Autopsy Clears Metro Detroit Dad Of Murder, Sex Abuse

DETROIT, MI — Murder, child abuse and criminal sexual conduct charges filed against Detroit man whose 8-month-old daughter died in an Inkster hotel room in April were dismissed Thursday by the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, which said a medical examiner’s report clears James Lee Saltmarshall, 22.

The Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the infant’s April 23 death accidental due to asphyxia, according to a press release from the prosecutor’s office. Saltmarshall and his child slept next to one another in an adult-sized bed, and he found the baby unresponsive when he awoke.

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The child’s mother left Saltmarshall and the infant alone at the hotel on the 2600 block of Michigan Avenue in Inkster when she went to work on April 20. At about 4:23 p.m. the same day, Inkster police were called to assist the fire department in taking the unresponsive infant to a hospital for treatment. She died on April 23.

When the initial charges were filed, Saltmarshall was held on $2 million cash bond. His bail was lowered a few days later after Worthy’s office said additional time was needed for forensic testing before his preliminary examination, which had been scheduled for July 6.

The felony murder, first-degree child abuse and first-degree criminal sexual conduct charges against Saltmarshall were dismissed at the request of the prosecutor’s office.

Photo via Shutterstock