A married couple will spend the rest of their lives behind bars after their two-year-old toddler died as a result of being left in a scorching hot car along with three of his siblings. A fifth child of theirs, aged 3, also died of malnutrition after being rushed to hospital.
Deja and Justin Rollins were each handed a 70-year prison sentence to conclude what prosecutors called one of the most “disturbing” cases they’ve ever seen. The couple admitted to trapping their four children – aged 2, 4, 7, and 10 – inside a blistering car while they rushed their fifth child, aged 3, to a Little Rock Children’s Hospital in Arkansas on July 7, 2024, the Pulsaki County Attorney’s Office said.
Prosecutors said the couple’s 3-year-old died of severe malnutrition, sparking a police investigation into the tot’s siblings.
“This case is one of the most disturbing and heartbreaking our office has ever encountered”, prosecuting attorney Will Jones said in a statement.
He added: “Protecting children is the top priority of this office.
“There is no greater responsibility, and we will continue to do everything in our power to ensure that those who harm a child are held fully accountable.”
According to officials, mum Deja, 28, and dad Justin, 30, locked their four kids inside the boiling hot vehicle, which they parked at Arkansas Children’s Hospital as they rushed their 3-year-old in for “urgent medical treatment.”
Officers raced to the hospital after being alerted to a report of child abuse and neglect before finding the car outside the facility.
Deja and Justin meanwhile failed to tell cops where the vehicle was located, the Jacksonville Police Department said.
The children were taken into the hospital where they were treated for heat exhaustion, but tragically, the youngest – two-year-old Jay’Dien Rollins – died from fatal heat exhaustion and severe malnutrition the following day.
Another child, despite having survived the horror ordeal, was found to have suffered physical injuries consistent with ongoing abuse, according to prosecutors.
Police then allegedly found a malnourished dog at the neglectful couple’s home.
The animal was rescued and taken into the custody of Jacksonville Animal Services, officers said.
The married couple each pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder and first-degree domestic battery.
Prosecuting attorney Will Jones said: “Thanks to the coordinated efforts of these dedicated professionals, we were able to secure a resolution that reflects the gravity of these crimes and ensures these children will not be forgotten.”
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