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Western Michigan University

Mom of kids found in freezer loses rights to other kids

Elisha Anderson
Detroit Free Press
Mitchelle Blair appears in a Detroit courtroom of the Lincoln Hall of Justice via video from jail Monday, July 27, 2015. A judge terminated her parental rights to her two surviving children. Blair was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of two of her children.

DETROIT — A Detroit mother convicted of murdering two of her kids and keeping their bodies in a freezer testified in court Monday that her parental rights to her two living children “should be taken.”

A judge agreed and terminated Mitchelle Blair’s parental rights to her 8-year-old son and 18-year-old daughter and also severed the parental rights of Steven Berry, the boy’s father, saying it was in the child’s best interest.

But Wayne County Circuit Judge Edward Joseph did not terminate parental rights for the father of the 18-year-old and said doing so would cut into the amount of time the girl would qualify for social services.

If the judge terminated both parents’ rights, the teen, who turned 18 last week, would only qualify for services until she reaches 19, he explained.

By keeping the father’s parental rights intact, she remains a temporary ward of the court, and the court will be able to provide services with respect to college, teaching her to live independently and therapy and trauma treatment until she is 20, Joseph said.

Essentially, the only difference that terminating her father’s parental rights will make in the teen’s life is “she gets cheated out of one year of services,” and the court doesn’t find that is in her best interest, Joseph said.

“She’s likely to make her own decisions on what the relationship will be between the two of them,” Joseph said about the teen’s relationship with her father, Alexander Dorsey, noting he wasn’t there for his daughter.

Blair was sentenced to life in prison earlier this month for the murder of her other two children, Stephen Berry, 9, and Stoni Blair, 13. They were discovered in a deep freezer of the family’s home March 24.

Since then, Blair’s living children, whom she severely abused, have been in the care of their great aunt, and Blair made it clear when she testified Monday that is where she wants the kids to stay.

“(Her aunt) is very worried about their future,” Blair said, adding her aunt wants to make sure their heads are going to be right “so they won’t turn out like me.”

Blair, who appeared in court by a video connection, called her aunt a “really loving person” and explained she stopped talking to her aunt.

“She loved all of us,” Blair said. “And I knew if anybody would know anything was wrong, it would be my aunt, so I purposely kept her away.”

Blair said she did not have to do the same for Berry and Dorsey, saying they were rarely around their children.

Berry and Dorsey, who were both in court but left during Blair’s testimony, fought to keep their parental rights and maintained they didn’t know about the abuse.

They showed no emotion during the hearing. Dorsey said the judge’s decision was “OK” after the hearing and said “I know we will rebuild the relationship.” Berry declined to comment leaving the courthouse.

Stephen Berry, left, and his sister Stoni Blair will be buried side by side.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services sought to terminate the fathers’ parental rights as well as Blair’s. Assistant Attorney General Kelli Megyesi has argued the fathers are also responsible for what their children endured while living with their mother.

“They forfeited the rights to their children,” she said. “Mitchelle Blair did. Alexander Dorsey did, and Steven Berry did.” The children are entitled and deserving of a fresh start, she argued.

Earlier in the day, Jim Henry, a psychologist who was qualified as an expert in child maltreatment, trauma and development, described how Blair’s 8-year-old and 18-year-old have been affected by what they endured living with their mother.

They “lived in terror,” he said.

Henry, a professor of social work at Western Michigan University and director of the Children’s Trauma Assessment Center at the school, met with both children, their fathers and Blair.

The 18-year-old’s biggest concern was to make sure her little brother was safe, Henry testified. She described standing at the bottom of steps when her mom would call her little brother upstairs and not knowing whether he was going to come down alive or hurt, he said.

“It became clear that she was living in a constant terror,” Henry testified, adding she internalized her stress.

The teen, who acted as a “parent” to her youngest brother, also felt responsible for the death of her siblings, saying “I should have protected them,” Henry testified.

Blair’s youngest child has a charming, radiant smile that is plastered on his face, Henry said. Kids who have been traumatized often learn to smile as a way to keep safe, he said.

"He’s constantly scanning his environment for danger,” Henry said of the boy.

Blair stayed relatively calm during the testimony, except for an outburst where she yelled, “Keep playing the blame game.” It appeared to be directed at the lawyers representing the fathers.

Henry said both children need a secure, supportive and stable environment and their fathers can’t provide that.

Henry said Dorsey defined himself as non-confrontational and said it was one of the reasons he didn’t pursue what happened to his other daughter, Stoni. He didn’t want to confront the mom because of her anger and outbursts.

His oldest daughter said she views him as just another human being and was not interested in a relationship right now, according to testimony. Henry said Dorsey wants to support her and wants what is best for her.

Henry testified Berry teared up when talking about what happened to his sons. His attorney, Laura Anderson, pointed out Berry met with his 8-year-old weekly, loves his son and wanted an opportunity to work on a treatment plan.

Blair said she never had a desire to fight for her rights and said she understands what she has done. Another hearing is scheduled Aug. 12.

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