Pontiac woman accused of pouring boiling water on teen during fight is out on bond; exam set for Nov. 24
Shanell Lakeisha Cohen, 31, is charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm. The sheriff's office says a 15-year-old girl suffered third-degree burns to her neck and back.
By OCJ Staff
A Pontiac woman accused of pouring a pot of boiling water on a 15-year-old girl during a large fight last month has been released from jail on bond, and a preliminary exam is set for next month, The Oakland Press reported.
Shanell Lakeisha Cohen, 31, is charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder or by strangulation. The felony carries up to 10 years in prison, a $5,000 fine, or both.
Cohen was released from the Oakland County Jail after posting $7,500, 10% of a $75,000 bond, according to the Oakland Press.
Her preliminary exam is scheduled for Nov. 24 before 50th District Judge Ronda Gross, who will decide whether there is enough evidence to send the case to Oakland County Circuit Court for possible trial, the newspaper reported.
Charges are accusations; Cohen is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
What the sheriff's office alleges
Deputies were called to the area of Leonard Lane in Pontiac on a report of a large group fighting and found 50 to 100 people gathered in a parking lot, the Oakland County Sheriff's Office said. The Oakland Press gives the date as Sept. 28; FOX 2 Detroit reported the fight happened Sunday evening, which was Sept. 27.
The sheriff's office says Cohen and the 15-year-old got into a physical fight. Cohen then went inside her home, took a pot of boiling water off the stove, came back outside and poured it on the girl's back, according to the sheriff's office.
The girl was hospitalized with third-degree burns to her neck and back, the sheriff's office said. Detectives say Cohen admitted pouring the water.
"We have another sad example of a verbal dispute, escalating into dangerous physical violence. Individuals that do so will be held to account," Sheriff Michael Bouchard said, according to FOX 2.
The Journal does not name minors, including crime victims.
Cohen's attorney has not been reported.
This story uses reporting from The Oakland Press and FOX 2 Detroit.