'Abusive' Mom Arrested for Suffocating Toddler: Cops

You are charged with. two counts. Count one is homicide felony. murder. That alleges that you did while in the. perpetration or attempted perpetration. of child [music] abuse in the first. degree murder one Riley Lavon Hurley. Whitehead. After months of. investigation, a Michigan mother. allegedly confessed to police that she. savagely [music] killed her 2-year-old. daughter. We have the reported exchange. from the interview that is just as. shocking to hear as [music] it is.

disturbing. Moments from her first court. appearance and an alleged Google search. that couldn't be worse. Welcome to. Sidebar, presented by Law [music] &. Crime. I'm Jesse Weber. Real quick, not to take away from the. story in any way, but the reason we can. bring you a story like this is because. of the amazing support that we get from. our sponsor Upside. Now, if you don't. know what it is, it's amazing. It gets. you cash back on daily essentials like. gas and groceries and food. So, Upside. is so easy. It's free, by the way. Yeah,

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first tank of gas. I killed her. Those three chilling words are what a. 27-year-old mother allegedly told. authorities in Grand Rapids, Michigan. about her 2-year-old daughter. I killed. her. It's quite the apparent. confession, which is why it's not. surprising that she's facing homicide. felony murder and child abuse in the. first degree charges. What may surprise. you is how all of this apparently. unfolded. That's what I want to get. into, including why it took months for. there to be an arrest. And by the way,

the woman I'm about to mention to you. was actually in the news 2 years prior. to this. And whether or not that plays. into this current case, something we. need to address. I'm not going to be. breaking all this down alone. I'm. bringing on right now Randy Kessler, family law attorney. Randy, thank you so. much for taking the time. Um before we. even get into the specifics of this. case, and there's a lot to get into. In your experience, how often do parents kill their.

children? And what are the reasons that. you see this happening if you can even. try to make sense of why this happens. because I will tell you as a preview of. what the allegations are here. When I. first heard this story and then I heard. what she allegedly told investigators, unfortunately, being in this business. for as long as I've been in, it wasn't surprising to me. It wasn't. surprising to me the apparent rationale. But in your experience, how often are we. seeing cases like this? And what are the. reasons that parents kill or allegedly.

kill their children? I think my answer is very similar to. yours, Jesse. Until I was on Law &. Crime, until I started, you know, helping you guys and doing some. commenting, I would have thought one in. a million, one in a billion. Um but I'm. seeing it more and more. I don't see it. in my own practice. I don't see it in my. own community often. [snorts]. Uh on the other hand, when we see it, it. makes news. So, we probably think that. it happens more than it does. It's still. a very, very rare occurrence. You know, in general, the departments of family. and children services across the country.

do a better job than in most countries, right? In most third world countries, most European countries, we get. involved. We put kids in foster care. We. get kids out of dangerous environments. Usually in time to avoid death. Sometimes it doesn't avoid injury. Sometimes it doesn't avoid some horrible. mistreatment. But a a parent, maybe a. foster parent, maybe a stranger, maybe. stranger danger, uncle, aunt, but a. parent killing a child still seems very, very, very, very rare to me. Um which. may be why it's even more newsworthy in.

this situation. Well, it's newsworthy. for a couple of reasons, including if. the allegations are true about what she. apparently told investigators. You know, usually these cases you're trying to. read between the lines. Why would a. parent kill their child? What was going. on? Were they trying to get a new life? Were they. sick and tired of being a parent? Did. they want to be free Whatever it might. be, we're always guessing between the. lines. I'm going to be reading apparent. transcripts from this interview that she. did with investigators where, again, if. this is true, she's innocent until.

proven guilty. But if this is true, I mean, she's pretty much laying it out. for why this happened. According to Wood. TV News 8, there is this probable cause. paperwork in the case that reveals that. Kent County Sheriff's deputies, they. show up to the home of this woman that. we're talking about here, Irene. Whitehead. That this is back on. September 3rd. We're in December right. now. So, September 3rd. And what they. find is Whitehead's young 2-year-old. daughter, Riley. She is reportedly not.

