66-year-old Cheryl Livy from Livonia has died from a beating administered by a woman who those around them called her friend. While police have yet to release the reasons for the argument, the charges have been adjusted accordingly in the wake of the victim’s death.
Tewana Sullivan, the 50-year-old Detroit woman who is responsible for the death, was initially charged with assault with intent to murder in the Livonia beating. But Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy chose to amend the charges to first degree murder after the victim’s family decided to unplug Livy’s life support.
Little is known about the incident, but police have said that the beating took place at McNamara Towers, a HUD Housing apartment building on Purlingbrook in Livonia. Apparently Sullivan was there to visit her godfather, Marvin Jones, on October 22nd.
The two women engaged in a violent fight
“She brought me some food down that Cherie had sent me. Then she said she was going back up to Cherie,” Jones told the media when recounting the events that took place that night. But after Sullivan returned to the victim’s apartment, the two women engaged in a violent fight, which resulted in Sullivan beating her older friend with a crock pot until she was unconscious.
Police records show that she then called authorities to report the incident and waited for them to arrive. And that’s exactly where they found Sullivan, still at the scene of the crime, with blood on her clothing and her victim out cold on the floor.
“They brought Tai out in handcuffs with blood on her shirt so I’m shocked because I don’t know what has taken place,” Jones said in an interview. “I’m not really disappointed in her because nobody knows what happened. So why would I be disappointed in her?” Livy was transported to a local hospital, while Sullivan was arrested and taken to the Wayne County Jail to await arraignment.
Neighbors who were present that night have said that Sullivan was drinking alcohol that night and was also taking medication, although no one is certain what kind of medicine and why it was taken. “It’s terrible. Absolutely terrible,” said Earl Massie, who lives nearby, “You think you have a friend and as we all know you mix alcohol in any situation and that can breed anything, from a loving relationship into what happened.”
Sullivan’s arraignment for the amended charges has been scheduled for November 6th in the 16th District Court.