Doctor, family members accused of child abuse, headed to circuit court
- Dignity 4Patients
- Sep 23
- 2 min read
By News Team - TV6 News - 23.09.2024 - [Dr. Colin Irish] - [USA]
The four Marquette adults arrested in February for child abuse are headed to circuit court after waiving their preliminary hearings.
Colin Irish, Carrie Irish, Linda Maxson, and Michelle Maxson were scheduled to appear in Marquette County District Court Wednesday for preliminary exams. The Marquette County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that all four waived those hearings and were bound over to circuit court.
They are tentatively scheduled for circuit court arraignments in October.
TV6 first reported on the case when Colin and Carrie Irish were initially arraigned. According to the Feb.19 press release from the Marquette County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the Irishes’ home to investigate allegations of child abuse obtained from Child Protective Services. There, deputies say they discovered that Colin and Carrie had locked their 10-year-old son in a closet for several hours a day over the period of several months.
At the time, the two were charged with second-degree child abuse. However, they were arraigned a second time in March, during which their charges were elevated to include first-degree child abuse charges, among others.
March is also when two additional adult family members who were living with them— Carrie’s mother Linda Maxson and her sister Michelle Maxson — were arraigned on charges a well.
In total, Colin Irish faces nine charges: two counts of first-degree child abuse, two counts of first-degree child abuse committed in the presence of another child, one count of second-degree child abuse, two counts of second-degree child abuse committed in the presence of another child, and two misdemeanor counts of failure to report abuse.
Carrie Irish faces the same seven felony charges as Colin, but is not charged with the two misdemeanors.
Meanwhile, Linda Maxson is charged with one count of second-degree child abuse and two counts of second-degree child abuse in the presence of another child. Michelle Maxson is charged with the same three charges as Linda, with an additional two misdemeanors for failure to report abuse.
All defendants are currently out of jail on bond.
Dr. Irish’s family practice in Marquette has remained closed. He was also the Medical Director and Attending Physician for the Iron County Medical Care Facility, but was immediately suspended when the charges were announced.
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article and were abused in state run medical and health facilities, you can contact Dignity4Patients, whose helpline is open Monday to Thursday, 10am to 4pm.
Dignity4Patients Commentary: This case serves as a stark reminder that protecting children requires vigilance from all corners; professionals, family members, and institutions alike. It is not enough to assume that a doctor's professional status ensures safe behaviour behind closed doors.
