the truth behind Carmine's death. Michael is later released after Fen confesses to killing Carmine, worrying his parents. As Paul, Christine and Michael continue to hit dead ends on solving Carmine's murder, Fen announces he wants to confess to a judge and be sentenced prison time; Christine and Lauren however are strongly against it. Just as Fen decides he is going to confess to the judge, Michael discovers that Carmine is in fact alive. He reveals that he was in fact being transported into witness protection the day of the banquet for giving the FBI evidence against another criminal, but he wanted to see Lauren one last time. Fen shot him that night but doctors and medical examiners secretly revived him and sent him into witness protection. He refuses to return to Genoa City to exonerate Fen because of his own safety, so instead Michael films him confessing that he is alive. Michael arrives with the video before Fen can confess, and he is exonerated. After being reunited with his family, Michael and Lauren later mention that Fen had gone to Arizona to visit potential colleges. Reception Jillian Bowe of Zap2it was surprised by the decision to age both Fenmore and Summer Newman (Hunter King) at the same time. Omar White-Nobles of TVSource wrote, "Don't they grow up fast?", referring to Soap Opera Rapid Aging Syndrome. Michael Fairman of On-Air On-Soaps wrote that aging the characters would help to "beef up" the soap opera's summer storylines. Roger Newcomb of the website We Love Soaps wondered if the character would "have issues with his parents the way other aged kids on the show have of late". Fairman later stated of Ehrich's portrayal: "Recently, the powers-that-be at Y&R chose to age Lauren and Michael’s tot of a son, Fenmore, to a teenager (another victim of Soap Opera Rapid Aging Syndrome) and with that comes new complex problems for the Baldwins, and as it appears “Fen” may be a chip off the old block ... sort to speak. The talented Max Ehrich was cast as the new Fen, and since he has begun to air in the part he has received high marks, not only from his scene partners, but daytime fans, too." He also called Fenmore's family "one of the most fascinating TV families". Luke Kerr, also of Zap2it, wrote that he "really likes" Ehrich as Fenmore, stating: "He has totally mastered