Streamer Arrested After Forgetting to Feed Her 2-Year-Old While Running 30-Hour Streams

Added: 2026-05-27

[00:00:01]Jesus. Good God.

[00:00:03]>> She's been a >> case um this horrendous of malnutrition.

[00:00:13]>> This is a story that's been told before, but today we're bringing it back with moments no one has seen until now.

[00:00:19]>> And his eye was open at first, so I was seeing him. And then when I seen his eye black, I scooped him up really fast and I'm like, he's like dead. They said not to move him. And I was like, "Well, that's already too late."

[00:00:30]>> In a case um this horrendous of malnutrition.

[00:00:37]>> In this video, we'll show you unseen footage that reveals what really happened behind closed doors. But first, let's go back to the beginning. Officers responded to a disturbing call on March 16th, 2023 at the home of Jonathan Cheek and a female streamer, Sierra Zetona.

[00:00:54]Inside, they found a 2-year-old boy lifeless in his crib. A scene marked by severe neglect. The condition of the child made it immediately clear he had been dead for some time.

[00:01:05]>> Over here, >> fire department, get down.

[00:01:11]>> Hey, come on.

[00:01:14]>> Let's go.

[00:01:15]>> BRING THE BABY OUT HERE.

[00:01:23]>> Bring him out here. Bring it over here.

[00:01:24]Bring it down here. Let's go. Let's go.

[00:01:27]Come on. Come on. Go. Get down here.

[00:01:31]Hey.

[00:01:37]>> Hey.

[00:01:51]Jesus.

[00:01:59]Good God.

[00:02:03]>> She's been a just come out here.

[00:02:12]>> We can close that one out. We're not going to be able to get to it.

[00:02:17]>> David, dispatch, we're going to need a boss out here ASAP.

[00:02:21]the [ __ ] >> cover.

[00:02:30]>> Stay back.

[00:02:32]>> We're not going over here.

[00:02:39]No, we're not. Okay.

[00:02:43]>> What happened?

[00:02:45]>> Hey, hey, hey, stay right there. Sit down on him because he hears me say anything. Sit. Sit. Sit. Sit. Sit. Sit.

[00:02:53]Sit. Sit. Sit.

[00:02:54]>> They've seen it all in this house.

[00:02:56]>> Who?

[00:02:57]>> John.

[00:02:58]>> Who's John?

[00:02:59]>> John's the dad.

[00:03:01]>> Let's go. Bring it.

[00:03:01]>> Last time you saw this child was yesterday, though.

[00:03:06]>> He was really, >> make sure there's nobody in there. Get the dogs in there and then get her back out.

[00:03:11]in a room.

[00:03:15]>> What? And and two.

[00:03:18]>> Yep.

[00:03:19]>> Can you find out where the kid was at and keep the dogs out of that area?

[00:03:26]She's in the house screaming, dude. It's like a hoarder house. There's two other kids in there. This kid's all emaciated.

[00:03:32]Looks like it's been dead for weeks.

[00:03:34]>> Oh yeah. Tiny little child. She's in there justing inconsolable. He's got her in the back of my car right now.

[00:03:41]>> The female.

[00:03:42]>> The female. Yeah. She's got two other kids here. FD had them over here. But dude, it's aing mess in there.

[00:03:51]>> Just grab the phone.

[00:04:02]We'll >> grab it for in a little bit. Okay.

[00:04:05]>> Okay. Is >> it's not like we don't believe you.

[00:04:07]Okay. You just got to give us some time.

[00:04:08]Okay.

[00:04:09]>> Nothing's going to bring him back, though.

[00:04:12]>> It was already hard enough to want to live. They were my only motivation to get us out of here. And now >> baby, what do you mean? What do you mean there's nothing that's going to bring him back? What do you mean by that?

[00:04:23]>> My baby. I tried. I was breathing. I was breathing. He's black. Why that? Why is it like that? Why is that?

[00:04:32]>> Can I just have you put your hands behind your back? Okay. Interlace your fingers. No. Anything in your pockets I need you to know about?

[00:04:40]>> Okay.

[00:04:41]>> Nothing that's going to cut us, poke us.

[00:04:43]>> Okay. No drugs or anything in your pockets?

[00:04:47]>> He said no.

[00:04:50]>> I got it.

[00:04:54]>> Where is it?

[00:05:00]>> I'll give it to her in a bit. Let's go this way. So, a white jumpsuit.

[00:05:06]Take the clothes or >> Okay.

[00:05:10]>> Okay. Okay. Can I take off your hoodie, please? Set it down right here.

[00:05:15]Okay. Um, take off your shoes.

[00:05:20]Need you to take off your belt as well.

[00:05:22]>> While Jonathan kept a straight face, no emotions, no remorse. It's quite the opposite for the mother who wouldn't stop crying in the police lobby.

[00:05:45]Let's not do that. Okay.

[00:05:52]>> As officers processed the home, the parents gave conflicting accounts. The mother was emotional and deflective. The father remained calm, detached, and inconsistent. The truth was later confirmed by medical examiners. The child had died from starvation. Despite a home filled with food, the child had been deliberately neglected. Pathetic.

[00:06:14]Hours after that arrest, inside a quiet room, detectives sat down with both parents separately. What they said, how they said it, and what investigators uncovered in those moments. quite a bit of experience um in investigations, but more importantly about all kinds of different types of investigations, but I would have to rank this as probably one of the worst cases of malnutrition I've ever seen in my entire life.

[00:06:41]>> The following footage has never been seen before.

