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Jayleen Rivas-Rodriguez, 35, admitted to charges of: Involuntary Manslaughter and Endangering the Welfare of a Child during a hearing before Judge Anna-Kristie M. Marks, officials said. Both charges are felonies, and Rivas-Rodriguez could face a sentence of five to 20 years in prison.
Her sentencing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 24, 2025, according to the DA's office.
A third-degree murder charge was withdrawn as part of the plea deal.
Rivas-Rodriguez and the child's father, Jorge Suarez-Santiago, 32, are accused of causing the death of their son, Johansy Suarez-Rivas, through reckless conduct. Prosecutors say Johansy ingested a lethal dose of fentanyl while in his parents' care at their apartment on the 100 block of North 8th Street on April 5, 2021.
Police were called to St. Luke’s Hospital-Sacred Heart after the toddler was found unresponsive. He was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital. A forensic pathologist determined the cause of death to be fentanyl toxicity, noting that Johansy had 16.5 nanograms per millimeter of the drug in his heart blood.
Investigators allege that both parents had used heroin in the hours leading up to their son's death. Suarez-Santiago was reportedly left alone with Johansy while visibly intoxicated, authorities said.
Rivas-Rodriguez is accused of providing Suarez-Santiago with heroin before leaving the apartment for several hours. She returned to find her son unresponsive, prosecutors said.
Suarez-Santiago, who is now living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is facing a charge of Third-Degree Murder, officials said. His preliminary hearing was scheduled for 10:45 a.m. on Dec. 13, 2024.
This case was investigated by Allentown Police Detective Joseph Beiner and the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office. It is being prosecuted by District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan and Chief Deputy District Attorney Sara A. Moyer.
As with all criminal cases, Suarez-Santiago is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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