Mom and Boyfriend Allegedly Killed 3-Year-Old to 'Make Room for a Child' Together: Prosecutor

Amanda Maison, 33, and Maurice Houle, 28, were both arrested in Michigan on Friday and charged with one count each of first-degree murder in the death of Matthew Maison nearly seven years ago, according to a press release from the St. Clair County Sheriff's Office.

Citing "significant recent developments" in the case, the release states that both defendants are currently being held at the St. Clair County Detention and Intervention Center.

At Monday's arraignment, Houle was additionally charged with three counts of resisting and obstruction a police officer, for resisting his April 11 arrest. Detroit's WDIV reports that he was allegedly "extremely violent and fought eight different officers, injuring one of them."

Both defendants pled guilty at the hearing and both were denied bond. Their next hearing is set for April 22.

"I could not be prouder of the detectives and prosecutor's office’s hard work and perseverance to get the case to this point," said St. Clair County Sheriff Matt King, per The Detroit News.

Authorities found Matthew dead on his bed in the family's home on February 8, 2018, before prosecutors ultimately determined that Maison and Houle had come up with a story to explain some of Matthew's previous injuries that would be discovered. Investigators also believed Hule's mother may have been involved in this alleged "scheme of lies," per WDIV.

St. Clair County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Joshua Sparling said that the lengthy investigation into the short life and death of Matthew has led prosecutors to believe he "suffered years of abuse at the hands of both defendants."

Sparling detailed some of the allegations of "very cruel, torturous abuse and punishment," which allegedly included Matthew being put in timeout on his knees and having his head banged off of the drywall, being struck across the face by Houle, and being locked in his room for hours without food or water.

He cited one specific alleged incident where he claims Houle put a pillow over the toddler's face and "pretended like he was playing," per WDIV's reporting. But, "we know from the autopsy that Matthew died from blunt force trauma from all of the injuries he sustained as well as suffocation," argued Sparling.

"It is my opinion that Matthew Maison died secondary to blunt traumatic injuries with features of asphyxiation," stated  the St. Clair County medical examiner, Daniel Spitz, in his autopsy report. "The extent, severity, and distribution of the traumatic injuries is indicative of inflicted trauma."

In his argument against bail, Sparling emphasized that Houle had been the subject of multiple CPS investigations throughout his relationship with Maison over injuries Matthew had sustained.

Sparling also noted in court Monday that each defendant had independently "admitted" that Matthew had been abused -- by the other defendant.

Amanda Maison told investigators that she had seen Houle hold a pillow over Matthew's face on more than one occasion, according to Sparling. The defendant allegedly told investigators she never took Matthew to doctor's appointments because she didn't want them to notice his injuries.

She allegedly also admitted to investigators that she had lied to CPS and police over the years about how Matthew sustained his various injuries to protect both Houle and herself.

Maison is accused by prosecutors of covering up the abuse of her son by both Houle and herself for years, ultimately admitting to prosecutors, per Sparling in court, that she would shove Matthew's head into the wall "forceful enough to remove the backing of the drywall itself."

Perhaps the most shocking allegation was Sparling's assertion that the then-couple had concocted a "plan that was put forth to kill Matthew to make room for a child the two of them could have together."

Matthew's grandfather David and step-grandmother Amy have been advocating for charges for years now, according to The Detroit News and were thankful for the arrests after all these years.

"If at all possible, we're asking for just a little grace as we take some time to process and acclimate to the recent developments," Amy posted to the "Justice for Matthew Maison" Facebook page. "The fight is far from over -- this is just the beginning. We deeply appreciate each and every one of you in Matthew’s Army."

"Words cannot fully express the enormous support we feel from all of you," she added.

The tragic murder of Matthew isn't the first time a member of the Maison family was accused of abusing and killing their child.

In the same year Matthew was killed, Amanda's brother Andrew Maison and his wife Hilery were both convicted for the death of Andrew's 5-year-old daughter, who weighed just 25 pounds at her death, per the Port Huron Times Herald. They were also found guilty of severely abuse his 3-year-old daughter. They are both serving life sentences.