[00:06:45]>> First and foremost, I just wanted to tell you how incredibly sorry I am for your loss. Okay. Um I wanted to introduce myself. if I talked to you at the scene briefly. My name is Detective Hill and this is my partner, Detective Smith. Okay. And who your child was.

[00:07:01]Okay. Uh before we do that, we want to read your random rights. Okay.

[00:07:04]>> Um so, um before we ask any questions, it's mighty duty to advise you of your rights. Okay. You have the right to remain silent. Um anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. Okay. Um do you fully understand the rights that have been read to you?

[00:07:20]>> Yeah.

[00:07:20]>> Okay. Did you want to talk to us?

[00:07:22]>> Uh yeah. The interview begins with empathy. Detectives keep their tone calm, measured, giving her space to talk. She does.

[00:07:31]>> Okay. When's the last time John had a full-time job?

[00:07:34]>> Oh my god.

[00:07:40]>> Practically never, dude.

[00:07:41]>> Never.

[00:07:41]>> Like, >> well, let's let's go back.

[00:07:43]>> He's never even held a job over a month.

[00:07:45]>> Okay. And why is that?

[00:07:47]>> He don't want to. He's admitted that he just don't want to.

[00:07:50]>> Okay. Who who pays the bills over there?

[00:07:52]>> His parents did. And then now because I'm trying to leave him, he made his parents stop. They don't help him. And on top of it, he don't do it. And now I'm put in a position like cuz now ever since the LA like ever since I started doing streaming and trying to leave him, he's made everything 10 times harder.

[00:08:08]>> What kind of What do you mean by streaming? What do you mean?

[00:08:09]>> Streaming is the only kind of work that I can do. Like where you just sit there on a camera, you talk to people, you play games. I've ran 30 hour streams, 12 hour streams, 16 hour streams, just running myself dry, sitting there, chilling with 300, 500, 600 people on camera, getting them to send me gifts and everything else cuz those gifts can be converted into money so we can get out of here. And that like was the only way I could think to have some some sort of suitable income for now to get us out of here. That way I also don't my SSI.

[00:08:38]That way when we did get out of there, I'd have like some kind of income to keep us monthly going.

[00:08:42]>> Sure. Is is But now it's like everything's own and the dream I had for our family is gone.

[00:08:50]>> Is any of that you said that streaming stuff does any of that involve any kind of pornographic stuff?

[00:08:56]>> No.

[00:08:57]>> Um it's just >> I regretted not I regretted not I wished I did because I was like damn maybe I would have made more money.

[00:09:05]>> So how much money would you bring in a month in regards to streaming >> in a month? Um well between also people sending me money off of line which was Matt. He's very helpful. He said two grand just at one time just to keep the house from falling under. So I would have a little bit longer >> to get out of there.

[00:09:22]>> Like I would say >> uh I know we at least made more than five grand. We had to at least made five grand more than that >> a month or just in the >> Since we started. Yeah.

[00:09:34]>> Since we started or you started?

[00:09:36]>> Yeah. Well, me and the kids. I say we because it's our goal. It was our goal.

[00:09:40]>> At first her answers come easily. She explains their lifestyle, their routine, how things worked inside the home. But even early on, something feels off. She describes long hours spent streaming online, saying it helps support the household. But when detectives ask about child care, the answers start to shift.

[00:10:00]>> So, who cares for the kids all day?

[00:10:03]>> Well, >> are they in school?

[00:10:05]>> No. Thing one won't get his like together. He won't get his together.

[00:10:10]won't make the calls he needs. Well, he did now only because during me deciding to step up against both of them and out them one of the times he tried to use his control pun. Oh, I'm going to come get him and I'm going to take him with me and and I flipped out. I I pulled up on him and I exposed him in front of his girlfriend.

[00:10:28]>> Okay. I'm I'm I'm talking about John right now. Okay.

[00:10:31]>> Oh, yeah. It was my bad. That was about the school part.

[00:10:34]>> Okay. um custody of >> I've literally been in his life since day one.

[00:10:40]>> I know. But do you babysit him every day? Do you babysit him every weekend?

[00:10:44]>> Pretty much every day. Yeah. There's been times that he's been over him by him for 2 weeks or been by him for like a month and then he'll be by me. It's just back and forth. Also, depending on like our living situations have been rough. Like right now, I'm pretty sure he's in a hotel or just now getting his apartment with a girl. So, it's like back forth. In the last two years, how how often would you care?

[00:11:06]Does he >> two years?

[00:11:08]>> Drop drop drop him off while he's working to you.

[00:11:10]>> That's it. Like now, now that he's working, he's only been working these past two months. Before that, he had no job and he'd be in and out of jobs just like John. He's not much better, but he is better.

[00:11:20]>> Okay, let's let's circle back to John.

[00:11:24]It's kind of what I'm alluding to in school because this dad won't do anything.

[00:11:28]>> Dad's crap. And and you haven't you you haven't participated in enrolling him in school or anything?

[00:11:33]>> I'm not able to from what I'm told. Like I'm I have no legal guardianship.

[00:11:37]>> Okay. Because he is in custody. Okay. I don't I don't know. That's why I'm asking. So forgive me if I'm I'm not trying to insult you by any way, shape, or form.

[00:11:45]>> So um now in your care all the time, correct? Yes.

[00:11:50]>> Okay. So you're home all day?

[00:11:53]>> Yes.

[00:11:53]>> And is John home all day with you?

[00:11:55]>> Yes. Okay. That's why I asked if somebody had grabbed those phones because if you guys look in those phones, there's pictures from Halloween.

