Exboyfriend: Girl fell down steps, died

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - A man lodged at the Kent County jail in connection with 2-year-old Jozlynn Martinez's disappearance told the child's mother his version of what happened to the toddler.

Consuela Martinez, 21, sat down with former live-in ex-boyfriend Jeffrey Malmberg on Saturday during his visitation hours to hear his side of the story.

Jozlynn fell down a set of stairs at the couple's Nagold Street home in Grand Rapids on Monday night and died, Malmberg told Martinez. He panicked and decided to dispose of the child's body in a nearby commercial Dumpster, he said.

"When he went in the bathroom, (Jozlynn) was sitting on the bed," Martinez said after talking to Malmberg. "When he got out of the bathroom, he heard a noise ... and went downstairs and found her laying there.

"I asked him why he didn't get her help, why he did what he did. He just said, 'oh, I was afraid.' It was like I was sitting there looking at a monster -- not an ex-boyfriend."

Malmberg said he was sorry, Martinez told 24 Hour News 8 on Sunday.

"He said he found her not breathing and dead," Martinez said. "I don't know if she fell or if he threw her but ... we're all hoping to get to the bottom of this."

It doesn't add up, she said.

"I'm sorry," she said. "Even if you're panicked, you still get a child help. I'm questioning, was she actually dead when he did that or was this intentional?"

The child's father, who just got to Grand Rapids from Arizona, echoed a similar sentiment.

"I never liked (Malmberg) to begin with," John Rittenhouse said. "I had a bad vibe of him since the day I met him."

Jozlynn went missing Monday night, police said, and by Wednesday, an Amber Alert was issued. Friday evening, Grand Rapids police held a news conference and announced Malmberg told investigators the girl was dead.

Police won't comment on how Jozlynn died. Her body has not been found. Malmberg has not been charged with the toddler's death, and Jozlynn's parents are holding out hope their child is alive.

"As I was at home earlier today, I started looking through the clothes and it just tore me apart," Martinez said.