STURGIS, MI – What began as an ordinary day at a quiet mobile home park ended in heartbreak—and a lengthy prison sentence for a young Michigan mother.
Paige Bohne, 22, of Sturgis, will spend decades behind bars after a series of tragic decisions led to the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Octavia. A judge handed down sentences of 18 to 45 years for first-degree child abuse and a concurrent 4 to 10 years for assault with intent to cause bodily harm. Bohne, who has already served just over a year while awaiting trial, entered a plea agreement in July, resulting in the dismissal of more severe murder and conspiracy charges.
The events unfolded on November 7, 2022, when Bohne dialed 911 to report her daughter unresponsive inside their home at Memory Lane Mobile Home Park. Paramedics arrived, but any hope for a miraculous revival quickly vanished. An autopsy revealed what first responders suspected: the toddler’s life had been cut short by suffocation.
Investigators, poring over details of that fateful morning, pressed Bohne for answers. According to statements provided to authorities, Bohne acknowledged that she acted out of frustration when Octavia resisted a nap. Rather than employing patience, she pressed the child into the couch, keeping the toddler pinned down until she stopped moving. Medical professionals determined this act directly caused the child’s suffocation.
Disturbingly, further details unveiled during the investigation depicted a morning marked by neglect. Bohne admitted Octavia was not fed breakfast, but instead given a large dose of melatonin gummies—reportedly nearly three times the amount suitable for an adult. Authorities say this was an attempt to force the little girl to sleep so Bohne could pursue her own activities in peace.
Prosecutors described Bohne’s actions as a cascade of reckless choices, emphasizing that the mother prioritized texting, browsing social media, and preparing her own food over the wellbeing of her daughter. Not checking on Octavia after such forceful actions was characterized as a staggering lapse in judgment.
In a deeply emotional court appearance, the child’s grandfather, Charles Bohne, described the loss as being trapped in a waking nightmare. He spoke of desperate wishes to wake from a reality too painful to accept and a need for closure as the case concluded.
Octavia’s obituary painted a portrait of a spirited and cheerful child—never far from a smile or a camera, quick to embrace loved ones, and ever enthusiastic about her favorite foods and TV shows. She cherished moments curled up with family, especially her grandfather, and delighted in the simple joys of color, music, and playful mischief.
As the community grapples with a loss that reverberates far beyond the walls of one home, the case has drawn attention to gaps in support for struggling parents. Sturgis, a small city in southern Michigan, now finds itself mourning a life lost and reflecting on the heavy toll of a mother’s irreversible decisions.