A Roseville man is accused of abusing and murdering his girlfriend’s 4-year-old daughter.
ORIGINAL STORY: Roseville police believe 4-year-old girl’s death was no accident
According to the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office, Jonathan Jones was arraigned Thursday on charges of felony murder and first-degree child abuse for the death of 4-year-old Ivy Yorkus.
Police and prosecutors believe the extreme abuse and trauma took place shortly after 4:30 p.m., on May 3, after her biological mother, Amanda Yurkus, went to work at Outback Steakhouse, leaving Jones home alone with Ivy and her two step-siblings. Ivy was unresponsive and in clear medical distress after blunt force trauma was allegedly inflicted by Jones.
Rather than immediately calling 911, Jones drove the three children to Outback Steakhouse where the Roseville Fire Department responded to a 911 at 5:23 p.m.
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Finding Ivy in dire need of medical assistance, she was rushed to St. John Hospital in Detroit where doctors worked, without success, to save her life.
Ivy passed away from her injuries at 7:49 a.m. the following morning.
Authorities said Ivy’s injuries and evidence of past injuries were consistent with a systematic pattern of abuse
“The abuse inflicted on this young child by her mother’s boyfriend is beyond reprehensible. The loss of this child’s life strikes each of us at the heart. More must be done to end the cycle of child abuse,“ Prosecutor Eric Smith said. „If you witness a child being abused, mistreated, or malnourished, I urge you to call the toll-free 24-hour State of Michigan Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 855-444-3911.
My office prides itself in fighting for the most vulnerable victims. After all, it shouldn’t hurt to be a child.”
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