DC Parents Plead Guilty To Starvation Death of Infant Daughter

WASHINGTON, DC — Parents of the seven-week old girl who died Christmas Day pled guilty Monday to a slew of starvation-related death charges, including voluntary manslaughter, the U.S. attorney's office in DC announced.

Jay Crowder, 33, and Trishelle Jabore, 26, of DC pled guilty to charges of voluntary manslaughter, first-degree cruelty to children and welfare fraud-unlawful food stamp usage. Crowder also pled guilty to a charge of attempted distribution of a controlled substance (synthetic cannabinoid or K2).

According to the facts presented at the hearing, when Jabore gave birth to the couple's daughter, Trinity, the infant weighed 4 pounds, but was considered at term and healthy. At the time of her birth both the mother and child tested positive for THC, an active ingredient in marijuana.

Both parents had prior experience parenting newborn children. They received approximately $995 in welfare funds, including food stamps, and paid $9.80 in rent and $50 for Internet service.

Around Thanksgiving, they sold some of their food stamps to a family member for $150.

See Related: DC Parents Charged With Christmas Day Murder of Infant

On the evening of Dec. 24, 2016, the baby was put to bed in her car seat with a bottle at 7 p.m. At approximately 9 a.m. on Dec. 25, 2016, Crowder entered his and Jabore’s bedroom, where the baby was still in her car seat.

Crowder picked up the child and felt that her body was limp, prosecutors said. Crowder attempted to feed her a bottle but she would not take it.

Jabore and Crowder monitored the baby’s condition for about three hours before Jabore called 911 and stated that the baby was unconscious and not breathing.

Emergency personnel were dispatched to the defendants’ home in Southwest Washington. The baby was taken to the Emergency Department at Children’s National Medical Center, where hospital staff attempted advanced life-saving measures. The child was pronounced dead at 12:26 p.m.

A warrant was issued for the arrests of the parents May 5, and both were taken into custody.

Three months later, The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that the baby’s death was caused by malnutrition and hyponatremia, that fractured ribs and a clavicle fracture were contributing factors, and that the manner of death was homicide.

They discovered the baby lost over ten ounces from the time she was born. She also suffered from 13 rib fractures and clavicle fracture at various stages of healing and had severe diaper rash. Neither parent had taken her for medical treatment or care.

Even though Jabore and Crowder had money and their home had plenty of food for older children and adults, their baby starved to death, prosecutors said.

The parents were providing a fraction of the recommended amount of formula in an effort to make it go further and when not giving formula, they were giving their newborn cow’s milk (powdered milk or evaporated milk), which is harmful to an infant’s digestive tract. Chemists with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tested a bottle found on the scene, which revealed the bottle contained mostly water and had very little nutritional value.

Crowder’s plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon sentence of 10-12 years in prison. Under the Court’s voluntary sentencing guidelines, Jabore could face a range of 6-15 years in prison.

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