MOUNT CLEMENS, MI – A Michigan woman has been sentenced to decades in prison after pleading no contest to charges stemming from the starvation death of her toddler son. Sierra Pearl Zaitona, 29, will serve 24 to 50 years for second-degree murder and up to 10 years for second-degree child abuse, sentences to run concurrently.

The case unfolded after Zaitona and the child’s father, Jonathon Matthew Cheek, 26, were arrested following a 911 call in March 2023 when they found their 2-year-old son unresponsive in his crib. Prosecutors accused the parents of starving their child, leading to his tragic death.

Cheek also faced charges of second-degree murder and child abuse. He agreed to a plea deal with Macomb County prosecutors in October 2024, resulting in the same sentence as Zaitona. Both parents received credit for time served and avoided a possible life sentence.

The boy had previously been in foster care, where he thrived before being returned to Zaitona and Cheek. The autopsy later confirmed malnutrition as the cause of his death, underscoring a grim narrative about neglect and responsibility.

Prosecutors highlighted the devastating impact of the crime on the family and the community, expressing hope that the convictions bring some measure of closure. Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido reiterated the heart-wrenching nature of the case, emphasizing the loss of a young life and the rippling consequences for the family.

The case has attracted considerable attention, given the severe charges and the tragic loss involved. Both Zaitona and Cheek will be listed on Michigan’s Central Registry for Child Abuse and Neglect, a move intended to prevent further harm in the future.

Legal proceedings revealed the full extent of the child’s suffering and underscored systemic concerns about child welfare after previously being in foster care. The punishments handed down are a sobering reminder of parental obligations and the dire consequences of failing them.

This resolution maintains a strong message about accountability, and the community continues to grapple with the tragedy and seek ways to prevent similar cases. As these proceedings draw to a close, the focus shifts to healing and looking for improvements in child protection systems.

In the face of such tragedy, there remains hope that lessons learned will lead to better safeguarding of vulnerable children to prevent similar future heartbreaks.