[00:12:01]There's pictures that they're all healthy. They're all good. Like everyone like once I started work and everything with him, all he does is play video games. He doesn't want to clean. He doesn't want to I get the food. You just got to give him the food. The food I pulled out yesterday, the chicken that was stolen ended up right back in the fridge. Like I'm just trying to work to get us out. And like I've always done everything. the cooking, the cleaning, bending over backwards in my house, this this this that I'd show up and he's got my son's got ash on him and watching Five Nights of Freddy's all this other >> and I just I'm talking but for both of them. So I I hit that point of like I'm going to work and get us out of here.

[00:12:40]You can do something.

[00:12:41]>> Sure.

[00:12:42]>> So I I'm like it's set up. It's done.

[00:12:44]Okay. Does it Did everybody eat today?

[00:12:46]Good. Boom. Boom. Done. Well, first time I seen him looking skinny and up >> when >> I broke down and started crying.

[00:12:53]>> When was that?

[00:12:55]>> That was a week and a half or Yeah, a week and a half ago. Right before his birthday, beginning of the month.

[00:13:00]>> Cuz I started talking about his birthday and everything else. And I was like, "Okay, why is he like losing weight?" I was like, "Are you feeding him?" He's like, "Yes." Like, "Okay." And then when he was like looking scrawny and I was like, "You're not feeding him. There's no way that you are." and we got in a humongous fight and he went over to his mom's and then he had text me about oh I admitted to my mom about what >> and what is it that he said he admitted >> not feeding him and stuff like that those times he was like cuz during like the beginning when I was like we're leaving he was aggressive there was the bathroom door got broke more than once he even took the kids door off the their door to give it to the bathroom because he broke that too like he breaks everything like you fight against him you argue you disagree against him >> there's There's no clear structure, no consistent responsibility, even though she claimed there was. Care seems to move back and forth without anyone fully accountable, even when they saw signs that shouldn't be there.

[00:13:56]>> Okay. So, circling back and you said that um it's your your statement that was showing signs of um being being skinny around his birthday, which was was about a week ago.

[00:14:10]>> Mhm.

[00:14:10]>> Okay. So, that was on his birthday was on the 8th of March. Mhm.

[00:14:14]>> Okay. And um explain to me what um >> cuz he was damn near 40 lbs around Halloween.

[00:14:22]>> Okay.

[00:14:22]>> That's why I was like, "Hold the up."

[00:14:24]Like, >> right?

[00:14:26]>> I know. I'd been in the room constantly running those hours. But at the same time, like with the fights going down, >> when you're in that room, how how long are you in the room for? Like how many hours?

[00:14:34]>> 30 hours, 12 hours, 16 hours. Like I don't stop the stream really. So, what you're you're saying is that um how how often do those streams go on for? Like, are they stream every day?

[00:14:48]>> So, you're saying you're saying you stream >> on on what platform are we talking about?

[00:14:53]>> Meet me.

[00:14:54]>> Meet me.

[00:14:55]>> Meet me. I was just about to merge over to Twitch and start doing that too because I was freaking out like me is. Um so, you're you're saying that you you're you're in that room for 30 hours at a time.

[00:15:07]>> Mhm. Yeah. And and you're saying how do you do you use the bathroom at all? You come out of there?

[00:15:13]>> I do.

[00:15:14]>> Okay. Um when you're done streaming, do you have any interaction with your family with with >> it's not been healthy for a long time. A lot of times there would be a lot of fighting or everything else and he'd be like, you know, go I don't want to see you get the [ __ ] out of here. You guys leave now. I'm like, how are we going to leave now? Like after I was like, you know, we're leaving. We're done.

[00:15:33]Everything else like that. It started blowing up into fights like that. And him pushed me, get out my face. this this this that and running into the bathroom, slamming the door, this and that.

[00:15:41]>> Okay.

[00:15:42]>> And like he would not up until the minute he was like, you know, I admitted what I did.

[00:15:48]He was like very I don't know.

[00:15:54]His breakdowns kind of like stopped after that.

[00:15:56]>> Saying what you admitted.

[00:15:58]What is it that you're you're alluding to? What are you What are you trying to telling me?

[00:16:02]>> Well, like Well, what it's what he said to me and what he said to his mom. Okay.

[00:16:06]like him not feeding him when he was telling me that he is and this and that he was laying when did you find out that he wasn't feeding him?

[00:16:15]>> Back in March when he Well, that that was the confirmation. I already kind of like had a suspicion but he's sitting here like no he got a metabolism like mine. He's just he just eat like no there's no way cuz when I'm taking care of everything he was just fine.

[00:16:28]>> And you say you were taking care of everything. What does that mean?

[00:16:30]>> Taking care of everything. Running myself thin. taking care of John up the house, food for both of them, doing everything for every not No, not just both the kids, both the men.

[00:16:42]>> Okay, >> they're [ __ ] children, too.

[00:16:44]>> She admits she noticed changes in the child. Weight loss, weakness, decline, signs that would be hard to miss. But despite seeing it, she didn't act in time. Then comes the moment that changes everything.

[00:16:57]>> Was was showing signs of of of John telling you that he was intentionally not feeding him. Um, what did you do then?

[00:17:06]>> I started taking over and like feeding him and everything else and setting setting food out like, "Okay, this is out. Feed him the PBJ." I said, "Okay."

[00:17:13]When I asked him, "Okay, did you finish feeding him the half?" Because I he like when I started feeding him, I noticed, "Okay, like he can't hold down much."

[00:17:19]So, like half of his PBJ I put back in front of the microwave. I went back to work. End of the night, the PBJ is gone.

