A Michigan teen sobbed in court Wednesday as an Oakland County judge released her from jail, following the death of her father.
According to The Oakland Press, Megan Imirowicz, 19, spent 500 days in the Oakland County Jail for throwing lye on her father, Konrad Imirowicz, 64, which subsequently caused his death.
After an Oakland County jury convicted her of unlawful possession or use of harmful devices causing death, Imirowicz initially faced the possibility of life in prison. The jury ended up sentencing her to a year in jail and five years of probation.
Oakland County Judge Victoria Valentine said that since the defendant had already spent over 500 days in jail, her sentence was complete.
Prosecutors said that in October 2021, Imirowicz became enraged at Konrad after he was too intoxicated to take her to a salon appointment before her 18th birthday celebration. In a fit of rage, she threw lye and water on him in an attempt to make the chemical react and burn her father.
The defendant then reportedly left Konrad injured on a couch and fled their home.
Konrad was taken to the Ascension Genesys Hospital for recovery, where he underwent a series of medical procedures, including the amputation of both legs, treatment for multiple infections, a tracheotomy, skin grafts, and kidney dialysis. He subsequently died from his injuries five months later.
Police arrested Imirowicz in March 2022; she remained in jail until Wednesday’s court hearing.
During the trial, Kanu Virani, MD, the former Oakland County medical examiner, testified that Konrad’s death was caused by chemical burns with complications.
Imirowicz’s mother, Julie Conrad, questioned the investigation, implying that critical information may have been overlooked by investigators. Konrad allegedly had a drinking problem and had previous underlying health issues that may have tied into his demise.
Julie Conrad made an emotional plea for mercy, highlighting that the family had already been fractured before the incident and that the events that unfolded made it worse.
‘Two plus two just does not equal four,” she said. “Losing Megan, not being able to look her straight in the eye or to hug her is a mother’s nightmare. Megan tried multiple times to reach out to her father and was prevented.”
“We were a broken family before this began and now, we are even more broken. While her (Megan) age and her body is 19 years old, her maturity and emotional level are not that of an adult.”
Megan Imirowicz burst into tears upon learning of her release. She added that she loved her father and never intended to cause his death.
“The prosecution has tried to make me look like a monster but that’s not me and never was,” Imirowicz told the judge, according to AP, adding that her father was her “hero” and “best friend.”
“One of the biggest things overlooked in this case is that me and my siblings lost my dad, too. … I am the best parts of him. I’m his daughter. But without him I don’t know who I am any more.”
Listen to a previous “Body Bags” episode on the case below.
[Feature Photo: Megan Joyce Imirowicz/Oakland County Jail]
