MONTCALM COUNTY, Mich — The man charged in the fiery head-on crash that claimed the life of a 6-year-old girl will spend time in jail and serve two years probation.
Rex Redman, 37, was sentenced for his role in the crash on Wednesday in Montcalm County in front of Judge Adam Eggleston.
The judge sentenced Redman to 180 days in jail on one count of moving violation causing death and 93 days in jail on one count of moving violation causing serious impairment of a body function with credit for four days served.
These sentences are to be served concurrently.
"I feel that his current charges are only a slap on the wrist compared to what has been lost," said Nathan Phillips, the father of Emma, who died in the crash. "I ask that he gets the max conviction for what he's been charged for, with no chance of parole."
Back in October of 2023, Redman pleaded no contest to both charges in connection to the crash, which happened in the early morning hours of May 22 on Sidney Road near Stevenson.
Police say Redman crossed the center line and slammed head-on into a car carrying a mother and her daughter.
A nurse came upon the burning vehicle and pulled out the 6-year-old child and her mother. First responders rushed both to the hospital with critical injuries, but the child died from her injuries.
"If you're a parent yourself, I hope you never are put into this type of situation," Phillips said.
Phillips said Emma loved to play with her toys, visit family and friends, and play outside with her cats and dogs. During her weekends with him, Phillips said he would take her to parks, go swimming, visit museums and zoos or play at home on the swing set or trampoline.
Phillips said he remembers getting the call that Emma and her mother got into a crash and that it wasn't good.
"When I was finally allowed into the room, I couldn't believe when I saw my smiley, goofy, always full of energy little girl was laying there almost lifeless on the bed with a team of nurses and paramedics doing all they could to keep her stable," he said.
Emma's mother, Candice McCumber, also spoke during the sentencing for Redman. She said while she understands accidents happen, this was a tragedy.
She said Redman told police that he had fallen asleep when he was driving, causing him to cross the center line and hit them head-on, but police told the family he was texting.
"Accidents are forgivable, but this was preventable," McCumber said. "This was not an accident, you took away my little girl. She had so much life ahead of her."
"I truly wish this tragedy would have killed me and she could have lived. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way," she told Redman and the court.
McCumber said Emma's legs and spine were broken and said first responders spent an hour and a half doing CPR on her at the scene. She said Emma's brain had swelled so much that it was pushing her spinal cord away. McCumber said Emma had a heart attack on the way to the hospital, had fluid on her lungs and had internal bleeding.
"I hope that you feel remorseful for what you have done, cutting the life short of our beautiful daughter," McCumber said. "I don't know how you sleep at night, knowing what you've done."
McCumber said Emma's dog was in the car with them at the time of the crash and suffered life-threatening injuries, but did survive.
"You don't have to live every day without the person who meant the most to you," she said. "You don't have to cry yourself to sleep every night, you don't have to think about while you're still here in this world while your daughter isn't."
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