[00:17:25]So, I asked him, "Did you give him the rest?" Yeah. And I'm sitting there like, "Okay." He did. Did you did you to see how he was responding to the food that you were you were giving him?

[00:17:36]>> He like when I was feeding milk.

[00:17:39]>> And how were you mixing the cereal for him? You said you were putting it in a bottle. Was he drinking it or was he eating it?

[00:17:44]>> I was putting in the bottle.

[00:17:45]>> Okay. And he would drink that.

[00:17:46]>> Mhm.

[00:17:47]>> Okay. And when he was drinking that?

[00:17:49]>> Um >> he was. And also he was throwing up. I did notice that like he was throwing up.

[00:17:54]That's one of the reasons I told him make sure like you take it certain amount of time and that's why I was in and out and everything else there. I've checked on him sporadically in between.

[00:18:04]That's why I said like when he left today and I went in there.

[00:18:10]>> She claims that Jonathan Cheek admitted to intentionally not feeding the child.

[00:18:14]That statement shifts the case from neglect towards something far more serious. Okay. when you got off the the uh that streaming platform, um how many times throughout the throughout the day? You took breaks, use the restroom, grab something to drink. Did you ever check in on him?

[00:18:34]>> Barely. Barely. I'm not going to lie.

[00:18:37]>> Uh how many times did you give him a shower from his birthday until today?

[00:18:41]>> Um I It's been like five days. It's been five days or more.

[00:18:49]Yeah, it's been five days or more.

[00:18:51]>> So, you haven't showered him in five days?

[00:18:53]>> Yeah. No.

[00:18:53]>> Okay.

[00:18:55]Um >> I legit tell him like this and this needs done and it's my fault for even leaving it on him either.

[00:19:02]>> What What prompted you to call 911 today? What happened today?

[00:19:06]>> I seen him looking dead.

[00:19:08]>> Okay. And how did >> I save him? I wanted him to come home. I wanted him back.

[00:19:14]I couldn't believe that I had been trying so hard that I had not paid attention that I'd let that happen.

[00:19:22]That's what >> How did you How did you find him like that? Where was he at?

[00:19:27]>> In his bed, like legit laying like this and his eye was open at first. So, I seen him and then when I seen his eye black, I scooped him up really fast and I'm like, he's likeing dead. They said not to move him and I was like, well, that's already too late.

[00:19:42]>> Okay. Which bed was he in? Because there was no bed in the room that he was staying in.

[00:19:46]>> There's no bed.

[00:19:46]>> Is there a bed in there?

[00:19:47]>> There was a bed.

[00:19:48]>> You said the center room. Can you just Is it a crib or is it a bed?

[00:19:51]>> Yeah, it's a crib.

[00:19:52]>> Okay. Can you >> There's no sheet on it like there should have been. And it's 100% like this.

[00:19:59]That's gross. It's got food and stuff on it.

[00:20:02]>> When two days ago when you checked on him um and he was sleeping shirtless and without pants and just in his underwear, how did he look? He still looked bad but not like that.

[00:20:12]>> He looked bad but not like that. Can you define what what bad means?

[00:20:18]>> Where I can see your bones at all.

[00:20:20]>> Okay. So, you're saying that you could see his bones?

[00:20:23]>> Mhm.

[00:20:24]>> Okay. And um did you phone 911 at that time to get him help?

[00:20:35]>> I checked to see if he's breathing.

[00:20:36]detected to see if he's alive.

[00:20:39]And then after that, >> was he breathing in alive at that time?

[00:20:43]>> So 2 days ago when you checked on him, he wasn't.

[00:20:45]>> Oh, no. I thought you meant today if you ask call Oh, no. I told you why I didn't call 911 sooner.

[00:20:51]>> Okay. All right.

[00:20:57]>> I was also scared if I was ever put in a position to fight for them on my own that I wouldn't be able to do it. The house was in his name. Detectives bring the focus to the final hours. However, within seconds, tone shifts. Detectives move away from empathy and begin confronting the reality.

[00:21:15]>> As I stated before, um I'm detective in my partner, Detective Smith. We work within our criminal investigation division here at the Clinton Township Police Department.

[00:21:25]and um we both have quite a bit of experience um in investigations, but more importantly um we work in what's called CPU. Um it's kind of our child protection unit, so to speak, right? We deal a lot of cases involving child abuse, child neglect, child sexual assault, um and then unfortunately um child death investigations. Okay.

[00:21:53]And one of the things that we've learned over the years is that um we've learned about all kinds of different types of investigations, but uh more specifically in relation to this um um I don't think we've ever seen a case um this horrendous of malnutrition.

[00:22:20]Um, and I'm gonna explain this to you why, okay? Um, science doesn't lie, okay? We have a whole team of people we work with. We work with, um, other detectives within our unit. We have supervisors. We have crime scene technicians. We have medical examiners that come out to the scenes. Um, you know, we have all kinds of different people that we work with.

[00:22:42]Um, that's unequivocally without a doubt that extended period of time. Um, I would have to rank this as probably one of the worst cases of malnutrition I've ever seen in my entire life. And I've been a police officer 21 years.

[00:23:01]Detective Smith's been uh in law enforcement for There is There is no greater gift than than a mother giving birth to a child. Okay? You carried that little boy in your womb for nine months.

[00:23:14]Okay. There is no greater gift than that. Okay. And you had a dough tough pregnancy, right? You admittedly in Uranus that you smoke marijuana because you were in a lot of pain. Okay.

[00:23:23]>> I was scared of losing him then.

