A Roseville mother is behind bars after videos that raced across social media allegedly showed her striking a child, kicking off a criminal case that now has her facing misdemeanor charges in district court.
Amber Criner, 32, was arraigned Wednesday on two counts of fourth‑degree child abuse, misdemeanors that can carry up to a year in jail. She was ordered held on a $50,000 cash/surety bond, with 10 percent required to post for release, and is scheduled to return to court for a probable‑cause conference on May 13.
What the charges mean
Fourth‑degree child abuse in Michigan is typically charged as a misdemeanor and is punishable by up to one year in jail. The state’s court guidance describes fourth‑degree offenses as reckless acts that cause physical harm or create an unreasonable risk of harm to a child, according to the Michigan Judicial Institute.
Prosecutors said the two counts filed in Criner’s case represent the most serious charges they can bring based on the evidence they have right now.
How the case came to light
Macomb County prosecutors say the investigation was sparked by video footage circulating on social platforms and that those clips are the foundation of the charges, according to FOX 2 Detroit. The social‑media videos were described by authorities as the primary evidence supporting the misdemeanor counts…