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Writes about track and field and Oregon football as a columnist for Super.. writes about various topics for SuperWest sports New River Rouge football coach Jermain Crowell served time in the Oakland County Jail from Feb 14-17 for violating his probation stemming from a 2023 misdemeanor for operating a vehicle while intoxicated According to documents from the 44th District Court in Royal Oak Crowell pleaded guilty to a violation of his probation on Jan 29 and was ordered to serve four days in jail starting on Feb It was alleged that Crowell failed to submit six random alcohol and drug screenings in October and November Oakland County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Steve Huber said Crowell was booked at 9:33 a.m did not respond to calls from the Free Press River Rouge superintendent Derrick Coleman also did not respond to a phone call from the Free Press Crowell was arrested by Berkley Public Safety for operating a vehicle while intoxicated and pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor he was sentenced to a 24-month probation through June 2025 a fine totaling $2,431.88 and five days at Oakland County Jail at the end of January to take over for Eric Pettway who was in his third year as the head coach and a long-time program assistant Crowell was also hired as the district’s Trauma Informed Practitioner His hiring was confirmed at a January school board meeting Crowell spent eight seasons as the coach of Belleville He led the Tigers to the 2021 Division 1 state championship with the help of phenom quarterback Bryce Underwood (now at the University of Michigan) Belleville repeated as state champions in 2022 after Crowell was fired late in the season under interim head coach DeJuan Rogers Crowell was a defensive coordinator at Detroit Cass Tech READ MORE: River Rouge chasing wins by hiring Jermain Crowell, but it's a bad look all around The MHSAA previously told the Free Press it had put in place conditions that have to be met before the 2025 season as it would with any coach in a similar position coming off suspension River Rouge produce a list of all varsity players who were not at River Rouge in the previous school year because of the past undue influence Crowell will also have to meet with MHSAA officials and do two levels of the Coaches Advancement Program  Jared Ramsey is a sports reporter for the Detroit Free Press. Follow Jared on X @jared_ramsey22 Belleville coach Jermain Crowell yells out to his players in during their MHSAA Division 1 semifinal football game against West Bloomfield at Belleville High School in Belleville (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)Mike Mulholland | MLive.com .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Jared Purcell | japurcell@mlive.comFormer Belleville football coach and newly hired River Rouge football coach Jermain Crowell was arrested and jailed over the weekend According to Oakland County inmate records A report from the News Herald said Crowell was jailed for probation violations connected to an operating while intoxicated (OWI) arrest in 2023 The News Herald reported that Crowell violated probation by not showing for alcohol and drug screenings in October and November of 2024 Crowell was recently hired as River Rouge’s new head football coach in January It marked his return from coaching in Michigan after he was fired be Belleville and suspended by the MHSAA in 2022 for violating the undue influence rule The suspension was first investigated when a player at Detroit Martin Luther King high school said he was contacted by Crowell when he was an incoming ninth grader and received transportation from him to summer workouts and scrimmages the MHSAA suspended Crowell at the start of the 2022 playoffs Crowell won the Division 1 state title in 2021 and was in the midst of an undefeated season when suspended Belleville still won the 2022 D1 championship in Crowell’s absense while he was ultimately fired by the school and the MHSAA barred him from coaching through the 2024-25 school year In Crowell’s hiring process at River Rouge, the Detroit Free Press reported the school reached out to the MHSAA about the intent to hire Crowell The MHSAA granted permission with conditions two levels of the Coaches Advancement Program,” MHSAA executive director Mark Uyl told the Free Press “There will also be a tracking system for all incoming transfers that were not River Rouge students.” Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. 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Please click here to see any active alerts Since 2010, EPA has been working under a Great Lakes Legacy Act partnership with its non-federal sponsor and clean up a 0.75-mile stretch of the Lower Rouge River Old Channel (LRROC) The LRROC is a highly industrialized federal navigation channel The multi-year cleanup effort is to be conducted in multiple portions included the installation of a sheet pile wall along 2,500 feet of the shoreline completed by Honeywell discovered substantial quantities of previously unanticipated buried debris resulting in a need for significant revisions to the dredging project scope  To effectively address challenges with the debris which resumed in April 2024 and focused on managing debris and removing sediment  Phase 2 of dredging for the remainder of the project area will finalize removal and capping of contaminated sediment in the river.  Phase two involves dredging of 70,000 cubic yards of sediment from 10 acres The sediment is polluted with coal tar and other petroleum products and will be transported offsite by barge and disposed of at the US Army Corps of Engineers Point Mouillee Confined Disposal Facility in Monroe the project will restore the riverbed by stabilizing the shoreline and nearly a dozen vehicles that have been discarded in the river Completion of the project will advance efforts toward the removal of the following BUIs: The Alliance of Rouge Communities completed a GLRI-funded habitat restoration project on Tamarack Creek a stream in the Rouge River AOC that primarily drains through an urban landscape high levels of uncontrolled stormwater runoff into Tamarack Creek from the urbanized watershed resulted in bank erosion leading to negative impacts on local macroinvertebrate To address these impairments and ultimately increase fish and wildlife diversity the Tamarack Creek project included restoration of 1,950 linear feet of stream channel and construction of in-stream habitat structures Restoration actions included wetland expansion and native vegetation planting to slow runoff and improve bank stability This restoration work was completed in 2022 with $2.3M in GLRI funding and will provide high quality habitat for valuable fish and wildlife The Henry Ford Estate (HFE) Dam Fish Passage and Habitat Restoration project was identified as a high priority project by the Rouge River Advisory Council in 2011 A naturalized channel was constructed that flows into the Rouge River The Henry Ford Estate Dam is the first barrier to fish when migrating upstream of the Detroit River Construction of the fishway channel has opened fish passage between the Rouge River watershed and the Great Lakes system The completion of this project has reconnected over 40 mainstem river and over 120 tributary miles which will enhance habitat for many species of fish Construction of this fish passage also created two acres of natural riparian habitat along the 850-foot channel Completion of the project has advanced efforts toward the removal of the following BUIs: The Fishway Project was a collaborative effort among many project partners The Rouge Oxbow Restoration Project began in 2002 through collaboration with multiple partners The Rouge River was channelized in the 1970s to mitigate flooding which disconnected the Rouge Oxbow area from the Rouge River and prevented fish passage between the oxbow and the Detroit River part of the Rouge River concrete channel was removed and restored to natural channel so that water could flow freely into and out of the oxbow The project entered its third phase in 2018 and was completed in 2020.  