DETROIT (WXYZ) — Before her 3-year-old son Chayce Allen was found dead in her freezer, Child Protectives Services had been in Azuradee France's life and the lives of her children. Her oldest child is a 9-year-old girl.
"Azuradee Miata France has a history of postpartum depression. Her mental health continues to be untreated," a CPS worker detailed in a court record after indicating that they received a complaint that France threatened to harm one of her sons on April 7, 2020, the day after giving birth to him.
Foster care workers were already active in the family's life, and a foster care worker with the Department of Health and Human Services said that France was not being compliant in her treatment plan.
France, 31, was not in counseling and there continued to be concerns for her mental health.
In 2018, France was charged with third-degree child abuse, a felony, after she admitted to assaulting her 2-year-old nephew.
According to court records, France admitted to a CPS investigator that she "improperly supervised, physically neglected, and physically abused" the child who had been in her care for about a month.
The child's father, France's brother, had passed away and the child's mother told CPS workers that she allowed the toddler to live with France for a short time because she told them, "she needed a break."
Court records indicate the child's mother became suspicious that something was wrong, but she said France refused to send her a picture of her son and then refused to return him.
By the time the child got to a hospital, his lips were swollen, his left eye was black with a scratch under it, he had a contusion on his forehead and bruises to his rib cage and both ankles.
France pleaded guilty to fourth-degree child abuse, a misdemeanor, and the felony charge was dismissed. She received two years probation, which ended in February 2021.
But that was far from the beginning of CPS workers being involved with the family.
Court records indicate prior contacts with CPS three times in 2016 and twice in 2017 due to "physical abuse, improper supervision, sexual abuse, failure to protect, and physical neglect."
It's unclear why, but after France completed probation on her criminal child abuse case, her children were returned to her.
Then in the fall of 2021, CPS reportedly initiated an investigation into injuries on little Chayce, but because a doctor could not substantiate any abuse, the case was closed.
It's unclear what prompted CPS to ask Detroit police to do a well-being check on the children late Thursday, but when officers arrived, sources said France eventually told them that her son was in the basement.
Officers checked the basement and found the child's remains in a freezer.
France reportedly told officers that Chayce had medical issues and died a few months ago so she put his body in the freezer.
7 Action News reached out to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for information about CPS contacts with the family.
MDHHS Public Information Officer Lynn Sutfin replied with the following statement:
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is deeply saddened to learn of the death of this child. We express our condolences to everyone who loved him. MDHHS is strongly committed to protecting the safety and well-being of all children. The department, by law, cannot release specifics about Children's Protection Services (CPS) investigations or confirm whether or not CPS has received complaints about a specific family or individual.
Azuradee France has been arraigned on charges of felony murder, first-degree child abuse, torture, and concealing the death of an individual.
She was denied bond and is set to be back in court on July 8 for a probable cause conference.
France's preliminary examination is set for July 15 before 36th District Court Judge Kenneth King.
