PORT HURON TOWNSHIP, MI – A local mother admitted in court Wednesday to playing a role in the brutal death of her 3-year-old son after years of systematic abuse that authorities say she and her boyfriend inflicted on the child.
Amanda Mae Maison, 33, entered a plea of guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the 2018 slaying of her son, Matthew Maison. As part of her plea deal, Maison agreed to provide truthful testimony against her former boyfriend, Maurice Houle, who faces an upcoming trial on a charge of first-degree murder.
During her plea hearing, Maison acknowledged that she sustained a two-year relationship with Houle, during which time both adults consistently concealed evidence of the abuse from child protective and law enforcement officials. Between 2016 and Matthew’s death in 2018, Maison admitted to actively participating in efforts to hide her son’s injuries and to mislead authorities investigating their home.
Court records indicate that Maison also confessed to engaging directly in the abuse. She described an incident in which she forced her young son’s head into a wall as punishment during what she called a “military time out,” a disciplinary action that prosecutors say occurred multiple times and in coordination with Houle.
Following her admission of guilt, the court ordered Maison held without bond at the St. Clair County Jail. She is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date, facing the possibility of spending life in prison for her role in her son’s death.
The investigation began in February 2018, after Maison reportedly found Matthew unresponsive in his bed inside the family’s Port Huron Township residence. When law enforcement arrived, officers observed visible trauma to the child, including bruises and a black eye, according to a detective who led the initial probe.
It later emerged that Matthew’s grandfather had previously alerted child welfare authorities after hearing claims that Houle had struck the boy for minor misbehavior, such as spilling food. When officials responded, Maison retracted her accusations and severed contact with her father, stalling further intervention.
Further testimonies in court revealed disturbing details of Matthew’s daily existence. Houle admitted under questioning that “military time outs” were used as discipline, requiring the child to kneel in front of a wall with his hands on his head—punishments that sometimes escalated to the point of the child’s head being forcefully pushed against the wall.
Detectives investigating the case reported that, in interviews conducted years later, both Maison and Houle accused the other of attempts to smother Matthew with a pillow. Maison further alleged that Houle had killed the child and subsequently pressured her to take responsibility for his death.
During pretrial proceedings, prosecutors introduced evidence indicating that, prior to Matthew’s death, Maison became pregnant again but chose, with Houle, to end the pregnancy due to financial reasons. The prosecution argued that the couple saw Matthew as an obstacle to their plans for a future together.
Authorities claim the pair harbored a mutual intent to remove Matthew from their lives permanently. Prosecutors allege this intent culminated in a calculated plan that ultimately resulted in the boy’s tragic death.
After an intensive, seven-year investigation that included numerous detectives and extensive evidence collection, law enforcement officials say they are a step closer to securing justice for Matthew. Houle’s trial is expected to proceed based, in part, on Maison’s forthcoming testimony.