Over 16 years of efforts to reconnect the system have included channel construction recreation of 13 acres of wetland and upland habitat removal of over 7,000 yards of concrete and debris and construction and reconnection of the southeast portion of the oxbow with the Rouge River This project reconnected the oxbow with 20 miles of the Rouge River This reconnection provides benefits such as habitat for benthic macroinvertebrates The project created valuable habitat for bass and also incorporated native seed plantings that will benefit pollinators The Rouge Oxbow Restoration Project will contribute to the removal of the following BUIs: The Rouge River Oxbow Restoration Phase 3 Project was a collaborative effort among many project partners The following table lists remediation and restoration projects in the Rouge River AOC In the floodplain lawn area of the park this project restored/created 13 acres of habitat in the form of wet meadows and prairie.  nor will there be elephants or lions or tigers That's after River Rouge superintendent Derrick Coleman hired disgraced former Belleville coach Jermain Crowell who spent all of the past two seasons on Michigan High School Athletic Association suspension compiling an 84-10 record in eight seasons with the Tigers who also won a pair of Division 1 state championships (though the 2022 title came while Crowell was suspended) AWARD SEASON: 2024-25 Detroit High School Sports Awards: See all fall Player of the year nominees the Tigers benefited from many high-profile transfers while opposing coaches were furious with the way Crowell seemed to treat MHSAA rules as merely suggestions His suspension was the result of various "undue influence" infractions “I thought that in speaking with him there was a high level of contrition,” Coleman said “He owned those things that he had done wrong Crowell maintained his innocence and denied he ever broke any rules but now he has “owned” all of the violations Crowell has been named the district’s Trauma Informed Practitioner who have high prevalence to adverse childhood experiences and trauma,” Coleman said Crowell majored in psychology while he was in college.” Coleman said: “He has not graduated yet to my understanding.” People familiar with Crowell said they believe he spent less than two years in college he quickly hung up the phone and did not respond to calls later that night and Friday If having a Trauma Informed Practitioner is so important to a district shouldn’t the job require more than a high school diploma But what really stinks here is the way Crowell landed this coaching job Eric Pettway was in his third season as River Rouge head coach — and his 16th year in the program Together with his college teammate Corey Parker Pettway helped Parker build Rouge into a state championship team Pettway went 18-15 and qualified for the state playoffs all three times winning two district titles before losing to powerhouse Detroit King all three seasons Pettway felt things beginning to change this past fall when he had a midseason evaluation with athletic director Chester Franklin the AD was basically like: ‘If you don’t make the state championship I’m going to begin an aggressive search for a new coach,’ ” Pettway said some Belleville assistants were overheard saying they would be at River Rouge next season “I’d been hearing those rumors about two weeks before that,” Pettway said My AD said I wasn’t the future of the program.” Pettway doesn’t hold Franklin responsible for his dismissal there’s nothing that he allows to happen without his knowledge,” said Pettway “Whatever he did I really can’t place a finger on at this point Coleman is all-in with Crowell and denies there were any talks about the Rouge job during the season but things that I’ve heard about him as it related to this process was so egregious and malicious It was almost distasteful the things that I know people said that were inaccurate “Just flat out lies that were spewed about him and this process There was no conversation with anyone about the job before the season concluded MHSAA watching closelyMHSAA executive director Mark Uyl is deeply concerned about this hiring His staff is trying to put guardrails in place to make certain this doesn’t happen again Crowell will have to travel to Lansing for face-to-face meetings with MHSAA officials Crowell will also have two levels of the Coaches Advancement Program 15 River Rouge produce a list of all varsity players who were not at River Rouge in the previous school year Included in that are freshmen who were not part of the district in middle school You can be certain the MHSAA will investigate how those students wound up at Rouge “I just think there’s always a concern that the rules that all of our schools have adopted and agreed to are going to be followed,” Uyl said “All of us are products of our past experiences and based on past experiences we think we’re in educational athletics so it’s not just kids who can learn things people should get second chances and new opportunities but with those is going to come set with some spelled out expectations and standards that have to be met and that’s what we’re doing here.” I want to know when Pettway is going to get his second chance and now he is gone in favor of a convicted cheater who is despised by a large portion of the coaching fraternity That is what happens when you beat teams by scores of 59-8 56-0 and 49-0 — an actual five-week span of Crowell's games at Belleville in 2022 he had a four-week run in which the Tigers outscored foes 262-0: 69-0 That is how you earn a horrible reputation and Pettway wanted nothing to do with Crowell “Me and him actually met the Monday before they posted the job and he kind of offered me the opportunity to be on whatever staff that he would eventually get hinting that he wanted to apply for the River Rouge job “I had to let him know that in no world do we end up working together.” It turns out Crowell is the polar opposite of why Pettway wanted to coach high school football “When me and coach Parker first got there it was really just about creating a brotherhood creating something for kids that they could further themselves in life,” he said I guess some people really hang their hat on the number of wins versus the number of lives that you change.” We are talking about high school football here feel the need to cheat to win high school football games The two-year suspension of former Belleville football coach Jermain Crowell has expired and he has been hired as the football coach at River Rouge Crowell had been suspended by the Michigan High School Athletic Association for various violations of the undue influence rule Among the violations was permitting at least two players to live in his home said Thursday that in his 20 years with the organization “less than a handful’’ of coaches have been suspended for a season At the River Rouge school board meeting Jan the motion to hire Crowell as head coach was voted down the motion was approved at the latest meeting Rouge superintendent Derrick Coleman was a strong proponent of hiring Crowell despite his past transgressions “Even as a district with students who we recruit we’ve always been a place of second chances,” Coleman told the Free Press on Thursday “I thought that in speaking with him there was a high level of contrition He owned those things that he had done wrong Crowell replaces Eric Pettway, who was in his third year as River Rouge head coach, but had been an assistant to former River Rouge coach Corey Parker for 13 years. Parker is the defensive backs coach at the University of Illinois Pettway has become a beloved member of the Rouge community and was highly respected in the coaching community making the state playoffs all three seasons The Panthers won district titles the past two seasons before losing to powerhouse Detroit King each time Crowell hung up on a Free Press reporter seeking comment and did not return subsequent calls Thursday and Friday Crowell has been hired as the district’s Trauma Informed Practitioner WHAT HAPPENED: Why Jermain Crowell was fired and suspended during 2022 season The Tigers also won the 2022 D-1 state title after Crowell was fired Underwood enrolled at Michigan in December 1 player in the country for the 2025 class Crowell