breathing. She's not responding. And she. ends up dying right there on the scene. Whitehead was allegedly the only one. home. Now, Randy, before we go any. further, that's a key point, right? Because even before an alleged. confession, home alone with a young. child who dies, that is very. problematic. I talked about this before, right? Child victims are different than. adult. victims because unless you can claim.

there they if they're under your care. and custody, it seems to me that it's. very difficult for a caregiver to argue. away liability, right? I mean, these are. vulnerable victims. They're under your. care. If you're the only one home, that. in and of itself creates a legal problem. for a defendant, right? Right, because there's a heightened. responsibility when there is a. dependent, somebody who is relying on. you. for survival, not just for food and. shelter, but to keep them safe. It's an.

even higher uh level. That's why we. allow, you know, parents. to go home and you know what it's like. You know, they let you go home from the. hospital with your child and they don't. give you a manual because society trusts. that parents will take care of their. children and make sure that they are. safe. You don't live up to that. responsibility, you got other issues. aside from possibly murdering or harming. a stranger. This is somebody that you. were vested with responsibility for. Here's the thing. She wasn't arrested on. the spot. It wasn't clear exactly what. happened to Riley, right? Maybe it was. an accident. Maybe something happened.

And we'll get into health issues with. Riley in a minute. But she wasn't. arrested on the spot, uh Irene. Whitehead. So, no. She was booked into. jail on Thanksgiving. She was arraigned. on December 1st. So, why so long? Why. did it take months? This is where it. gets incredibly disturbing as. investigators uncovered some damning. potential evidence against this mother. in the past few months. This. investigation lasted several months. So, as detectives, first of all, they get a hold of a video. from August 25th. And in this video, you.

can hear a child seemingly saying, so. this is likely one of Whitehead's. daughters. She also reportedly has a. 7-year-old. "You never wanted me. You. only want me to die. I know you want me. to die. Just kill me already.". Then, let's talk about Google. Five days after Riley died, authorities. say this mother, Irene Whitehead, Googled, quote, "How hard is it to prove. if the cause of death is suffocation by. bag and toddler?" And according to.

authorities, she admitted she searched. for that. Randy, talk to me about that. So, the. question is why wasn't she arrested. immediately? You know, we're all victims. of our own history. The department, the. law enforcement agencies, I see a lot of. parents who are wrongfully accused. And. it's a balance, right? Because who would. assume who would think that a parent. would do this to a child? So, you give. them the benefit of the doubt and you. say this must have been an accidental. death. You also need to make sure you. have the evidence to arrest somebody. You don't want to arrest them and then. have them clam up. Maybe they're going. to step in and maybe they're going to.

say something. Um and thank goodness she. didn't run and didn't go anywhere else. But yeah, you know, hindsight's 20/20. In hindsight, should have been arrested. on the spot. Well, they might not have. had access to these communications, which by the way, let me I'm going to. get into what the ME found, too. But. that communication, right Well, that. Google search, I can't tell you how many. times it's the Google searches, right? Maybe the chat GPT searches now, which. are now becoming part of evidence, that. tells so much of a defendant's inner. workings, what they were thinking. Um.

unless you have a defendant who says, "I. didn't search for that. Someone else had. access to my device." There's a context. for for what that is. It's difficult. Now, Fox 17 reporting that another piece. of potential evidence is this apparent. online chat conversation that Whitehead. Whitehead had with her mother back in. April of 2025. Okay, so this is before. Riley's death. Quote, "I'll be getting. rid of most of their stuff then." Her. mother asks, "Why?" "Then maybe they'll. behave more." This is what Whitehead.

says. Mother responds, "Not when they. just want your attention." Whitehead. says, "This is why I only want one kid.". The mom writes, "Well, you have two.". And Irene Whitehead says, "Yeah, two. with no help at all.". So, they're investigating her. They're. obtaining this evidence. And then we. have the interview on Thanksgiving. Now, Randy, I'm going to need your. perspective on this. I want to read out. these full transcript segments that were. obtained by 13 on your side.

