John Jefferson
Inset: Jose Roldan Jr. (Kalamazoo County Jail). Background: The street where Roldan lived when he killed his 6-month-old daughter (Google Maps).
A 41-year-old father in Michigan may spend more than a decade behind bars after a booze-soaked night ended with him passing out on top of his 6-month-old daughter, killing the infant.
A Kalamazoo County Circuit Court Judge on Monday ordered Jose Roldan Jr. to serve up to 15 years in a state correctional facility for his role in the death of young Faith Hope Roldan.
Roldan last month reached a deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of second-degree child abuse in connection with his daughter’s death.
Faith’s mother, 30-year-old Ladesha Powe, is facing the same charges as Roldan. Her trial is currently scheduled to begin on Feb. 11, according to a report from MLive.
As Law&Crime previously reported, the incident took place on Dec. 13, 2023, at the couple’s home in the 800 block of Davis Street, which is about 140 miles west of Detroit. Police and emergency medical personnel responded to the home at about 8:15 a.m. after Roldan woke up and called 911 to report that Faith was not breathing.
Upon arriving at the home, first responders transported Faith to Bronson Methodist Hospital for treatment. She was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the facility.
In an interview with police, Powe allegedly said she was “a lot far gone, wasted maybe, like, very, very wasted” after drinking five beers the previous night. Then she said she fell asleep on the couch with Faith, in her arms. Roldan admitted to investigators that he drank at least nine to 10 “tall boys,” or beers of roughly 25 ounces a piece, before also falling asleep on the couch.
The mother and father both admitted to smoking marijuana as well, Kalamazoo CBS affiliate WWMT reported.
Prosecutors said that surveillance footage captured from inside the living room of the couple’s home appeared to show Powe holding the child and falling before the baby falls out of her arms, landing between Roldan and a couch cushion. Roldan then moved around on the sofa and repositioned himself in such a way that he smothered the child.
Shortly after Roldan rolled atop Faith, prosecutors said Powe can be seen waking up, searching for her daughter and then, without finding her, going into her bedroom and not reemerging until after Roldan called 911.
NBC affiliate WOOD-TV reported that a local medical examiner said the infant died of asphyxiation.
Kalamazoo County prosecutor Jeff Getting previously said the footage from the couple’s living room was disturbing to view.
“I’ve seen it and it’s not something that anyone should have to watch,” he said. “It’s horrific.”
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