attended Belleville's early December signing day ceremony for its football players Crowell’s suspension began during the 2022 state playoffs. Assistant coach DeJuan Rogers was named interim head coach and guided the Tigers to the title that year and Rogers is expected to join Crowell’s staff at Rouge River Rouge contacted the MHSAA in December to inform it of its interest in hiring Crowell the MHSAA put in place conditions that have to be met before the 2025 season as it would with any coach in a similar position two levels of the Coaches Advancement Program,” Uyl told the Free Press That includes incoming freshmen who did not attend Rouge’s middle school the Tigers had a number of high-profile transfer students Crowell is also deeply involved with Sound Mind Sound Body Football Academy in Detroit which involves hundreds of athletes from across the state each year and is rumored to be a vehicle high school coaches use to meet athletes and entice them to transfer schools Crowell has a poor reputation in the coaching community He was known for running up scores and rubbing opposing coaches' noses in the lopsided losses “The issues that people may have with Crowell,” Coleman said Mick McCabe is a former longtime columnist for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at mick.mccabe11@gmail.com. Follow him on X @mickmccabe1 Save 30% on his book, “Mick McCabe’s Golden Yearbook: 50 Great Years of Michigan’s Best High School Players, Teams & Memories,” by ordering right now at McCabe.PictorialBook.com A former Detroit boys high school basketball coach was charged in Washtenaw County with two counts of criminal sexual conduct in an incident prosecutors say occurred in 2017 Former River Rouge coach Mark White was arraigned earlier this month in 14B District Court in Ypsilanti charged with criminal sexual conduct for assault with intent for sexual penetration and fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct against a student According to Fox 2 Detroit spoke about the alleged 2017 incident recently in December on social media and reported it to the Washtenaw Sheriff County’s office leading to charges being filed at the beginning of February The accuser attended and played basketball at River Rouge and alleges the incident occurred at White’s home in Ypsilanti The Free Press is not naming the former student because the newspaper generally does not name victims of sexual assault The Washtenaw County prosecutor's office confirmed the charges but did not comment on the case told the Free Press his client will defend himself and his reputation at trial White has been a longtime boys basketball coach in southeast Michigan The former student also filed a civil lawsuit in federal court against both White and the River Rouge school district she argues the school district “should have had knowledge of Mr White’s sex assault” because she told another teacher at the school about the alleged incident "There were no allegations brought to us against Mr White while he was an employee of our district," River Rouge superintendent Derrick Coleman told the Free Press on Monday who said he was limited in what he could say because of the ongoing litigation In two separate court motions to dismiss the case River Rouge argued that it should be dismissed on several grounds including that it does not meet the statute of limitations in Michigan White also filed a motion to dismiss on the same grounds In response, the alleged victim's attorney wrote they are pursuing the case under a Michigan law which says an exception can be made regarding the statute of limitations for criminal sexual misconduct when a minor is involved White posted the $25,000 bond at his arraignment The court process continues Thursday with a probable cause conference in front of a Washtenaw County judge According to the state of Michigan penal code a criminal sexual conduct with intent to commit sexual penetration felony can carry up to a 10-year sentence Jared Ramsey is a sports reporter for the Detroit Free Press. Follow Jared on X @jared_ramsey22 The M-85/Fort Street bridge over the Rouge River in southwest Detroit will be closed for repairs two days this week Michigan Department of Transportation announced Saturday The route will be closed from Miller Road to Denmark Street as officials work on the bridge More: Wrong-way driver dies after head-on crash with DDOT bus on Lodge Freeway in Detroit The MDOT offered three possible detours for travelers to take Interstate 75 or West Jefferson Avenue as detour routes More construction locations and updates are available on Michigan.gov/drive Breaking News Reporter Liam Rappleye can be reached at LRappleye@freepress.com RIVER ROUGE, Mich. – A Detroit mother is demanding answers after her 13-year-old son was injured in a school fight — saying she only found out later when a video surfaced online. Evelyn Dixon says her son, Eymare Files, a student at Sabbath Middle School in River Rouge, got into an argument with a friend about a girl last Friday afternoon, January 31, 2025. The argument quickly escalated into a physical fight around 1:30 p.m. When Dixon saw the video later that day, she said she panicked and quickly called the school’s principal. “‘Where’s my son? It looks like he’s been involved in a fight. It looks like he’s passed out on the ground,’” she said she asked. Footage of the incident shows the teen getting knocked to the ground. He said he was “knocked out” for about 15 seconds. Dixon said he was later put on a school bus — without any medical attention and with no phone call to her. “He couldn’t move. He said nobody helped him up. Nobody came to see if he was OK,” she said. ‘Where’s Eymare now?’ [the principal] said, ‘We put him on the bus.’ I said, ‘After the slam?’ [the principal] said, ‘Yeah, he’s on the bus — he appeared fine.’” Dixon immediately took her son to Children’s Hospital, where she said doctors confirmed he suffered a mild concussion. She has since filed a police report and plans to take legal action against the school. The school’s principal told Local 4 that he was present during the incident and brought both students into his office to de-escalate the situation and determine the consequences. He added that he called Dixon back as soon as the situation had been handled, and they “did what they thought was best.” However, Dixon said that’s not nearly enough. “You still have to contact the parents in an emergency,” she said. “There’s no beating around the bush about that. You have to contact the parents or have the student call his parents. Just be more mindful — anything could happen.” The principal confirmed that the other student involved had been suspended. Local 4 has contacted the superintendent for further comment but has not yet received a response. Copyright 2025 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us Careers at WDIV Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications Copyright © 2025 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group Steven Marchbanks, 58, of Flat Rock, pled guilty to illegally transporting and receiving fireworks that injured a child while being a felon in possession of firearms. Marchbanks also pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms. Court documents revealed that the case stemmed from a home explosion in River Rouge in June 2024. Marchbanks purchased illegal fireworks, which are believed to be an M-80, from an unknown individual, an incendiary device, and transported it to a residence. Court documents revealed Marchbanks left the device unattended with two children, one of whom set it off, causing severe injuries and structural damage to the home. A search of Marchbanks' house revealed two guns, which he was prohibited from possessing due to prior felony convictions. The 58-year-old man is scheduled for sentencing on July 15, 2025, and faces up to 10 years for the illegal transport of explosive materials and 15 years for firearm possession as a felon. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the River Rouge Police Department, investigated the case. Brandon Carr is a digital content producer for ClickOnDetroit and has been with WDIV Local 4 since November 2021. Brandon is the 2015 Solomon Kinloch Humanitarian award recipient for Community Service. A Flat Rock man pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to illegally transporting and receiving an explosive device also pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Julie Beck said in a statement The charges stem from a June 2024 explosion at a home in River Rouge that injured two children Marchbanks is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15 He faces up to 10 years in prison for transporting and receiving explosive materials without a license and 15 years in prison for possession of firearms as a felon “The facts of this case show the danger that illegal explosive devices pose to our community," Beck said in a statement this defendant’s actions caused devastating injuries to minor children." said Tuesday his client regrets his actions and a relative was injured in the explosion caused a horrible explosion and a horrible injury to his own granddaughter," Howarth said he will have spent a year of his life in federal custody He will trust the court to impose a sentence that fits the crime." Marchbanks is doing well as can be expected The attorney also said he thinks the plea agreement is a fair one given his client could have been charged under other federal laws with greater consequences "I believe both the defendant and the government have acted in their mutual best interests," Howarth said Authorities alleged Marchbanks purchased an illegal explosive device from an unknown individual off the street and transported it to a River Rouge home He then left the home and the device with two children Investigators said one of the children set off the device The explosion severely injured both kids and damaged the home Officials said they executed a search warrant at Marchbank's home in Flat Rock as part of the investigation and found two firearms Marchbanks was previously convicted of multiple felony offenses and cannot legally possess guns "The allegations in this case represent the most horrific unintended consequences associated with poor choices," James Deir Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol Marchbanks will have several years behind bars to reflect on how his poor decision-making caused serious injuries to a child Illegal fireworks are extremely dangerous and should never be stored inside your home "Steven Marchbanks is a repeat offender prohibited from lawfully possessing a firearm he chose to leave an unsecured M80 caliber explosive device with children in the home The tool and die unit at Ford Motor Co.'s River Rouge complex will strike on Thursday UAW Vice President Chuck Browning received authorization from union President Shawn Fain to set a strike deadline for 11:59 p.m 25 because Ford and the UAW Local 600 tool and die unit have yet to reach a local agreement more than a year past the contract deadline The company denies that and has expressed irritation that the UAW is pressing its issues in public More Ford news: Ford Pro CEO Ted Cannis to retire after 35 years with company More Ford news: New Mustang GTD is 'fastest, most powerful' in Mustang history, Ford says The core issues in the tool and die unit’s local negotiations are job security wage parity for skilled trades and work rules Contact Adrienne Roberts: amroberts@freepress.com A former River Rouge basketball coach has been charged with sexually assaulting a former player according to the Washtenaw County Prosecutor's Office was charged earlier this month with fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct of a student and assault with the intent to sexually penetrate said White denies the allegations and looks forward to his day in court family and close friends are standing by him and believe in him who The News is not naming because it does not identify victims of sexual assault without their consent filed a civil lawsuit in Wayne County Circuit Court which was moved almost immediately to federal court the River Rouge School Board and then-River Rouge Principal Willie White — the woman alleges White used his position as a basketball coach to sexually assault high school student-athletes When the woman was on the girls basketball team at River Rouge High School White allegedly took her to his Ypsilanti home after a basketball game under the guise that it was too late to drive her home She woke up to White allegedly sexually assaulting her the then-16-year-old girl said she told her principal about White's actions according to an amended version of the lawsuit filed in federal court the woman said she told a teacher about the assault The lawsuit says the principal fired White in 2017 because of an alleged sexual relationship with another River Rouge coach but River Rouge Superintendent Derrick Coleman said in April after the lawsuit was filed that White's position was "eliminated for economic necessity and reorganization October of 2018." Coleman declined to address any of the allegations in the lawsuit an attorney for the school district said the woman gave no reasons that the district should have known White was a "dangerous sexual predator." "The only sexual act alleged in the Amended Complaint admittedly occurred off campus and outside the school’s area of control," the district's attorneys wrote in a motion to dismiss Renaissance's choice of White over longtime coach Venias "Vito" Jordan Jr White was hired to coach boy's basketball at Romulus Summit Academy in 2018 according to the Michigan High School Athletics Association and also coached at Detroit Renaissance in the late '90s and early 2000s He coached at his alma mater Adrian College for seven years and before moving to River Rouge in 2017 White was inducted into the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan Hall of Fame in 2022 River Rouge made sure to get the authorities involved Police believe they identified that student but things will still be shut down out of precaution (FOX 2) - A Metro Detroit school district was shut down due to a threat at a high school as students were preparing to head home Monday The threat was aimed towards River Rouge High School as classes were wrapping up in the afternoon "At this time the community is not in danger and again we’re seeking charges against the individual that made this threat," said River Rouge Police Director Sotirios Arapakis River Rouge police could not go into specific details about the threat but say safety is a top priority and the Wayne County Sheriff's Department is assisting.  "We want to make sure the community is safe any threat that is made is taken very seriously," said Arapakis The district sent a letter to parents immediately asking to talk to their children about the severity of making threats "We have informed River Rouge Police and the Wayne County Prosecutors Office that we believe these are acts of terrorism that can cause psychological damage to people because of what is happening in schools across the country We apologize for any inconvenience closing of school may cause and please understand we will be employing additional safety protocols to make certain that students are protected and conducting business as normal." The district said disciplinary actions will be taken By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Former Belleville (Mich.) head football coach Jermain Crowell has been hired at River Rouge (Mich.) after the conclusion of a two-year suspension from coaching in the state of Michigan, according to The D Zone Crowell, who coached Michigan quarterback signee Bryce Underwood at Belleville was removed from his position ahead of the 2022 state playoffs after the Michigan High School Athletic Association suspended him until the 2025 high school football season The MHSAA determined Crowell violated the undue influence rule when a student at Detroit King said Crowell contacted him prior to his freshman year The MHSAA accused Crowell of picking up and dropping off players at summer practice sessions and 7-on-7 competitions “I want people to know you didn’t hear me contest their decision because some of the things they accused me of, I did,” Crowell told CBS in January 2023. “I did pick up and drop off because they had no other way.” Top 101Field of 64 projectionPredicting College Baseball