Detective Goring asks Irene Whitehead, "Why did you put the bag over Riley's. mouth? What [snorts] was your. intentions?" Whitehead responds, "I just. wanted it to stop." Detective asks, "What were your intentions?" Whitehead. responds, "I thought maybe if she was. gone, it would all stop." Detective. asks, "What were your intentions?". Whitehead says that she wouldn't be here. anymore. Detective asks, what were your. intentions?

That she die. That's what Whitehead. responds. Detective says, you put the bag over Riley's mouth with. the intent to kill her? And Whitehead. reportedly nods slightly. Detective. says, I need to hear you say it. Whitehead responds, I just wanted it all. to stop. Then you have Detective. Kirkland, nope, that's not what he. asked. Try it again. Let yourself be. honest. At least give yourself that. Irene Whitehead responds, I killed her.

Detective Goring, why did you keep. putting Riley in the hospital? Was that. because you were doing that to make her. look so sick so later on you could kill. her? Irene Whitehead responds, I wanted to. kill her. Detective Goring asks, when did you. decide that you wanted to kill her? Irene Whitehead responds, right after. she was born. Detective Goring asks, what made you. finally kill her? I couldn't take it. anymore, Whitehead responds. Detective Goring,

what couldn't you take anymore? Whitehead, being a parent, hearing her. screaming all the time, the cries. Detective Goring, she was a normal. healthy baby girl besides you, wasn't. she? Irene nodded. Detective Goring, there. was nothing wrong with her, was there? Irene Whitehead reportedly shakes her. head no. Detective Kirkland, what other. ways have you thought about killing your. kids? Whitehead responds, with a gun. Detective Kirkland, huh?

Whitehead responds, with a gun. That's. the reason why I got rid of mine because. I can't bring myself to do it like that. Detective Kirkland, what else? Whitehead responds, a rope. Detective. Kirkland says, rope? How were you going. to do that? Irene Whitehead responds, tie it around their necks. And apparently after this back and forth. law enforcement said Irene Whitehead. signed a written statement that said, I. killed them. Ry {slash} Leo. Who's Leo?

Well, Leo is seemingly in reference to. her 2-month-old son that died back in. 2021. In fact, there was a GoFundMe that was. set up at the time by Whitehead that. raised $3,400 at the time that said, quote, help us pay for the funeral and. cremation costs of Leo was 2 months old. He passed away on September 25th, 2021. in his sleep. He has two older sisters. who miss him dearly. I'm a single mom of. three. I can't afford a memorial for him. and I'm not one to ask for much, so.

anything helps. Thank you so much. He. was such a happy baby, loves listening. to country music. Now, 13 on your side. apparently asked the Kent County. Sheriff's Office about whether Whitehead. is now being investigated in connection. with Leo's death in the aftermath of. what they're accusing her of doing with. respect to Riley and they reportedly. said that this is an open investigation. They can't share any more details right. now. Let me just go back to the. interview, then I'll get back to Randy. So, Detective Goring asks, why did you. keep putting her in the hospital?

Irene Whitehead responds, cuz there was. always people around. I didn't want them. finding out what I was doing, so I'd. make it look like a breathing episode. I'd tell them it was just a breathing. episode. Detective Goring, and how did. you create the breathing episodes? The. ones you recorded, the ones that are on. your phone that you sent prior to her. death. How did those breathing episodes. get created? I put my hand over her. mouth and watch her squirm. And then you. suffocated her? Irene Whitehead nods. Detective Kirkland asks, was that a yes?

Whitehead says, yeah. Detective. Kirkland, you suffocated her? Irene Whitehead apparently nods. Detective Kirkland, on repeat? Irene. Whitehead apparently nods. And. detectives noted in the probable cause. document that Irene nodded when they. asked if she was responsible for Riley. going to the hospital every time and. Detective Goring asks, the first time, but the ones where they did the big. workups on her where she stopped having. them and then back in June when she. started having them again this year,

every single one of those is because you. suffocated her? And Irene Whitehead. responds, yeah. And authorities say that this little. girl did in fact have to go to the. hospital for these breathing incidents, but. the allegation now is that she caused. them. Randy, I know that's a lot. I know. that's a lot. It's not every day you get. this apparent confession black and white. like this. First of all, your reaction. to this and I I can't see any way that a. defense attorney would be successful.

