Nicholson shook his head and sobbed even more as 24th District Judge John Courtright charged him with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of felony murder and two counts of first-degree child abuse in the scalding and drowning deaths of Nicholson's 15-month-old daughter Ella Stafford, and his son, 13-month-old Jonathon Sanderlin.
An Allen Park police officer told the court they received a call from Nicholson at 2:16 a.m. Tuesday that said he believed his toddlers were gone.
When police arrived at Apartment 2 at the Valley Springs Apartments, they said Nicholson, 27, was sitting on the floor with the children lying in front of him. Jonathon had burns on his face and Ella, who also had burns to her body, was pale with purple lips.
The officer also said Nicholson was interviewed and his accounts of what happened in the three-story apartment complex in the 11000 block of Old Goddard were inconsistent with the evidence.
If convicted of first-degree murder, Nicholson faces life in prison. If convicted of felony murder, he would spend life in prison without parole. He is being held without bond in the Wayne County Jail and is to be in court Nov. 1 for a preliminary examination.
Before leaving the courtroom, Nicholson told his family, "I didn't hurt them. I was sleeping."
Nicholson's aunt Sandy Kirby said, "We know you didn't hurt them."
Other family members shouted, "We love you!"
Many of his friends and relatives say they are stunned by the allegations and maintain that he was an attentive father who mostly scheduled his life around his children.
"He would barely take a break from his kids," said his cousin Corey Nicholson. "He stayed at home mostly and loved to cook, so I would go to his house where he played with the kids, changed diapers and took good care of them."
Corey Nicholson said his cousin's apartment was filled with toys because he was always getting things for the toddlers.
"There is no way he could have done this on purpose," Nicholson said. "He was a very loving dad."
Steven Nicholson's family said Friday they plan to hire an attorney to represent him. His mother, Rene Demery, said she did not attend the arraignment because she could not bear to hear the charges read aloud.
"After losing two grandkids and now my son; after losing another son five years ago, it was too much," Demery said.
As a child, Demery said Nicholson was very smart and a good student despite the family moving around a lot.
At 16, he began hanging with the wrong crowd, Demery said, and dropped out of Melvindale High School.
Demery said Nicholson was asked to leave the house, but returned two years later after turning his life around. "He was working two jobs and doing the right things," she said.
The mothers of the toddlers also did not attend the arraignment, which was held hours before Ella's visitation in Allen Park and Jonathon's visitation in Cadillac. Burials for the children are to be held today.
Nicholson and Tayler Stafford, Ella's mother, had been in an on-again, off-again relationship for two years. But Stafford, 19, said they were on good terms and had planned to go to the movies before the toddlers' deaths.
"I feel good about the charges because hopefully justice is going to be served," she said.
Family and friends of Stafford gathered Friday at Martenson Funeral Home in Allen Park. Male family members wore striped purple ties in Ella's honor.
"After losing two grandkids and now my son; after losing another son five years ago, it was too much," Demery said.
As a child, Demery said Nicholson was very smart and a good student despite the family moving around a lot.
At 16, he began hanging with the wrong crowd, Demery said, and dropped out of Melvindale High School.
Demery said Nicholson was asked to leave the house, but returned two years later after turning his life around. "He was working two jobs and doing the right things," she said.
The mothers of the toddlers also did not attend the arraignment, which was held hours before Ella's visitation in Allen Park and Jonathon's visitation in Cadillac. Burials for the children are to be held today.
Nicholson and Tayler Stafford, Ella's mother, had been in an on-again, off-again relationship for two years. But Stafford, 19, said they were on good terms and had planned to go to the movies before the toddlers' deaths.
"I feel good about the charges because hopefully justice is going to be served," she said.
Family and friends of Stafford gathered Friday at Martenson Funeral Home in Allen Park. Male family members wore striped purple ties in Ella's honor.
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