[00:23:24]>> You're scared of losing them, right? But he he was born, right? And it's a mother's instinct. It's a mother's instinct to take care of their of their children. Okay. And what I find incredibly hard to believe and hard to fathom, hard to fathom is that on his birthday, on his birthday, this little boy looked like that and you never got him help because you were selfish and you were afraid that he was going to be taken away from you. And now he's not with us anymore, right? But I want to know I want to know because that he didn't show those signs at his birthday.

[00:24:01]They were before that and you knew they were before that.

[00:24:05]>> I was way absent and I know I shouldn't have been.

[00:24:08]>> Is it Is it your truthful and accurate statement that that you found him as hard as this might be to to to be forthcoming about that you found him today deceased?

[00:24:26]>> Yes.

[00:24:26]>> So if we were to have medical, >> we were >> So if you're telling me fact that he didn't die today.

[00:24:34]>> We're going to find out.

[00:24:35]>> I know. But I want to find out too because I haven't been >> as attentive and active as I should have been as of recently these past few months.

[00:24:47]>> Responsibility is placed directly on her. No more shared blame, no more distance. At this point, there's little left to explain.

[00:24:56]>> Responsibility. Well, it's it's a certain bond that you have with your children when you carry them, right? And and especially when you know that your child is is is ripped, is skin and bones, isn't eating, is vomiting. You're you said 5 days ago he's all crusty cuz he puked all over himself.

[00:25:12]>> Yeah.

[00:25:12]>> Um and you know, I I just I I just want to understand >> I broken the fear of losing him in any way is too much and I ended up making the wrong decision and completely lost him.

[00:25:24]>> And thank you for sharing that. Like I just want all I ever wanted was my babies and me to be together and be happy. That's why I fought those two years. That's why I did what I did.

[00:25:36]That's why I was terrified to lose him.

[00:25:39]I just really didn't think I really didn't think that his dad would be capable of just not and that he would lie.

[00:25:47]Well, this >> I really I don't >> Sierra, this is this unfortunately is is uh this is um the responsibility of two parents, not just him.

[00:26:00]>> Responsibility of two parents. I've been the only one since day one.

[00:26:03]>> Okay.

[00:26:03]>> And he couldn't do a single dime.

[00:26:06]>> Well, do you have anything else to detect Smith?

[00:26:10]>> Like >> I did my best. Like I failed though.

[00:26:13]>> Okay. Um >> I could have done better. I should have called him help. I appreciate that. I thank you for that.

[00:26:20]>> I don't care if you appreciate. It doesn't bring him back. It doesn't fix anything. It doesn't take back anything.

[00:26:26]It doesn't fix the decision. It doesn't tell me where I should have made a better decision. Not just then, but way before then. Because all my mind can think of is where down the timeline could I have made a decision to where this would have never even became a thing.

[00:26:41]I've questioned myself, should I have even started fighting to leave him? If I would have just stayed with him, stayed obedient, this wouldn't have happened.

[00:26:47]>> Well, you >> if I would have just kept cleaning the house, kept taking care of everybody >> that that house you needed. You called 911 today. You had access to three phones. You spent 30 hours a day, you know, um you know, talking to people on the interweb and doing all that stuff.

[00:27:02]You had every every opportunity to call 911 to get medics there. You saw in a matter of a lick in a licky split second, you had FD, you had four police cars there that were trying to save a kid that was already deceased. That's the problem.

[00:27:18]>> I get that. And you're only looking at the end of the day. You're looking at him.

[00:27:22]>> Stand up for me. Stand up for me.

[00:27:24]>> Turn off. Put your hands behind your back.

[00:27:26]>> All right.

[00:27:26]>> You're under arrest for child abuse in the first degree. That's I knew if I would have called Wade.

[00:27:37]>> The timeline is clear. The warning signs were there yet they decided not to act.

[00:27:42]It's quite unfortunate. And now the interview shifts to the child's father, Jonathan Cheek.

[00:27:48]>> John, uh, you know, we're just here to, uh, kind of talk to you and see what's going on. And I fully understand. I am willing to wave my rights. Take a look at that if you'd like. And how many kids do you have?

[00:28:03]>> I have two. And then we babysit her oldest.

[00:28:05]>> Okay. What's I guess the oldest kid? How How old would that be?

[00:28:09]>> Six.

[00:28:10]>> Okay. And the name of that?

[00:28:11]>> He got dropped off this morning around 8:15.

[00:28:16]Waking me up before my alarms go off. So that probably help me make me sleep in past my alarms.

[00:28:19]>> Okay.

[00:28:20]>> But he came in. I said, "Hi, how's it going, bud?"

[00:28:24]took off his coat, shoes, and went right back to bed.

[00:28:27]>> Okay. And where does he sleep?

[00:28:29]>> Get him food. Make sure that he's all right.

[00:28:31]>> Okay. And when I got up this morning, made sure to give him a bottle. He was fine then.

[00:28:36]>> Okay.

[00:28:37]>> Then I checked him again at noon. He was sound asleep.

[00:28:41]>> And then I come get a call around 3:00 that she's in a hyp hypervenous state that I said, "Okay, I'm not even going to bring your car home. I'm going to have my mom drive me." Okay.

[00:28:50]>> Have my dad work on your brakes. And here we go.

[00:28:54]>> All right.

[00:28:55]>> So, I have no clue what >> now kind of walk me through a typical day that you gave him a bottle. Is that like a sippy cup or >> No, it's more like a uh his bottles like he likes to drink so much >> that I have a water bottle from military school is about eight tall.

[00:29:12]>> Mhm.

[00:29:13]>> We fill that about here.

[00:29:15]>> Okay. And what do you fill it with?

