(CBS DETROIT) – A Michigan man charged in the 2023 death of his two-year-old son has not contested.
Jonathan Matthew Cheek, of Clinton Township, was charged with manslaughter and second-degree child abuse, according to the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office.
Prosecutors say no plea qualifies as a guilty plea, and Cheek will be sentenced on December 18.
Authorities say the child was found dead in his crib on March 16, 2023. A medical examiner determined the cause of death was fatal starvation.
The boy’s mother, Sierra Pearl Zaitona, was also charged with manslaughter and child abuse.
“This tragic case is a heartbreaking reminder of the responsibility every parent has to protect their children. This plea ensures accountability for an unimaginable loss, and while justice has been served, nothing can undo the pain caused by this senseless tragedy ” says the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office. Peter Lucido said in a statement.