Tourney Hot4Trump By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein. In eight seasons at Belleville, Crowell amounted an impressive 86-10 record. Now, he’ll get the chance to be back on the sidelines at River Rouge. Underwood started at quarterback for the Tigers in his freshman and sophomore seasons under Crowell. Belleville won state championships both seasons — despite Crowell’s absence for the 2022 playoffs. Underwood also earned MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year honors in his lone full season under Crowell. Belleville has not won a state title since 2022. Crowell takes over a River Rouge squad that finished 6-5 in 2024. The Panthers entered the postseason 4-4 before managing to rattle off a pair of wins against Southgate Anderson and Riverview, before falling to Detroit Martin Luther King. Hot4Trump, Saban blastedNIL order ripped On3 is a registered trademark of On3 Media The River Rouge police are asking for the public's help in finding a missing 13-year-old boy with a cognitive disorder last seen Sunday morning whose parental rights were terminated in August due to a child abuse incident involving another child Police call him a person of interest in Christopher's disappearance The 13-year-old was last seen at 10:07 a.m He was seen chaining his bicycle to a bike rack outside of the restaurant and going inside for about a minute Camera footage showed the boy leaving the restaurant and getting into the front passenger seat of a dark-color Chevy Tahoe with a Florida plate DSM1544 The vehicle is registered to Christopher Allan Brown and it is believed he and his son are headed to Florida "We believe in the last 24 hours he traveled from Florida up to River Rouge and this is where he lured him into the vehicle," said Detective Sgt Joshua Smith of the River Rouge Public Safety Department The boy had been in the care of his 32-year-old brother after the death of their mother earlier this month Christopher is described as between 5’2" to 5’4" tall and 175 pounds The public is advised not to approach Christopher Allan Brown Anyone with information is asked to contact the River Rouge Public Safety Department at (313) 842-8700 Ext 1/16River Rouge boys basketball battles Goodrich at the Downtown Showdown Showcase.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Jonathan Szczepaniak | jszczepaniak@mlive.comDETROIT MI - When it’s not one LePla brother leading the way Finally at full strength and hitting its stride Goodrich (10-4) boys basketball picked up a 51-46 win over River Rouge (8-5) Jan 25 in the Downtown Showdown at Detroit Cass Technical High School “We’re pretty excited,” Goodrich head coach Gary Barns said Goodrich’s trip to Cass Tech last season resulted in a 41-37 overtime loss to Warren Fitzgerald but the LePla brothers made sure the result would be different this time around scored all of Goodrich’s nine points in the first quarter to keep his team within arm’s reach as the Martians trailed River Rouge 14-9 it was time to pass the torch as sophomore Jensen LePla “I started off slow and he picked up the slack and then he got in foul trouble and I picked up the slack,” Jensen LePla said Jensen LePla led Goodrich back from a 46-39 deficit early in the fourth quarter with bucket after bucket giving his squad a 47-46 lead with three minutes remaining in the contest Goodrich senior Landon Williams put the finishing touches on the win with a layup pushing Goodrich ahead 51-46 with a minute left Parker LePla had 15 points and nine rebounds while sophomore Drew Aagesen added six points and four rebounds Williams also had four points and six rebounds in the win scoring a team-high 17 points with three triples Senior Marquis Meadows also chipped in eight points Jensen LePla has been unstoppable since coming back from a broken finger in early December It sure seems like the injury is no longer a cause for concern for the sophomore sensation Goodrich as a unit was a little banged up entering the 2024-2025 campaign with multiple players returning from a championship-winning football season Especially having Jensen LePla being sidelined for nearly a month the void the injuries created showed early on Goodrich was 3-4 in its first seven contests but has since claimed seven-straight wins “We play everybody that we can play,” Barns said and we went down to North Farmington and played Ann Arbor Skyline The hardest thing to do with young men is keep them up We were trying to stay positive and tell them the world wasn’t going to end.” Goodrich is all systems go as it holds the top spot in the Flint Metro League with a 6-0 record and four league games remaining “We’re putting all the pieces together and just going out there and playing great,” Jensen LePla said DEARBORN – The United Auto Workers have issued a strike notice at Ford’s River Rouge Tool & Die Unit over local agreement issues The Tool & Die Unit at Ford’s River Rouge Complex says it will strike on Thursday (Sept 26) if local contract issues remain unresolved After For Motor Company failed to reach a local agreement with the UAW Local 600 more than a year has passed since the contract deadline causing UAW Vice President Chuck Browning to receive authorization from UAW President Shawn Fain to set a strike deadline for 11:59 p.m UAW’s national contracts aren’t the only concern as members negotiate local agreements around plant-specific issues at each facility More: Experts discuss potential impact of UAW strike on Stellantis Copyright 2024 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. (WXYZ) — Human remains were found in the Lower Rouge River area near Pershing Street in Wayne Police say the discovery was made after someone kayaking reported finding what looked like decomposed human remains tangled along the embankment on Wednesday around 5:15 p.m Police responded to the river and confirmed what the person saw was the upper torso of a human A recovery effort began and on Thursday morning additional remains including the lower half of the body were pulled by the Michigan State Police Marine Service Team The body was taken to the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office to be investigated An identity of the person has not yet been determined but investigators believe it could be the body of an adult female Residents in the tight-knit neighborhood near John R Street and Pershing Street are feeling uneasy as the Rouge River flows right through their backyards “To think that like this happened that close to us and with this many people in the neighborhood What neighbors are also disturbed by is that this specific area of the river is frequented by children who play in the water "It is quite a shock," neighbor Rodney Severance said Police are continuing to investigate. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Lt. Springer at 734-721-1414, ext. 1503, or by email at tspringer@cityofwayne.com and say it’s related to the human remains case SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – A 30-year-old from River Rouge was arrested after allegedly driving away from police Friday morning. Southfield police said officers saw a 2024 Kia Sorrento on Feb. 21, 2025, just before 10 a.m., that they believed was used in a crime out of Detroit. The car was entered into a law enforcement database by the Detroit Police Department on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. Southfield police tried to initiate a traffic stop with the car in the area of 9 Mile and Southfield roads, but the driver allegedly disregarded the officers and drove away. The police chase continued onto the Lodge Freeway from Evergreen Road. Once on the freeway, the Southfield Police Department said an officer “made intentional contact” with the car, ending the pursuit near the entry ramp to Southfield Freeway. There were three people in the car. The driver, a 30-year-old River Rouge resident, was arrested for fleeing and eluding. The other people in the car, a Southfield and a Detroit resident, were treated for minor injuries and released at the scene. Samantha Sayles is an Oakland University alumna who’s been writing Michigan news since 2022. Before joining the ClickOnDetroit team, she wrote stories for WILX in Lansing and WEYI in