Murder Charges to Be Sought in 4 Drownings

Police said today they will seek murder charges in last week’s drownings of four children who died when their parents’ car slammed through a barrier and into the Detroit River.

Family members said the children’s father, Lawrence DeLisle, was jailed Thursday night after he and his wife, Suzanne, submitted to polygraph tests.

Chief Edward Rothermal refused to name the suspect, and he did not say whether investigators suspect intentional murder or homicide by negligence. He said officers will turn over their reports to the Wayne County prosecutor, who will decide what charges to file.

“Yesterday afternoon, things started working out for us,” Rothermal said at a news conference. “The investigating officer received a statement indicating the involvement and what actually happened at the river.”

DeLisle, 28, was driving when his car plunged into the river, trapping the children, ages 8 months to 8 years old. He and his 32-year-old wife escaped.

DeLisle said a leg cramp caused him to floor the accelerator.

William DeLisle, Lawrence DeLisle’s uncle, said Suzanne DeLisle called him Thursday night to say his nephew was in jail.

“She didn’t say why,” William DeLisle said. Asked if DeLisle’s detention made him doubt his story, the uncle said: “Certainly I have doubts. The boy’s in jail.”