Mother arraigned in killing, burying of 9-year-old son in backyard of Detroit home

DETROIT — A Detroit mother has been arraigned Friday on murder and other charges in the killing of her 9-year-old son whose body was buried in the backyard of the westside home where they once lived.

A 36th District Court judge ordered Brandee Pierce jailed without bond, the Wayne County prosecutor's office said.

A probable cause conference has been scheduled for March 7, followed by a March 13 preliminary examination. The attorney's office representing Pierce declined to comment Friday.

Pierce, 41, was charged in early February with first-degree murder, felony murder, first-degree child abuse, tampering with evidence and concealing the death of an individual.

A shallow grave holding the remains of Zemar King was discovered Jan. 6 by a landlord who was preparing the house for new tenants.

Prosecutor Kym Worthy said the boy was smothered to death on Oct. 24 and that Pierce abandoned their rental home on Nov. 6 and left for Georgia with her 3-year-old son.

Brookhaven police near Atlanta contacted Detroit police in December while investigating Pierce for a matter concerning the 3-year-old. She was arrested Jan. 10 in connection with Zemar's death and extradited Thursday from Georgia to Michigan.

“I have been a prosecutor for a long time, and I often say that I have seen it all. The horrors of this child abuse case defy that,” Worthy told reporters at the time charges were filed. “The alleged actions of this defendant are among the most callous I have seen and hope never to see again.”