[00:29:16]>> Some mashed potatoes. He's got his own little oatmeal, dry milk. Mix it all together with some water. Okay.

[00:29:23]>> You give it to him.

[00:29:24]>> And does he like it?

[00:29:25]>> He downs it.

[00:29:26]>> Okay. And then does he um does he ever ask for more?

[00:29:30]>> Oh yeah.

[00:29:31]>> Okay. And do you make him another bottle?

[00:29:33]>> Mhm.

[00:29:33]>> Did you like >> No, I shortened the bottle amount that I get try to give him some solid food.

[00:29:37]That way he's continuing to work on his motor skills.

[00:29:40]>> I gotcha. Um would he prefer to drink would he prefer to eat out of a cup rather than do like solid foods?

[00:29:47]>> Okay. And then did he ask for seconds today or did he want another bottle or something else to eat? He just had that one.

[00:29:55]>> He just had that one and it just went right to sleep.

[00:29:57]>> Okay. And then is that would you say that's a typical morning for him?

[00:30:01]>> Okay. And do you know like what he ate um like the day before?

[00:30:09]>> Last night he had two bottles.

[00:30:13]So I put saltine crackers in there for him. He ate those last night cuz they're empty this morning. So I refilled those cuz he likes crackers. If I had Rits, I'd be using Rits. But so for like a solid food, solid food, I didn't want to go for vegetables, mashed potatoes, green beans, you know.

[00:30:30]>> Okay.

[00:30:32]>> And then >> mac and cheese.

[00:30:33]>> So you said yesterday he had two bottles after I got home from doing all my running for work, what kind of fun jobs and everything.

[00:30:42]>> Okay. Um, >> detectives eventually shift their questions toward care and routine, medical visits, feeding, and daily life.

[00:30:50]>> And then did he get a pediatrician visit this this year?

[00:30:53]>> No, I forgot. Okay.

[00:30:54]>> We have a schedule for next month, actually.

[00:30:56]>> Where was last year was at where Jay's go?

[00:30:58]>> Uh, was like 26 in Crash. It's her doctor. I don't know the name of it.

[00:31:05]>> 26 in Grash. Yeah.

[00:31:06]>> Do you know the name of the hospital or the doctor's office?

[00:31:08]>> No, not off the top of my head. Did you go with her or No.

[00:31:12]>> In terms of his communication skills, how verbal is he?

[00:31:17]>> Not that verbal.

[00:31:18]>> Okay. Like if he were to tell you he was hungry, how would he communicate that?

[00:31:24]>> He would scream. And then if you mainly is all about his emotional, he just shows facial features on what he wants.

[00:31:33]>> The last time you stood there and scream like that.

[00:31:35]>> Last night.

[00:31:35]>> Did it last night?

[00:31:38]So I woke up with him this morning.

[00:31:40]>> What time last night did you do that?

[00:31:42]>> 10:00 10:00 at night.

[00:31:44]>> And then what?

[00:31:44]>> That wasn't That's not normal for him.

[00:31:46]But I made sure I'm like, "Okay, look, what do you want?" Checked on him. He's like, "Okay, you need to change your diaper." All right. You want a bottle?

[00:31:53]Scared about that. Said, "Okay, here."

[00:31:54]>> So last night, you went in there, >> gave him one last bottle of the night, and after he drank that, he went to sleep. And I went to provide prepped to remake the one for the morning. Since he seems to know a lot about the kids, the officers become curious about what exactly Zetona does in the house.

[00:32:10]>> So now you kind of put your hand up like, "Yeah, that's me. I'm the guy doing it all."

[00:32:16]>> She's a home. She's a She works at home.

[00:32:19]>> What does she do?

[00:32:20]>> She live streams. Been making a few grand.

[00:32:24]Quite a few grand actually. Ultimately, >> really.

[00:32:26]>> Have you guys been able to stay in your place because of the money she's making?

[00:32:31]You're not.

[00:32:32]>> Yeah. That's how we were able to save the eviction.

[00:32:35]>> And like by eviction, did they actually serve you with a >> by court and everything? Yes, sir.

[00:32:40]>> Really?

[00:32:41]>> I even showed up for court. We paid it the day before court. Showed up and I still >> How much did you owe?

[00:32:45]>> Two grand for two months.

[00:32:47]>> And you guys covered it?

[00:32:48]>> The whole thing? Yes, sir.

[00:32:49]>> Okay. And you're saying this is because she's streaming?

[00:32:52]>> Oh, that was because I wasn't working.

[00:32:54]>> Now, how how much time does it take for her to do to do that or to to make money?

[00:33:00]doesn't how long she wants to go or really.

[00:33:03]>> Okay.

[00:33:03]>> Some days she's seen her do 16 18 hours.

[00:33:06]>> Okay. And then that's I guess my thing is you know your time is your money. So is it worth the time she puts in I guess is what I'm trying to gather.

[00:33:16]>> Yeah.

[00:33:17]>> Well with live streaming it all for her it bases in how many people gifts or everything else. That way she can cash all that out. But then there's this one friend, one guy that we both know who's directly c PayPaling her money, okay, to help her out, too. That's how she was able to get her car, her phone, and she just received 2,000 today.

[00:33:39]>> He claims he handled most responsibilities, while Zetona focused on streaming. Detectives then decided to focus on the final moments, and he admitted to many things that just doesn't seem right.

[00:33:51]>> Okay. And what was it about yesterday that that you said something is not right?

[00:33:57]>> Just because he only had that one bottle >> all day. I put food in there for him, but it didn't get like I said didn't disappear till that night.

[00:34:07]>> Okay.