right now in saying that this can't come. in. I mean, unless her Miranda rights. weren't read or that she was coerced in. some way, but by all accounts reading. this, she was quite clear on what she. allegedly did. So, my sophisticated. legal analysis is. this is all kinds of messed up. I mean, you just don't get this much. damning evidence. You know, she can't. say it was. a lack of, you know, rational thought. She's not got an insanity defense. There's all sorts of premeditation. She.

thought about different ways to murder. her child. She's, you know, speaking. voluntarily. She had every opportunity. to not talk. She's seen enough TV shows. even if police didn't warn her, but I'm. sure they warned her. It seems like a. very thorough investigation. I I can't. imagine they didn't Mirandize her or. didn't tell her she has a right to a. lawyer. Um I I I agree with you. I don't. know how that doesn't come in. I don't. know how she has a trial. She's not. sympathetic whatsoever. I think the. other child's issue just leads to her. pleading guilty to both. I don't. understand why they didn't spend the.

time. She's going to go to jail for life. for this one. Yeah, and you you have to. imagine it's a recorded interview and. also a written statement. And you know. what's And by the way, detectives are. very methodical. They're getting her to. admit to each element of the crime. Although, I will be clear, what she's. charged with you don't actually need to. prove intent to kill or premeditation to. kill. She's charged with felony murder. I'll get to that in a second. But but. you know what's really interesting, Randy? You know what's really. interesting? It was reported that the. medical examiner's office ruled the. cause and manner of Riley's death as.

indeterminate. And it was only after all. of this other stuff came out that they. ruled it a homicide. In other words, if. there was no Google search, right? If. there was no alleged confession, would. we even see charges? The forensic. evidence might not have been so clear. that this was a. a killing. Right, and you can't extract from that. that the person that would be suspicious. is the mother of the child. I mean, if. you're the investigator, if you're the. forensic, if you're the person doing the. autopsy, you're thinking, well, the only.

person around was the mother, so. certainly. I can't imagine it would be the mother, you know, even though that's not. scientific, it's still human nature, right? We just don't want to point the. finger at a mother doing this to a. daughter. Just doesn't make sense. So, you know, they were not going to find. that it was murder absent something. extra like you pointed out. Now that we. have not just one thing extra, we've got. a confession. Period. I mean, it should. be a should be a savings on resources. and a savings for the state to not have. to spend a lot of money trying this case. and defending appeals when you have this.

much clear confession. What about. investigating her for Leo's death? It's. got to be done, right? Leo has a right. to be uh. uh looked into, investigated, and. vindicated, and justice for Leo. Leo's going to get his justice when when. mom goes to jail for the murder of his. sister. Um but it doesn't hurt until they plead. If there's a plea, she's going to wrap. that plea together because she's not. getting off with anything less than life. without the possibility of parole for. this one. So, I don't think if I was a.

taxpayer, why spend the money? You know, let's ask her to go ahead and. plead guilty to both. I I just don't see. how resources need to be spent. And it's. going to be a harder case to prove. It's. older. It's more ancient. Um. and then of course, it's going to make. law enforcement look bad. Why didn't you. investigate back then? Do they want to. open that can of worms? Well, well, I. mean, look, it helps them if she. admitted to killing both of them. If. that's what she's saying, um I think. there needs to be some answers as to. what happened to Leo. Now, I will tell. you this much. Right now, Whitehead is. facing two charges. So, homicide felony.

murder. This is that while in the. perpetration or attempt of child abuse. in the first degree, she did murder. Riley. This is life without parole. Count [clears throat] two, child abuse in the first degree, that. she did knowingly or intentionally cause. physical harm to a child. This is life. in prison [snorts] or any term of years. Now again, Randy, they don't even need. to prove intent to kill. They don't even. need to prove this was this was a. premeditated killing. This is an easier.

