Investigators said the thermostat was set to 90 degrees, and a space heater was aimed at Enzo’s crib. In addition to the high heat, the home had a strong smell and trash, spoiled food, and dirty diapers were everywhere.
The police report noted that the heat was turned up and the space heater was used overnight because Peters said she was cold and forgot to lower the temperature.
Detectives later tested a space heater with the same model and found that anything placed near it for an extended period of time could end up reaching temperatures between the upper-80 degrees and mid-90 degrees, per WTOL.
The Lucas County Coroner’s Office reported after the autopsy that the toddler showed external and internal signs consistent with heat-related injury and dehydration. No evidence of blunt trauma was found, according to WTOL. At the time of that report, laboratory results still were needed to determine an official cause and manner of death.
The police report also cites a May 2025 Children’s Protective Services report that alleged unsafe living conditions, physical discipline, and poor hygiene, per WTOL. A follow-up visit found no visible injuries, so police action wasn’t taken.
In Enzo’s obituary, he was described as a “charming boy” who “loved everyone and had a heart full of affection” and loved cars and trains. “Remarkably, Enzo never cried and he was, unequivocally, a mama’s boy, reveling in safety of his mother’s arms, where he felt his happiest.”
Peters was arraigned shortly after her arrest. Monroe County District Judge Christian J. Horkey set a $750,000 cash/surety bond, according to online court documents. She was expected to appear in court again on February 19, 2026.
If you suspect child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child) or go to Childhelp.org. The hotline is available 24/7.