Flint. Ron Haddad hired Brian Smouthers as a police officer “He should never work for another police department,” Haddad told 7 News Detroit the longtime police chief thought he would never wear a badge again “I don’t think there’s any justification for hiring people that put the citizens at risk,” Haddad said Smouthers’ problems in Dearborn began in 2019 when a young woman came to police headquarters to report a crime had posted video of the two of them having sex on a pornographic website She shared a still image from the video with police Officer Brian Smouthers took the report but he was not assigned to investigate the crime the victim would report to police that Smouthers started to text her engaging in “unwanted and lengthy” dialogue according to an investigation by Dearborn police The woman would later share the texts with Dearborn officers According to the department’s investigation Smouthers texted her 133 times and initiated every exchange the woman reached out to a friend via text: “How creepy is it that the police officer who took my police report and saw the screenshots of my video is texting me with a bunch of small talk today,” she wrote said her client “does not recall there being 133 text messages and was never advised by the female that it was ‘creepy’ or he was ‘creepy’.” Haddad said the officer’s behavior was troubling “She was looking for help from the police and didn’t get it.” After learning Smouthers had been texting the woman Officers discovered that Smouthers “accessed the victim’s personal information through LEIN”—the Law Enforcement Information Network— ten days after she reported her crime Smouthers started driving by her house repeatedly while on duty sometimes texting her while he parked around the corner of her house Smouthers' attorney said her client drove by the woman’s house “only a few times” in response to concerns about her safety According to the department's investigation Smouthers was said to have shown the sexual image of the woman to another male officer ”because the victim was an attractive young female.” Smouthers told the officer where he could look to try to find the full video online he said he ran the woman through LEIN “in the normal course of taking the police report.” When police obtained a search warrant for Smouthers’ phone they found that the text messages with the victim had been deleted Smouthers’ attorney told 7 News that “the text message thread was deleted as time had passed and he didn't believe they were needed.” But what remained on his phone was the still image of the woman engaged in a sex act according to the department’s investigation “Isn’t that enough to fire somebody?” asked Channel 7’s Ross Jones After the Wayne County prosecutor’s office said there wasn’t enough evidence to bring charges against him Chief Haddad suspended Smouthers for 10 days according to a Dearborn police investigation a female employee told supervisors that “she felt like she was being stalked” by Smouthers She reported that he would “constantly text her,” that he “followed her” to a bookstore in Allen Park and She told investigators she felt “pressure” to talk to him she said Smouthers “touched her breasts” and “inner thighs” over her clothes she produced text messages where she told Smouthers to “stop,” telling him: “I don’t and didn’t want a relationship.” She said she later blocked his number Smouthers denied all of this through his attorney maintaining the sexual contact was consensual and that it was he who tried to break off their communications A personal protection order was granted against Smouthers A second warrant request for Smouthers was submitted to the Wayne County prosecutor but was also declined after the victim chose not to prosecute and due to insufficient evidence “Did you ever imagine that another police agency in Michigan—not that far from your own—would take a chance on this guy?” asked Channel 7’s Ross Jones “He should have never been hired another time.” But down the road at the River Rouge Police Department Public Safety Director Roberto Cruz hired Smouthers in 2022 So she was surprised when she kept seeing a River Rouge police car sitting outside her home who determined the man behind the wheel was Smouthers She said that while he was in his department vehicle Smouthers would sit outside the home of her female neighbor sometimes getting out and looking through the neighbor’s windows and he was peeking through her front windows,” Simmons said adding that Simmons was seen sitting outside the house on multiple days River Rouge police investigated and found that Smouthers drove by the house frequently while on duty Simmons confronted Officer Smouthers who—according to an internal investigation—said the neighbor was a friend of his Simmons would accuse the officer of harassing her shining his spotlight into her home and car after he confronted him A department investigation concluded that Smouthers was leaving River Rouge for Detroit without getting permission from supervisors and “engaging in unethical and harassing behavior.” He was terminated by River Rouge last year Director Roberto Cruz would not agree to an interview with 7 News Detroit about his decision to hire Smouthers When reporter Ross Jones caught up with him at a recent city council meeting He said he could not comment on Smouthers’ case because of pending litigation alleging that he was fired—in part— because of his race says he was retaliated against for reporting wrongdoing by other officers within the department Smouthers also sued Dearborn back in 2022 after that department fired him alleging that officials included an unsubstantiated allegation against him in his personnel records that were shared with other agencies who considered hiring him Smouthers is not currently employed by another police agency Contact 7 Investigator Ross Jones at ross.jones@wxyz.com at (248) 827-9466 Human remains found by a kayaker in the Lower Rouge River last week have been identified as that of a Wayne woman missing for two months was reported missing by family members on Aug according to a news release from the Wayne Police Department She’d been last seen that same day in the area of downtown Wayne detectives responded to a call in the area of the river near Pershing Street A kayaker reported discovering what appeared to be decomposing human remains tangled along the embankment A portion of the body was located there and another portion was located nearby in another part of the river More: Lawsuit: Inmate kept 6 days beyond release when Wayne Co. jail staff couldn't locate him More: Decomposed human remains found in Rouge River by kayaker, Wayne police say Police announced the identification in a news release Monday The cause of death had not been determined and the case remains under investigation Officials previously asked anyone with any information in the case to email tspringer@cityofwayne.com or call 734-721-1414 ext Those with information are asked to specify that they are reaching out about this matter The UAW said its members representing Ford Motor Co.'s tool and die unit in the River Rouge complex reached a tentative agreement with the company has more than 500 workers in the tool and die unit The union members will review the details of the agreement and hold a ratification vote in the coming days the agreement will set a new standard for the skilled trades at Ford," the union added Last week, the union said it would go on strike on Thursday if local contract issues were not resolved adding that core issues in negotiations included job security Other UAW-represented workers have walked off the job — or threatened to — in recent weeks. About 525 UAW-represented workers at Eaton Aerospace in Jackson walked off the job last week after months of failed talks UAW President Shawn Fain, meanwhile, in a running dispute with Stellantis, laid out a process for upcoming strike votes over concerns the company will move Dodge Durango production from the Detroit Assembly Complex-Jefferson to Windsor 11-year-old River Rouge twins lit a firework inside their home It went off, leaving them with serious injuries, which, according to WDIV-TV (Channel 4) blew off four fingers on one of the girl’s hands River Rouge