[00:34:07]>> So, I was like, "Okay, >> what other food did you put in there besides you said just a bottle, but you had other food?"

[00:34:12]>> Saltine crackers in there. Our last can of green beans.

[00:34:16]I made some pizzas. Cut some up for him.

[00:34:18]Put them in there for him. noticed a few pieces were on the floor.

[00:34:23]That's about it. And I would go back in there and see if he hated. If he didn't eat, I would touch him. We could set him up, check him, eat a little bit, but he just wouldn't.

[00:34:33]>> Did you think at some point of taking him to the pediatrician and getting him checked out for like a dietitian or getting him some help with >> basically putting weight back on?

[00:34:45]>> I was hoping to do that today.

[00:34:46]>> Okay.

[00:34:47]>> That's why I was trying to get the brakes done. I didn't want to put the kids in a car that I don't even trust driving myself.

[00:34:53]>> So, you said that you were concerned and that today you were going to call, but you wanted to get the brakes done first.

[00:34:59]>> Um, who were you going to call?

[00:35:02]>> I was just going to go straight and take him straight to Henry Ford.

[00:35:07]>> That's the fastest response. I probably went >> the hospital.

[00:35:09]>> Yeah.

[00:35:11]>> Was there any thoughts of calling 911?

[00:35:14]>> She didn't want uh when she not until she called me.

[00:35:19]Like I said, because we don't got insurance for the kids yet due to me losing my job. I was on the company.

[00:35:24]>> Insurance is one thing, but I mean, if your kid needs treatment, you know, whether you have insurance or not, your kid's going to get treated. You know that, right?

[00:35:32]>> Yeah. It's just my way of thinking. Got to know why. And I know that.

[00:35:40]>> So, at some point today, you think you would have taken your kid to the hospital because it's >> The minute I got Yeah. The minute I got done with the car, even if we wouldn't have been able to finish it, if I would have been able to finish it, I wouldn't have had my mom take me or something.

[00:35:55]>> He admits the child wasn't eating.

[00:35:57]According to himself, he knew something was wrong, but he didn't act. A decision that carries serious weight. Now, detectives push harder.

[00:36:06]>> And again, you know your your son better than I do. I think just looking at him, I feel like he probably had some problem with either keeping food down or eating. That's just a I'm not a doctor. Right.

[00:36:23]>> Right.

[00:36:23]>> That's just me taking a look and saying I don't think this kid had enough to eat >> right >> now. Whether that's keeping it down or being fed, um he's not a type of kid who would throw up either. I know. When's the last time I've ever had a clean up throw up when I was an infant?

[00:36:41]>> Okay.

[00:36:43]I mean, do you think that you're I don't want to call you, you know, I don't want to say you're lying to me, okay? But part of me feels like I'm not getting the whole truth out of you. And that's with regards to the eating. Okay.

[00:37:00]But again, you're saying he's not not spitting up.

[00:37:03]>> Mhm. And you're saying you're changing his diaper two to three times a day, right? But if he's eating that volume of food, that food's got to come out one way or another.

[00:37:12]>> Right.

[00:37:12]>> Right. Because his body his body the way it looks, it's not it's not absorbing any of that food. Right.

[00:37:20]So, it's either going to be in that diaper or he's going to throw it up.

[00:37:27]>> But I've noticed that diapers are more full of pee lately than they've been of solids. But he's not he's not getting that food is what I'm saying.

[00:37:35]So he's either not being fed properly.

[00:37:40]Okay. Or he's got some medical problems that >> need to get checked out.

[00:37:47]>> Yeah.

[00:37:47]>> I need to have been checked out.

[00:37:50]>> But again, you know your son better than I do, right? Yeah.

[00:37:53]>> I should have just took him when I first noticed the weight loss.

[00:37:57]>> And that was last week, you said.

[00:38:01]But I mean, if I if I looked at him today, I think I think it's going to be earlier than a week. Okay. If we're being honest with ourselves.

[00:38:12]>> I mean, I know it's only last week.

[00:38:15]>> No, I I understand that, but I mean, even a week from now, I can't imagine him much larger than than what he is, you know, than he was today.

[00:38:26]I I don't I I don't understand how just a week ago he could have been perfectly fine and then today he wasn't.

[00:38:35]>> Last week I noticed a slight decrease in weight and how the skin looked.

[00:38:40]>> How did how did his skin look?

[00:38:42]>> He's almost as thin a little thinner than me.

[00:38:48]>> Did you talk to Sierra about it?

[00:38:50]>> Yeah.

[00:38:50]>> What'd she say?

[00:38:52]>> Basically, she goes, "Oh, you're the one taking care of them." So, why don't you do something about it? But I was I remember being gone that day.

[00:39:00]>> Where'd you go?

[00:39:01]>> Uh, I went out to the junkyard. Had to go get some seats and stuff for her car.

[00:39:05]>> Okay.

[00:39:07]Um, did Sierra ever think to call 911 at all if she was ever worried about them?

[00:39:14]>> Not that I know.

[00:39:16]I mean, I'm just saying, did she ever make a comment like if you I'm going to call like I'm going to call like 911 or I'm going to take him to the hospital or I'm going to take him to the doctor?

[00:39:27]>> Not at all.

[00:39:27]>> She never made a comment like that.

[00:39:30]>> Um, and you're saying just a week ago that you noticed that. I'm having a hard time accepting that is is is really the truth. Like I said, I think that you're I think you're just I think you're holding something back.

[00:39:49]Okay. And I don't know what what you're struggling on, but we're here to find out what happens.

[00:39:54]>> The tone is no longer neutral. It's direct. They confront him with the condition of the child. There's no room left for vague answers.

