A woman and her former partner have been accused of causing the death of her three-year-old son to create space for a child they could have together. The child, Matthew Maison, was discovered dead in his home in Port Huron Township, Michigan, by his caregivers on February 18, 2018. His mother, Amanda Maison, and Maurice Houle, her boyfriend at the time of the incident, were arrested in connection with the incident. An autopsy revealed that Matthew had passed away due to blunt force trauma injuries and potential suffocation.
The former couple reportedly confessed to mistreating the young boy during their apprehension, as per prosecutors. Maison, aged 33, has pleaded guilty to a second-degree homicide charge in connection to her son’s demise. During her court appearance on November 5, she confessed to abusing Matthew.
Maison disclosed that she had engaged in a two-year relationship with Houle, who was 28 when arrested, from early 2016 until Matthew’s death. She admitted to enabling Houle’s alleged abuse of her child and actively concealing it from child protective services and law enforcement. Additionally, she acknowledged devising a plan to hide the circumstances of Matthew’s death from authorities.
Authorities uncovered a disturbing scheme when Maison and Houle were apprehended, where they fabricated stories regarding Matthew’s previous injuries. It was revealed that Matthew had endured physical abuse, neglect, and asphyxiation by Houle, indicating years of mistreatment. Prosecutors asserted that there was a plan to eliminate Matthew to accommodate a child the couple could have together.
The couple faced first-degree murder charges in April, with both initially pleading not guilty. However, Maison changed her plea to guilty for second-degree homicide on November 5. As part of her plea agreement, she agreed to testify against Houle in his upcoming trial scheduled for early 2026.