Deputy Police Chief Dasumo Mitchell said the firework explosion was like a stick of dynamite going off But it turned out that the firework was more powerful than that and likely illegal Quick-acting neighbors helped get the girls medical treatment "Every year, thousands of people are injured badly enough to require medical treatment after fireworks-related incidents, with many of the injuries to children and young adults," the National Safety Council warned adding firecrackers and sparklers can "cause significant injuries." to only use pyrotechnics with adult supervision Metro Detroit TV weatherman Dave Rexroth lost an eye to a firework accident in 2014 visiting relatives in Iowa He said he went back to check on a firework that didn’t appear to light From 2008 and 2023, injuries from fireworks have increased, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission an estimated 9,700 people were treated nationwide in emergency rooms as a result of firework accidents you are prohibited from lighting fireworks on public property including sidewalks More: Michigan fireworks laws 2024: What to know before Fourth of July to set off certain fireworks and pyrotechnics June 29 through July 4 on private property if instead of setting off your own explosions you might be better off avoiding injuries other dangers if you "grab a blanket and a patch of lawn kick back and let the experts handle the fireworks show." Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com Decomposed human remains were discovered by a kayaker in the Rouge River in Wayne on Wednesday The remains were "tangled along the embankment" in the Lower Rouge River area near Pershing Street according to a news release from Wayne police The kayaker reported the discovery shortly after 5 p.m Detectives who responded to the scene confirmed the remains to be a human upper torso and initiated recovery efforts The Michigan State Police Marine Service Team retrieved the remains from the river recovered the lower half of the body in a nearby section of the river "The human remains were transported to the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office for further investigation," according to the police release "The identity of the remains has not been determined." More: Suspect in Rochester Hills killing arrested in Louisiana More: Detroit man, 73, slashed child's throat in park while horrified kids played, police say Anyone with information about the remains is asked to contact Detective Lt Springer at tspringer@cityofwayne.com or 734-721-1414 “My cards were given to me," Smith told the AP Smith graduated from River Rouge in 2021. He was a first-team all-state selection in 2020 by the Detroit Free Press. Smith helped River Rouge to the 2019 MHSAA Division 3 title Smith played at the University of Cincinnati for two years before he transferred to Michigan State to be closer to his mother after she was diagnosed with breast cancer “She used to tell me everything: ‘Get hard’ and all of that,” he recalled to the AP “And I see why she was under a lot of stress.” Smith now wakes up before dawn to make sure his two sisters and three brothers are awake He then heads to physical therapy for his shoulder injury and team meetings “Me and my sister got to work together to keep this all afloat,” he told the AP she’s got to be able to take care of everything that I can’t do Smith and his siblings have received donation from the community Smith also makes some money from NIL deals the mother to Michigan State freshman wide receiver Nick Marsh very appreciative and grateful," Smith told the AP "There’s a lot of love Spartan Nation has shown us these past few months but to be able to take some of the stress off of my shoulders and show me a lot of love is a blessing and has warmed my heart.” More Michigan high school sports coverage from High School on SI Top quarterbacks in Michigan high school football entering 2024 season Top pass catchers in Michigan high school football entering 2024 season Top running backs in Michigan high school football entering 2024 season Top offensive lineman in Michigan high school football entering 2024 season Top defensive backs in Michigan high school football entering 2024 season Top linebackers in Michigan high school football entering 2024 season Top defensive linemen in Michigan high school football entering 2024 season High School On SI will serve as the premier destination for high school sports fans delivering unparalleled coverage of high school athletics nationwide through in-depth stories The launch of a dedicated high school experience expands Sports Illustrated’s reach to even more local communities as fans can now truly follow athletes from “preps to the pros” on a single platform bringing them closer to the action than ever before For more information, visit si.com/high-school To get live updates on your phone - as well as follow your favorite teams and top games - you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App | Download Android App — Jack Butler | butler@scorebooklive.com | @Butler917 on X JACK BUTLERJack Butler is the Regional Editor of the Midwest for SBLive/High School on SI Jack has covered high school sports in Oregon © 2025 ABG-SI LLC - SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Dearborn — Herman Jenkins stood on Dearborn's Fishway Access Bridge which connects the Rouge Gateway Greenway to the north side of the Lower Rouge River pointing southeast to where a heron had just alighted onto the riverbank the sky steely gray on the late November morning but a few people still passed over the stretch of the trail near Michigan Avenue Jenkins is the trails manager for Friends of the Rouge a nonprofit overseeing construction of the Rouge Gateway Greenway a path for recreation — some of it paved — that will eventually span eight miles from Dearborn That peaceful moment as Jenkins and Ashley Flintoff craned to see the bird might have been unimaginable decades ago with wildlife diversity returning and recreation popular with bikers An expansion of the Rouge Gateway Greenway is a key part of Wayne County's effort for decades to boost accessibility to the existing trails and expand and connect them even more the county's Board of Commissioners approved $4.6 million in State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds a part of pandemic recovery money available from the American Rescue Plan Act county officials hope to connect three trail corridors — the Hines Drive Trail from Northville to Dearborn; the Lower Rouge River Greenway from Van Buren Township from Van Buren Township to Dearborn; and the Rouge River Gateway Greenway — to boost recreation opportunities and access to those trails The three trail corridors run through 17 communities in Wayne County "There's a lot of wrong that has been done to these communities as a result of industrialization and so I think that's why projects like this are so vitally important because they start to try and heal those scars," Flintoff said The one completed part of the Rouge Gateway Greenway links to Hines Park and runs from UM-Dearborn to Henry Ford College to Michigan Avenue and its trailhead sits adjacent to a parking lot by the now-closed Andiamo restaurant on Michigan The second phase will run southeast to Village Road in Southfield Construction of the second phase of the greenway is expected to start by next spring and take about a year and a half The funding just appropriated from Wayne County supplements $1 million from the Ralph C Trails in Wayne County provide both a literal link to nature and a figurative one to hope of a future where access is available to everyone for leisure and transportation as an alternative to cars Flintoff said increasing green space and opportunities for outdoor recreation is a step in atoning for harms done by pollution and disconnection from nature to communities along the Rouge River watershed In addition to overseeing construction of the Rouge Gateway Greenway Friends of the Rouge is acting as a fiduciary for the funding The plan to connect the three corridors is called Connecting the Rouge The vision also includes connecting the trails adjacent to Hines Drive to nearby neighborhoods to make them easier to access without