A Michigan father who pleaded no contest to starving his 2-year-old son to death will serve 24 to 50 years in prison.
Jonathon Matthew Cheek, 26, also was sentenced to 86 months to 10 years for second-degree child abuse. Cheek's son was found dead in his crib in March 2023. The medical examiner determined the cause of death was starvation, according to the Macomb County Prosecutor's office.
"This is a heartbreaking and profoundly sad case. A two-year-old child, full of potential and deserving of love and care, was failed in the most devastating way," said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido. "No sentence can bring back this innocent life, but hopefully the family can begin to heal."
The mother of the boy, Sierra Pearl Zaitona, 28, still faces charges related to the case, the Detroit Free Press reported. Like Cheek, Zaitana faces a second-degree murder charge and a charge of second-degree child abuse. The pretrial hearing is set for March 17, with a tentative trial date of April 1.
