Jacob Britton Emmendorfer: Michigan pedophile 'sexually abused and killed' ex-girlfriend's 14-month-old baby girl
PORTAGE, MICHIGAN: A Michigan man has been accused of sexually abusing and murdering his former girlfriend's 14-month-old baby daughter. The man, 27-year-old Jacob Britton Emmendorfer, was charged on Monday, December 21, in the death of Meilani Marie Hart, according to MLive. The child was killed in a Milham Meadows Apartment in Portage, Michigan. The sickening incident had taken place on August 12.
Meilani was found unresponsive when first responders arrived at the scene of the crime at around 10 pm at night, according to authorities. A couple of hours later, the toddler passed away after she was transported to Bronson Methodist Hospital. The Kalamazoo County Medical Examiner's Office had determined that the child's death was a homicide.
The police revealed that Emmendorfer has been charged with three felonies including criminal sexual conduct, child abuse and open murder. He was also the former boyfriend of the child's late mother. Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting spoke to MLive and said, "I’m grateful we are able to authorize charges in this tragedy. It’s important, however, to realize that a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and we’re just at the beginning of a long process in the criminal justice system."
Getting shared that he could not comment on the facts of the case until evidence is presented in the court. He did state that like all child deaths this was a tragedy for the entire community. Emmendorfer had first been arrested on Friday, December 18, and was denied bond. He was later charged on Monday, December 21. According to public Michigan arrest records, Emmendorfer was arrested in 2016 for the non-payment of child support.
According to MLive, Portage Public Safety Chief Nicholas Armold said that Emmendorfer was the estranged boyfriend of the victim's mother. "This is, was, a very difficult incident to have to respond to and investigate. Our hearts and prayers go out to the family of this innocent child."
"All around, this is just a sad incident," Armold shared. Emmendorfer is currently being held at the Kalamazoo County Jail without bond and is said to be due back in the Kalamazoo County District Court on December 29 for a probable cause conference.
Meilani's death was the second of a small child to occur at the Portage apartment complex this year. Back in March, earlier this year, Royalty Houston-Hooper was killed by a woman who the police said was dating the child's father. On December 10, 22-year-old Tranaya Spencer had pleaded guilty to one count of manslaughter and one count of third-degree child abuse in the March case.
Spencer had admitted to banging the child's head against the wall and shaking her while she was unconscious. Spencer is set to be sentenced on January 4 in the Kalamazoo County Circuit Court. She was arrested on June 16 by the Portage Public Safety officers after a three-month investigation.
When officers arrived at the scene of the crime, they found two-year-old Royalty in an upstairs bathroom not breathing while Spencer was attempting CPR on the child. The child died four days later due to complications from her injuries.