According to a Pennsylvania lady, she injured her 4-month-old baby when she dropped her, but police say her boyfriend killed the girl by beating her since he didn’t seem to care for her.
According to a press release from the Susquehanna Township Police Department, Jose Melendez Padilla, 24, and Layla Souders, 20, are charged with the murder of 4-month-old Ioni Souders.
Around 2:14 p.m. on March 28, police were called to an apartment in the 3200 block of Wakefield Road outside of Harrisburg regarding a baby who was experiencing cardiac arrest. A hospital later declared the girl deceased.
The injuries may have been caused by Souders dropping the girl on her head a few days prior to her death, according to a probable cause arrest affidavit that local station.
However, the girl apparently sustained a skull fracture, broken ribs, and a complex fracture in her right femur. According to police, the girl also suffered serious injuries to her neck, chest, and head.
According to the affidavit, authorities concluded the injuries happened more than once since they were in different stages of healing.
In the end, Souders acknowledged that she had made up the tale about dumping her and said that Melendez Padilla was the one who had abused the infant, according to police.
According to reports, she claimed that since late February, her partner had been mistreating the infant. According to Souders’ affidavit, she refrained from taking the girl to the doctor for a checkup because of her condition.
According to police, a review of Melendez Padilla’s text conversations revealed his contempt for the child, and he acknowledged part of the assault. Allegedly, he wrote that he did not want the baby in their lives and that he loathed her.
“I hate that you’ve felt her for 8 f—ing months, a f—ing life that is not ours,” he reportedly stated Souders. “I hate feeling this hate. I would love to love her, but I swear I can’t.”
Additionally, he allegedly recommended to his partner that they place Ioni for adoption.
It is said that he wrote, “I hate seeing her everyday.”
Additionally, Melendez Padilla described some of the mistreatment he subjected the girl to. According to reports, on March 22, he struck the baby, knocking her out and necessitating CPR. A few days later, Melendez Padilla saw what appeared to be a leg injury on the girl.
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He allegedly added, “By the way, she has a much fatter right leg (the broken one) compared to the other.”
Neither defendant ever sought medical attention for the girl. Melendez Padilla allegedly looked up the girl’s ailments and potential home cures on Google and TikTok.
On the day of her death, Souders left her daughter alone with Melendez Padilla, she said police, deleting her text messages.
Authorities detained Souders on suspicion of third-degree murder, conspiracy to jeopardize the welfare of a child, tampering with evidence, and conspiracy to tamper with evidence.
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Melendez Padilla faces the same allegations of child abuse and evidence tampering as his girlfriend, in addition to first-degree murder.
Melendez Padilla was an unauthorized immigrant, investigators also discovered.
He entered the nation illegally in May 2024 and was scheduled to depart in August 2024, but he stayed, according to police. According to police, he is also being charged with possessing illegal identification cards.
Both are detained without bond at the Dauphin County Prison. On Thursday, they are expected to appear in court.
Source: lawandcrime
