An 11-month-old infant named Israel Henry died in Detroit in the late evening of October 17, 2012, or the early hours of October 18, 2012. The Wayne County Medical Examiner linked the death to failure to thrive and other issues, and prosecutors pursued first-degree child abuse charges against his parents, Derek Adam Henry and Alexandra Inez Henry, alleging both deliberate withholding of food and failure to seek necessary medical care during a recent illness.

Derek Henry went to trial. The defense presented evidence that he had been an attentive father who had regularly taken Israel to pediatricians and believed the child was recovering from a routine sickness. The trial judge granted a judgment notwithstanding the verdict, finding the evidence insufficient to show Derek had the specific intent to cause serious harm or death, and the Michigan Court of Appeals later affirmed that acquittal.

The case centers on whether omissions in care amounted to criminal intent; anyone with relevant memories or information about Israel’s care or the household is asked to come forward.