Michigan Father Charged with Murder After Autopsy Contradicts Chicken Nugget Choking Story

Dejuan Outland, 23, is charged with felony murder after an autopsy showed his 18-month-old son was smothered and beaten, not choked. A Michigan judge ordered the case to Circuit Court.

Autopsy Disproves Saginaw Father's Account in Toddler's Death

A 23-year-old Saginaw, Michigan man is charged with felony murder and first-degree child abuse in the death of his 18-month-old son after an autopsy contradicted his claim that the boy choked on a chicken nugget, Law & Crime reports.

Dejuan D. Outland was arrested following a months-long investigation into the July 27, 2025 death of his son, Jovonni Outland. Police and paramedics responded to a home in the 3500 block of Brookwood Lane at approximately 9:30 a.m. that morning after receiving a report that the toddler was not breathing. Jovonni was pronounced dead at the scene despite resuscitation attempts.

The Saginaw County medical examiner determined the cause of death to be smothering, with blunt-force injuries listed as a contributing factor, and ruled the manner of death a homicide. The autopsy revealed multiple internal injuries and bruises across the child's body.

At a preliminary hearing Wednesday, the Saginaw County deputy medical examiner testified that Jovonni had sustained severe blunt-force trauma to his head, face, torso, and limbs. Documented injuries included a fractured rib, a laceration to the liver, hemorrhaging in the pancreas, internal bleeding in the abdomen, and contusions to the lungs and intestinal tissue. The medical examiner testified that many of the injuries appeared to have occurred within hours of the boy's death.

The examiner found no evidence that food had obstructed Jovonni's airway. He also noted that paramedics were able to intubate the child without difficulty — something he said would not be expected had a food blockage been present.

Two days after Jovonni's death, Outland told investigators he had been feeding the toddler chicken nuggets when he stepped away to use the bathroom. Upon returning, he said, the boy had gone unusually quiet. "He stated Jovonni became silent, which was unusual," a testifying officer recounted.

Outland told police he used a fork to open his son's mouth, found food lodged in the throat, then attempted to clear the airway with a pen before calling his mother to assist with CPR. He said the two performed CPR for approximately 30 minutes before emergency responders arrived. The medical examiner, after reviewing body camera footage from the scene, testified that the injuries were not consistent with resuscitation efforts.

Officers at the scene reportedly found chicken pieces and saliva on a high chair, along with a broken pen. A crib in the bedroom had been knocked over.

During Wednesday's hearing, Outland's defense attorney argued that prosecutors had not established that his client intentionally caused Jovonni's injuries. The prosecution countered by pointing to the scope and character of the trauma documented in the autopsy.

"The kid has a black eye, for crying out loud," said Saginaw County Assistant Prosecutor Melissa J. Hoover. "There were fingerprint bruises on his arms. It's frankly unbelievable to me there could be any other explanation here."

Judge M. Randall Jurrens ordered the case to proceed to Circuit Court and again denied bond, keeping Outland in custody pending further proceedings.

Source: Law & Crime