— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs
An Allentown woman has pleaded guilty to causing the death of her 22-month-old son, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan announced today.
Jayleen Rivas-Rodriguez, 35, will spend up to 20 years in prison. She was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and other crimes, and will be sentenced in January. She left the little boy in the care of his father, who was using drugs, according to Holihan’s office.
The father, a 32-year-old Milwaukee man, also faces charges in the 2021 death.
Here are the facts, from the District Attorney’s office:
Nov. 21, 2024
District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan announced an Allentown woman pleaded guilty today to charges in the death of her 22-month-old toddler.
Jayleen Rivas-Rodriguez, DOB 4/1/1989, pleaded guilty today to charges of Involuntary Manslaughter, a felony of the second degree; and Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a felony of the first degree. A previous charge of Murder of the Third Degree was withdrawn.
The plea was entered in a hearing before Judge Anna-Kristie M. Marks. Rivas-Rodriguez faces a sentence of up to 5 to 20 years in prison. She is scheduled to be sentenced at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 24, 2025.
Also charged is Jorge Suarez-Santiago, DOB 3/13/1992, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is charged with Murder of the Third Degree, a felony of the first degree. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 10:45 a.m. Dec. 13, 2023.
On April 5, 2021, Allentown Police were called to St. Luke’s Hospital, Sacred Heart, for a report of a toddler who was not breathing. The 22-month-old toddler, Johansy Suarez-Rivas, was pronounced deceased at the hospital a short time later.
Johansy died from fentanyl toxicity and the amount of fentanyl in his heart blood was measured at 16.5 nanograms per millimeter. A forensic pathologist opined that Johansy died approximately between the morning of April 5, 2021 and noon of the same day.
Suarez-Santiago and Rivas-Rodriguez are the parents of Johansy and had a duty of care, protection and support for their child.
The investigation revealed that both Suarez-Santiago and Rivas-Rodriguez had used heroin in the hours before their son was declared dead.
Suarez-Santiago was alone with his son while Rivas-Rodriguez left their apartment at 106 N. 8th St. for several hours.
The Commonwealth alleges that Rivas-Rodriguez left their son in the care of Suarez-Santiago knowing that he was visibly intoxicated. Rivas-Rodriguez also provided Suarez-Santiago with what she believed to be heroin prior to leaving Johansy in his care that day.
Rivas-Rodriguez discovered their son unresponsive after she returned home where Suarez-Santiago had been responsible for caring for the toddler for several hours.
The investigation revealed Johansy was exposed to and ingested a lethal dose of fentanyl while in the care of his parents who both consciously disregarded the high risk that their reckless use and handling of illegal narcotics was likely to cause death or serious bodily injury to their child.
The case was investigated by Allentown Police Detective Joseph Beiner and the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office and was prosecuted by District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan and Chief Deputy District Attorney Sara A. Moyer.
As in every criminal case, the fact that an arrest has occurred or complaint has been filed is merely an accusation; and the defendant, Jorge Suarez-Santiago, is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Lehigh Valley News Briefs 