Mom fails to appear for hearing in child fentanyl death case.

Jacob Schutter appears in court Monday, Nov. 7.

UPDATE: Jodi Neino failed to appear during the allotted 48 hours ordered by the judge. She ultimately surrendered at a later date and is currently lodged in the Oceana County Jail without bond, according to Oceana County Prosecutor Joseph Bizon.

Mom fails to appear for hearing in child fentanyl death case.

By Allison Scarbrough, Editor.

HART — Pretrial hearings for the parents of a 4-year-old boy who died from ingesting fentanyl were adjourned in 51st Circuit Court Monday, Nov. 7, because the mother failed to appear.

Jacob Scott Schutter, 32, and Jodi Michelle Neino, 29, are criminally charged in connection to Eli Jude Schutter’s July 1 death. 

Schutter, who is lodged in the Oceana County Jail, appeared in court with his attorney Ryan Good. Neino, however, did not appear.

Neino’s attorney, Julie Springstead-Waltz, told Judge Susan K. Sniegowski that her client was contacted by her law office Friday, Nov. 4, informing her of the hearing. “This was set at the last minute,” said Springstead-Waltz. “She said she was going to be here.”

Jodi Neino appears in district court for a continuation of a preliminary exam last week.

Neino’s case was bound over from 79th District Court to 51st Circuit Court following a continuation of a preliminary examination last week. Schutter’s case was bound over, Oct. 18. Both are charged with manslaughter and second-degree child abuse.

The judge said Neino has 48 hours to appear at the courthouse or a warrant or her arrest will be issued. “She has to physically check in at the office,” said the judge.

Both Springstead-Waltz and Good said they are filing motions in the cases, which will be scheduled for motion hearings at a later date.

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