Sumpter parents to go to trial on April 11 for son’s drowning in pool

By Diane Madigan
Independent Court Reporter
The parents of Oliver Hunt, the 11-month-old child who drowned in a Sumpter Township swimming pool on Aug. 20, returned to court twice last week.
On Wednesday, Feb. 13, Oliver’s mother Angelina Mae Perry, 39, and father Ray Thomas Hunt, 34, stood mute on the charge of Homicide – Involuntary Manslaughter before Judge David Groner at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice in Detroit as they waived reading of the charges. A not-guilty plea was entered on their behalf.
When Judge Groner asked for an explanation of the manslaughter charge, their court-appointed attorney stated that their child drowned when they were both sleeping off being highly intoxicated.
Both parents could face 10 to15 years in prison if convicted for “gross negligent failure to supervise”, resulting in Oliver’s drowning in the swimming pool.
After their trial judge was selected by a blind draw, Perry and Hunt returned to court on Friday, Feb. 15, before Judge Dana Margaret Hathaway for a calendar conference.
Mark Notely, the court-appointed attorney representing Perry, also stood in for Hunt’s absent attorney Brian Gagniuk.
Notely and Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Carin Goldfarb agreed on an April 5, 2013 Final Conference and set a trial date for April 11.
Prosecutor Goldfarb said they would have seven witnesses at the trial. Notely, on behalf of Perry and Hunt, said they would have the same seven from the prosecution, plus two more.