path to secure a conviction, right? It. is, although I'm sort of surprised and. interested, curious why they didn't just. say intentional murder homicide one. Clearly, now you see that that was her. intent and she wanted that in her mind. talking to her mom, talking to. Google. Sounds like it was premeditated. I don't understand why it's not. intentional unless maybe like you said, it's easier to prove. That way you don't. have to convince a jury that mom had. these evil intents. It's harder to prove. that somebody wanted to kill their child. than to prove that somebody wanted to.

hurt their child and a murder or a death. occurred while they were committing. child abuse. You mentioned. how this case might be resolved. I'll. get to the arraignment in a second, but. [clears throat]. a plea deal, what would that even look. like? I mean, I I can't imagine she's. going to get some sort of. relief here. Obviously, to save. the the time, the expense, the heartache. of a trial and having jurors having to. sit through all this. But what would.

some sort of what would her defense. attorney be asking for? What would. prosecutors be open to? What would a. resolution of this case look like? Yeah, there's not much. There's not much. incentive for the prosecution to offer. any kind of deal, any kind of discount. on the time served or anything like that. because they've got her dead to rights. Unless there's maybe a better facility. where she could be held, maybe there's. some better treatment for her to be. held, but um. the question for her it seems, you know, and I've watched the video and I'll see. you know, how she reacted and responded.

to the judge. She seems sane, she seems. like she knows what's coming, she seems. almost to be accepting of what's going. to happen. Maybe she just doesn't want to go. through the ordeal. You know, a lot of. people in that position, this is their. last chance of freedom, their last. chance to put on civvies, right? To put. on normal clothes and to be out in. public because they're going to spend. the rest of their life behind bars in an. orange jumpsuit. But other than wanting. to do that. uh. you know, does it benefit her? Maybe. there's a one in a million chance that. for all the people on the jury can't. agree that she's. capable of doing it to her child. Um.

I I don't know what they could offer. I. really I can't think of it except better. treatment, maybe the possibility of. parole, but other than that you know, why would they even offer that when they. have her dead to rights? But if they're. if they're going to eliminate any risk. of any possible crazy sympathetic jury. then they go ahead and say, "Okay, we'll. give you the possibility of parole if. you plead guilty and save us the time. and effort." That's about. and I I I don't think they're going to. And you know what's you know what's. chilling about this is that if you take. all these allegations as true, if you.

take everything she said as true, she. couldn't handle being a mother anymore, she couldn't handle the screams, she. couldn't handle the crying. So, what's. your result now? You you kill your child. and you leave your other one I I I I. don't know the custody of your you know, who that daughter goes to now, but you. spend the rest of your life in a cell, like I I it's just it it it's really. disturbing on multiple levels. But let. me tell you, you you mentioned. something, her demeanor, right? So, we. go to her arraignment, we got video of. this. So, this is her arraignment, this. is her court appearance.

She's read the charges, she's told about. her rights, and she only spoke in the. affirmative here and there, take a look. Do you understand what you've been. charged with and the maximum penalties? Um. yes, ma'am. All right, I'm going to enter a not. guilty plea on your behalf. Um have you. had an opportunity to discuss your. rights with Mr. Zambon? Yes, ma'am. Okay, do you have any question about. your rights? No, ma'am. And then one of the issues was bond,

where her attorney Richard Zambon tried. to get her a bond arguing that she has. no criminal history, she's been in the. area for 7 years, she has strong ties to. the community, that she's been at the. same address for 4 months with her. boyfriend, that she was employed uh at. Arby's. Basically, she's not a danger, right? She's not a risk of flight, that's assuming those are the arguments. But then Kent County 63rd District Judge. Kirsten Hoels really disagreed. I do. find that based on the um statements in.

the probable cause affidavit um. presum- proof of proof of guilt is. evident and presumption is great in this. matter. Uh and so I think that this is an. appropriate case to deny bond. Um. so, Ms. Whitehead, you will remain in. the Kent County jail pending those. hearings um and your attorney can opt to. revisit the issue of bond, bail, release. Um I understand you have no. criminal history, but obviously um.