a car the chief of planning and design for Wayne County Parks said making green spaces accessible without cars is at the heart of the Connecting the Rouge plan building connections to green spaces in its cities is essential but they're also providing alternatives to residents for transportation if they don't have cars," Iszler said "They can use them for commuting or getting from place to place safer than if they're having to ride bikes in the road Advocates for increasing green spaces hope the COVID-19 pandemic helped bring attention to the importance of equal access to outdoor recreation Outdoor activities were one of the few counterweights to the social isolation brought on by lockdowns and quarantining A study published in 2022 by ScienceDirect suggested outdoor recreation can support mental and physical health and make people more resilient to global crises such as the pandemic done during 2020 found a correlation between participation in outdoor activities before and during the pandemic and smaller declines in "subjective" well-being "My perspective as a landscape architect and planner is that everyone should have access to green space," Iszler said "I think COVID certainly did bring that attention to everyone which honestly helped us now with 'Why?' If people are asking 'Why do you want this money to add these trails envisions it covering eight miles between Dearborn and the Detroit River where it would connect to the Joe Louis Greenway Friends of the Rouge has also developed the Lower Rouge River Water Trail Rouge River historyAs far as expanding the Rouge Gateway Greenway and making it more accessible Jenkins feels a sense of legacy in his work because he grew up well aware of the worst parts of the river's history a 23-year-old man from Novi died from leptospirosis after he fell into the river and swallowed water The summer paddle trips Jenkins takes on the river would have been unimaginable before the Rouge River's turnaround Jenkins now has a 19-year-old and a 12-year-old and he's pleased his children can grow up with a different Rouge River than he did "I think about the relationship that I had with this river as a kid My mom would threaten to throw me in this river if I didn't to well in school because it was that intimidating," Jenkins said "It did not have any good kind of connotations but the idea that my kids can have a completely different relationship with this river Friends of the Rouge is working with Dearborn to apply for grant funding from MDOT's Transportation Alternatives Program for construction of the greenway's third phase Iszler said the intent is for the Rouge Gateway Greenway to connect with the Joe Louis Greenway and eventually go to the Detroit River Funding future phasesFlintoff said the Ralph C Wilson Foundation has committed to helping fund future phases of the greenway But funding will have to come from other sources too local governments or other philanthropic organizations Flintoff is hopeful state funding will be an option because of the plan for the Rouge Gateway Greenway to eventually connect to other regional and state greenway infrastructure Design development has not yet started beyond the greenway's third phase meaning an estimated timeline for completing the entire pathway remains up in the air Flintoff explained working with landowners along industrial portions of the river also requires time to navigate Flintoff acknowledged the "collage" of funding also comes with uncertainty But Flintoff said she believes governments have started to understand the value access to trails and outdoor recreation have to public health "If there's going to be any sort of silver lining from from the global pandemic it's that we really did start to understand the value of access to nature and access to outdoor spaces for folks' mental and physical well-being," she said The key issues driving the River Rouge tool and die unit’s negotiations include job security Stay up to date on exclusive content from CBT News by following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn Don’t miss out! Subscribe to our free newsletter to receive all the latest news insight and trends impacting the automotive industry CBT News is part of the JBF Business Media family Contact us: Info@CBTNews.com © Created by CBT News | Atlanta Web Design We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings we will not be able to save your preferences This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again (WXYZ) — River Rouge Police were surprised that the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office declined to bring criminal charges against the man they said left an illegal explosive where his 11-year-old twin granddaughters could get to it RELATED STORY: 11-year-old injured by explosive device One of the girls lit what she thought was a firework and the explosion caused her to lose her right hand and left her with a hole in her eardrum Both girls also suffered burns in the explosion that left their home uninhabitable "I'm just glad she's alive," said Jaminique Conway who was not at home at the time of the explosion Conway told 7 News Detroit that her father feels horrible and that she does not want him to face criminal charges She also said she has not asked her father what kind of explosive it was or where he even obtained it "I'm just not going to talk to him about it we're going to move past it and unite instead of divide." Detectives in River Rouge are sending the remaining material from the explosive to a Michigan State Police laboratory for testing Conway has provided 7 News with photos of the damage the explosion caused to the home she was renting One person who lives nearby but declined to go on camera said they were disappointed that the grandfather of the girls was not charged A spokesperson for the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office released the following statement: This was a tragic incident the case against the suspect was denied due to insufficient evidence to prove he had custody care and control of the victim at the time of the incident But that doesn't mean the grandfather of the girls is in the clear River Rouge Police have been in contact with the Bureau of Alcohol It's unclear if federal agents are going to take the case One neighbor who called 911 said hearing the twin girls screaming and seeing the severe injury to one of their hands was every mother's worst nightmare "It was gut-wrenching to just stand here and not know what to do." Conway said her daughter who lost her hand is in good spirits and preparing for physical therapy And as people prepare to set off actual fireworks for the 4th of July One neighbor who is like family to Conway and her girls said it's important for parents and other adults to talk to their children about the importance of not playing with any flame source or firework without supervision "Just like you wouldn't have a loaded gun sitting out fireworks are no different," Erica Dickerson said "Don't have them sitting out accessible to children." With Conway's permission, River Rouge Police started a GoFundMe to help her and her girls with alternate housing as well as any medical needs for Caitlyn that may not covered Investigators are also asking that anyone with information about the explosion contact the River Rouge Public Safety Department at (313)842-8700 7 News Detroit has made attempts to contact the girls' grandfather but we've been unable to reach him Where Your Voice Matters Authorities have identified human remains found last week in the Rouge River as those of a 56-year-old Wayne woman who had been missing since August The Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office used dental records to determine the remains belonged to Rosalind Taylor Police responded to the area of the Lower Rouge River Wednesday after a kayaker discovered the remains tangled along the embankment Efforts to find the rest of the body were hampered by darkness Taylor's family reported her missing on Aug She was last seen that day in downtown Wayne Police said her cause of death has not yet been determined and the case remains under investigation Authorities are not yet sure whether foul play may have been a factor @Max_DetroitNews