April 8th 2024.
Ladesha Powe and Jose Roldan Jr. found themselves in front of Judge Richard Santoni in Kalamazoo, Michigan on April 3rd. The couple was facing charges of involuntary manslaughter and child abuse in connection to the tragic death of their six-month-old daughter, Faith Hope Roldan.
According to M-Live, the two were represented by Aiyana Godsil from Kalamazoo Defender. As reported by News Channel 3, it is alleged that the pair had fallen asleep while under the influence and their daughter had suffocated between the cushions of their couch.
Court documents obtained by the outlet revealed that on the night of December 13th, 2023, 40-year-old Roldan and 29-year-old Powe had admitted to consuming alcoholic beverages and sharing a joint. Roldan stated that he had consumed nine or ten "tall boys" of Twisted Tea, a 25-ounce can of tea mixed with alcohol, before falling asleep on the couch. Powe, on the other hand, told detectives that she was heavily intoxicated and had also fallen asleep on the couch with the baby in her arms after drinking some of Roldan's beverages.
According to the court documents, at some point during the night, the baby fell out of Powe's arms and became wedged between the couch cushions. Roldan, who had adjusted his position on the couch, unintentionally smothered the infant. Despite her cries and kicks, Faith eventually became lifeless.
The affidavit stated, "Jose eventually readjusts himself and the baby becomes completely smothered, kicking feet, crying, until Faith becomes lifeless." In surveillance footage from their living room, Powe can be seen waking up, searching for the baby, and then going to bed for the night.
When Roldan realized that Faith was not breathing, he woke up Powe and called 911. Emergency medical services arrived at the scene and attempted to save the infant's life before rushing her to Bronson Methodist Hospital. Sadly, Faith passed away the next morning at 9:07 am. The medical examiner from Western Michigan University determined that the cause of death was mechanical asphyxia and ruled it a homicide.
During the arraignment, Judge Santoni expressed his disapproval of Roldan's actions, stating that they were "grossly negligent." As a condition of their bail, the couple, who have three other children, are not allowed to have unsupervised visits with them, as ordered by Judge Santoni.
Their bail was set at $100,000, and Powe is scheduled to appear in court on April 24th for a preliminary hearing with Kalamazoo County District Judge Kathleen Hemingway. Roldan's preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 30th with Kalamazoo County District Judge Becket Jones.
In a separate case, a mother from Ohio was recently sentenced to life in prison for the abuse of her four-year-old daughter. It is a tragic reminder of the importance of responsible parenting and the devastating consequences that can result from negligence.
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