[00:40:03]>> Okay.

[00:40:03]>> So, when you heard these odd sounds from your son, right? So he's making these odd sounds when you tap on him, touch him, whatever it is, >> which is not normal.

[00:40:11]>> The the dry ice scream was not. Okay.

[00:40:14]>> He always just normally just makes a little or just normal baby noise.

[00:40:19]>> And you're concerned obviously, right?

[00:40:20]>> I was concerned with the dryness.

[00:40:22]>> Okay.

[00:40:22]>> Cuz there's no way in hell you should be dry making that kind of noise, >> right?

[00:40:26]>> If you're drinking bottles cuz that's like someone being dehydrated, >> right? Or malnutrition, >> right? That's why I was going to take them today. Okay.

[00:40:37]>> You understand what malnutrition is, correct?

[00:40:39]>> Okay.

[00:40:40]>> So, like he said earlier, we seen your son, right? Just like you did today, just like he I guarant He probably looked the same last night he did pretty much today. Okay. And that child to me has not looks like he hasn't ate probably a good week. More more.

[00:40:58]>> That's not possible.

[00:40:59]>> No.

[00:40:59]>> No.

[00:41:00]>> So, what the obviously, you know, they're going to the doctors are going to look at them. They're going to do a um autopsy, right? And you want to know about what happened to him, right?

[00:41:11]>> Right. Cuz they're going to do that, right? Cuz that's what you're you want to know what the and what h what happened to him, right?

[00:41:16]>> All I know is that I was called by Sarah tell me I needed to come home >> and they didn't tell me nothing.

[00:41:25]>> Well, I'm telling you right now that I looked at your son today and it looks like he hasn't eaten in a very long time. And I'm asking a simple question.

[00:41:34]Okay.

[00:41:38]Was Was he hard to feed?

[00:41:41]>> No.

[00:41:43]>> Did you Sometimes he became picky on the food at >> Did you have food to feed him?

[00:41:47]>> Yeah.

[00:41:48]>> Did you feed him?

[00:41:50]>> The only Like I said, the only thing you wanted was that bottle.

[00:41:54]>> Okay. And what was in the bottle?

[00:41:56]mashed the mashed potatoes, his dry milk, and his infant oatmeal.

[00:42:01]>> Okay.

[00:42:02]But looking at your son, there's not it's not possible that he was fed that much food within the past couple weeks.

[00:42:11]Probably maybe not even for the past couple months. That's that's what I'm trying to get from you is just to try to get what's really going on with >> And all I know is what I've been able to do for her. I don't know what she's done or not. John, >> let's let's let's be honest, okay? We're talking manto man here, right?

[00:42:32]>> Okay.

[00:42:33]>> Like he just said, you've got 50 some years of experience >> right here sitting in law enforcement and doing investigations, okay?

[00:42:40]>> And I can tell you now that him and I looking at your son today have never seen a child that malnutritioned.

[00:42:48]You understand what I'm saying?

[00:42:48]>> Yes, sir.

[00:42:49]>> So now let's let's I know what you're trying to do. Okay. be honest with me.

[00:42:53]Okay.

[00:42:55]When is the last time he's ate a good meal and you fed him?

[00:42:59]>> That was honestly two days ago. I'll tell you the truth on that.

[00:43:03]>> What was that good meal two days ago?

[00:43:05]>> I made I made a roast when I got home, too.

[00:43:10]>> Okay. So, two days ago, he had a good meal.

[00:43:13]>> Mhm.

[00:43:14]>> And that's you saying, "Hey, I'm being honest with you."

[00:43:16]>> Your son hasn't ate in a while. Let's be honest, okay? cuz I looked at him and I can guarantee you two days ago he couldn't eat based on how he looked today. Two days ago he could not take and put food in his mouth.

[00:43:28]>> Do you know that?

[00:43:30]>> He did though.

[00:43:30]>> He did not. Okay.

[00:43:36]So, what I was speaking about earlier was and came up for science. You understand science, right? They're going to do an autopsy on your son and they're going to be able to tell the last time he ate and they're going to be able to tell a lot more far as how long this has been going on and so on and so forth.

[00:43:53]Right.

[00:43:53]>> Yes, sir.

[00:43:54]>> And I'm willing to bet you that he never had a pot. I'm willing to bet you he never had these drinks of milk and mixed bottles like you're talking about in a long time.

[00:44:05]>> Right. Yes.

[00:44:06]>> By now, detectives aren't questioning if something happened. They're confirming how long it's been happening because everything points to the same conclusion. This wasn't a single moment.

[00:44:16]It was a pattern. But what ultimately sealed their fate wasn't what they said.

[00:44:21]It was what the autopsy revealed. The medical examiners confirmed the child died from severe malnutrition and starvation. There were no underlying conditions, no sudden illness. It was a prolonged neglect. The report showed the child had been deprived of food over an extended period, not hours, not days, but long enough for his body to completely shut down. That finding changed everything because now investigators weren't relying on statements or assumptions. They had medical proof. Based on the evidence, the condition of the home, the interrogations, and the autopsy report, Jonathan Cheek was sentenced to 24 to 50 years on a charge of secondderee murder and 86 months to 10 years on a seconddegree child abuse charge. Sierra Zatona was also sentenced to 24 to 50 years for secondderee murder and 43 months to 10 years for secondderee child abuse. And while the interrogation revealed pieces of the truth, it was the autopsy that confirmed it. Not an accident, not a misunderstanding, but a slow, preventable loss that ultimately led to two convictions in a case that investigators say they will never forget.