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Investigation Underway Into 'Bizarre' Deaths Of Baby, Father In Oakland County

OXFORD (WWJ) - Investigators are working to determine what happened in an Oxford home that led to the killing of a 29-year-old man and his infant daughter.

According to Oakland County Sheriff's officials, the mother of 7-month old Charley Hendrick asked if someone could check on the child and her father, Daryne Gailey, when the baby wasn't returned to her in Tuscola County as scheduled on Saturday.

The little girl's grandfather accompanied by deputies who discovered the grisly scene at the home on Kintyre Dr., near Lapeer Road and Drahner, Sunday morning.

Gailey and the baby were dead and Gailey's 65-year-old mother was sitting on the couch "bleeding profusely" with severe cuts on her hands and arm, according to authorities.

Sheriff's officials said an autopsy revealed the child died from blunt force trauma to the head. The death was ruled a homicide.

Cause of death on the father is pending, but the Oakland County Medical Examiner found he had suffered three superficial cuts to his throat and one deep laceration across his throat.

A box cutter was recovered by investigators at the scene and sheriff's officials said it appears at this time to have been the cause of the injuries to the both to the man and to his mother.

The latter, an Addison Township resident whose name has not been released, remained hospitalized in stable condition Monday.

Oakland County Sheriff Micheal Bouchard said there was no indication a robbery or intruder was involved in the killings.

"We don't think it involved anyone outside the house," he said. "We don't think it involved a home invasion or situation like that...but how it played out, at this point we don't really know."

Bouchard said they're not ready, however, to call this a murder and attempted suicide.

"I mean, that could be possibility, ultimately as it plays out," said Bouchard. "We have to get a cause and determination of death to really get some insight...It's very bizarre."

Bouchard said detectives will talk with the injured woman, but she's been heavily sedated.

Sheriff's officials said that the baby's mother had sole custody after a divorce; Gailey had visitation rights only with other adult supervision.  Authorities have also learned that Gailey himself was under his mother's guardianship.

Bouchard said further forensics testing is pending before any suggestions will be made as to who is responsible for the deaths.

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