A Michigan couple is in police custody after allegedly starving their 2-year-old son. Jonathon Cheek, 25, and Sierra Pearl Zaitona, 27, reportedly found their son dead in his crib on March 16. According to prosecutors, the child was previously in foster care, thriving and in good health.
According to a Macomb County Prosecutor's Office press release, the parents were arrested and charged March 20 in Clinton Township with multiple felonies. The coroner has ruled the toddler's cause of death starvation. If convicted, Zaitona and Cheek face life in prison.
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Prosecutors fear Zaitona is a flight risk.
Prosecutor Molly Zappitell spoke during the couple's arraignment and was emotional about the case, according to WDIV. "I am devastated," Zappitell said. "I've been crying all weekend, so sick about it I want to cry."
She expressed concern about Zaitona and her history of evading the police. Zapitell claimed the mother gave birth to her son in Ohio to avoid alerting Child Protective Services. "There is no reason for her to stay," she said.
The mother was argumentative in court.
According to court records, Zaitona snapped back, telling the court Zappitell's accusations were untrue before her lawyer told her not to speak.
"Judge, for the record, the child was healthy in foster care, and once it got into the care of these two individuals, it met its demise," Zappitell said.
Zappitell told the court that those who knew the young boy said he was once thriving, according to WDIV.
"I'm so angry people could actually do that to a child," she said. "I think this baby needed someone to watch out for him, and nobody was looking out for his interests, and that needs to change."
Zaitona was active on social media.
Zaitona has posted on Facebook under the name Luna Sweetie and used the handle @96lunablaze on Instagram. Her last post on Instagram was March 11, and much of her content is her by herself in provocative poses. She also directs followers to her MeetMe page to watch her live.
In February, she posted a photo with the caption, "Yall imma weird person LOL been chillin with a pin in my nose for 3hrs lol not for any specific reason either I just don't know im weird I popped it thru could take it out by idk."
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This is the second case of parents charged with starving a child in the last month.
According to KPLC, a 12-year-old boy starved to death in Louisiana in October but his parents weren't arrested until February. Brogan Duhon was just 28 pounds when he died. According to neighbors, the child had asked for food in the past. No one realized the child's age and thought he was around 6 or 7.
Neighbor Roxanne Zaunbrecher told KPLC she gave the child food once, and his mother allegedly came asking if she would call child protective services.
"I didn't call anybody you know, but next thing I know, she [Jennifer Duhon] was here and she asked me if I had called the cops or OCS," Zaunbrecher said. "I said no, I hadn't called anybody. But he was hungry. She goes 'well I feed him'. I say 'well I understand that'. But he ate, he was so hungry."
The child's parents, Jennifer Ann Duhon, 40, and Adam Duhon, 40, were arrested on February 16 and charged with second-degree murder.
Child abuse and neglect are common in the United States.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that one in seven children experiences child abuse or neglect in their lifetime. In 2020, 1,750 children in the US died from abuse or neglect. The CDC notes impoverished children are five times more likely to experience abuse.
According to the agency, child abuse in the US is costly.
"In the United States, the total lifetime economic burden associated with child abuse and neglect was about $592 billion in 2018. This economic burden rivals the cost of other high-profile public health problems, such as heart disease and diabetes," the report reads.
According to the media release from the prosecutor's office, Cheek and Zaitona were charged with second-degree murder (life felony)and child abuse second degree (10 year felony). Both were arraigned in Clinton Township District Court by Magistrate Ryan Zemke, who set bond at $1 million. If released, they will wear GPS monitors. A probable cause hearing is scheduled for April 3.
