Jozlynn's parents accept child's death

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - After sustaining hope their 2-year-old daughter was still alive despite what police have said for almost a week, Jozlynn's parents are now coming to terms with the toddler's death.

The baby's biological father, John Rittenhouse, spoke with 24 Hour News 8 on Thursday after learning Jeffrey Malmberg will be charged with the second-degree murder of his daughter.

Malmberg was dating Jozlynn's mother, 21-year-old Consuela Martinez, until recently. The couple shared a home on Grand Rapids' northwest side, where police say Malmberg killed the child at around 6:30 p.m. Feb. 22, when Martinez wasn't home.

Malmberg admitted to police he put his knee on the little girl's chest and held her down until she stopped breathing, a Grand Rapids police detective said in court. Next, he told police, he placed Jozlynn in a garbage bag, then disposed of her body in a commercial Dumpster.

Judge LaVille authorized charges of second-degree murder and tampering with evidence.

"We're devastated after these new developments," said Rittenhouse, who now lives in Arizona. "We're just hoping to figure out where. We got the 'what' part done. We know she's dead. Now, we just need to know where she is."

He and Martinez are heartbroken, Rittenhouse said.

"Until the body's found, we're going to do everything we can on our part to keep the community aware," Rittenhouse said.

In a news conference, Grand Rapids Police Chief Kevin Belk would not comment on the timeline of events or Malmberg's motive.

He talked of the massive search investigators launched in an effort to find Jozlynn's body at the Kent County Waste-to-Energy plant, and vowed to continue looking.

"Obviously, as time goes, that becomes less and less likely," he said of finding the child's body. "We realize that, but we continue to pursue leads with the hope that somehow, we'll find her."

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A fund has been set up at Huntington National Bank in Jozlynn's name. All donations will go toward the search for her body or the cost of a funeral service.