Caledonia family seeks action after six-year-old killed in murder-suicide

CALEDONIA, Michigan – Six days after the death of her son, Rowan Morey, Brandi Morey-Pols is opening her heart and wants to show the world who her 6-year-old son was.

“I trust in God to help our family during this time because I know how he feels,” said Brandi Morey-Pols.

“His little life has to have a purpose to help other children because this cannot go on,” Brandi said.

Brandi shared custody of her son with his father, Michael Winchell. Last Monday, Brandi expected her son to be dropped off by his father, who lived up north in Isabella County.

Because of her delay, she filed a report with the Isabella County Sheriff's Office, but it was not until Wednesday that rescue workers found both Rowan and Michael dead in a mobile home on Michael's property.

It is believed that Michael shot his son before shooting himself.

“He had a time slot, which I think is the case in most cases. He was supposed to meet me here (at home) at 9:00 a.m., he had half an hour of leeway. Nothing had happened, so I called, I called to do a wellness check.”

She said there had been concerns in the past about Rowan's safety at his father's home.

“Four times in Rowan's life, his dad shaved his head bald,” Brandi said. “Another time was right before my oldest son's wedding, when he was supposed to be completely bald. The fourth time he did it, he came home and said, 'Daddy sleeps all day. I only eat toast.' My oldest son said, 'I dropped him off and said the house was gross,' and then he shaved him.”

Brandi's father-in-law, Jerry Pols, is calling for action to prevent tragedies like Rowan's in the future.

“Only through a concerted effort at systematic change,” Jerry said, “can we hope to create a world where no child dies prematurely because of flaws in our family justice system.”