the allegations are um. horrific. Randy, denying of bond here, not. surprising, right? Right. Right, absolutely. I mean, the lawyer, you know, there's some cases you go in. and you know you have a fighting chance, there's some cases you go in and you are. perfecting the record, you're making. sure that you're not guilty of. ineffective assistance of counsel. You're making the arguments and there. were some good objective arguments for. it, she's employed, no criminal history. you know, otherwise stable. But. the lawyer knew there was not going to.

be bond and the judge, you know. can you imagine the pushback and what. would happen if the judge granted this. woman a bond? And look, part of it might. be for the woman's own protection. If if. this woman is guilty or she's innocent. and being accused of this. she's probably a risk to herself um. and to others. Uh no question she was. not going to get a bond. They had to go. through it and they had to make the. argument. The judge had to consider it. It also impressed me about our system. Think about around the world, the fact. that the judge treated this defendant.

with respect. You know, almost with. kindness, with you know, compassion. You. know, making sure she understood her. rights, making sure she knew that this. lawyer was going to be there, asking her. if she could afford a lawyer. Um it it. makes me feel good about our system that. at least the worst of the worst gets. treated the right way until found. guilty. And also, it's not just cuz. she's a kind person, it's you have to. clearly lay out everything for the. defendant so that they can't make an. argument later on that their rights were. violated, that procedure wasn't.

followed, that their conviction could be. overturned. Um so, there is a reason for this as. well. Now, I I have to talk about this, Randy. 13 on your side actually interviewed. Irene Whitehead all the way back in. 2023. This was when Riley was just 3 months. old and had to be taken to the hospital. because Riley was diagnosed apparently. with this rare form of a common virus. known as HPIV4. It's also known as uh parainfluenza 4. And at the time, Whitehead told the.

outlet, quote, "They said that the. fourth strand is commonly undiagnosed. They don't see many of them, but also. this fourth strand is not on the like. respiratory pallet that they do for the. respiratory viruses. So, they don't test. for it as often. She's doing a lot. better, she still has a little cough and. some congestion, but she's doing a lot. better.". And she added, "Definitely trust your. gut instinct, especially when it comes. to your children." And now she allegedly. admitted to killing her daughter, so.

let's kind of put that statement. in a different context. And by the way, by the way, in that 2023 interview, she. referenced Leo, quote, "I have went. through this before. I had a son 2 years. ago who passed away from parainfluenza. He just had a cough and then the next. day he passed away." Now, Randy when you. look at this, when you look at these. statements. are they going to come into are they. part of this investigation? Are they. relevant? Are they questionable? Do they. come into a potential trial? Um talk to.

me about this. They they might have, but for her. confession, right? Without her. confession she could say, "Look you. know, this is. hereditary. I mean, our our family, our. children all have these breathing. issues, they have these viruses and I've. been double cursed. I had my first child. die of this my second child die of it.". Maybe that would be plausible to a jury. if you didn't have the confession, if. you didn't have the discussion with her. mother, if you didn't have the Google. search. Yeah. Now all that's out the. window. Now it looks like a pattern of.

murder. Let me just end on this point. So, Rothridge Funeral Home posted an. obituary of Riley before all of this. came out about her mother. And it says that uh Riley Whitehead. passed away on Wednesday, September 3rd, 2025 at the age of 2 after dealing with. breathing problems since she was 2. months old. Riley was born in Greenville, Michigan. on June 9th, 2023 to her mother Irene. Whitehead. She was a very active toddler, always. playing with her siblings and seeing the.

moo moos, the cows at Nana and Papa's. house and chasing the chickens and. seeing the vroom vrooms, the motorcycles. at Uma and Papa's house. Riley's memory will always be cherished. by her mom, Irene, dad, Holden, siblings. and Uma, Papa and by many more that. loved her. Randy Kessler, thanks for taking the. time, really appreciate it. Thanks for. having me. And that's all we have for you right now. here on Sidebar, everybody. Thank you so. much for joining us and as always,

please subscribe on YouTube, Apple. Podcast, Spotify, wherever you should. get your podcast. You can follow me on X. or Instagram. I'm Jesse Weber, I'll. speak to you next time.