A Dauphin County couple is charged in connection with a baby's death.Jose Melendez Pedilla is charged with first-degree murder, child endangerment and other offenses.Layla Souders is charged with third-degree murder, child endangerment and other offenses.Both are in Dauphin County Prison.Susquehanna Township Police responded to an apartment on the 3200 block of Wakefield Road on Friday, March 28 for a 4-month-old child in cardiac arrest. The caller and the only person with the baby in the apartment was Pedilla. The child was on the floor of a rear bedroom, according to investigators. She was not breathing and was not responsive. The officer performed CPR until EMS arrived. Pedilla told the officer the baby was his girlfriend's daughter and he was taking care of her while she was at work. "(Pedilla) advised he was feeding (the child) a bottle of formula and she was crying, had a seizure, and became unresponsive. He said he attempted CPR and called 911," the affidavit of probable cause states. At the hospital, the baby was found to have a compound fracture of her right femur and she remained unresponsive, police said. A county spokesperson said the cause of death of Ioni Souders was multiple traumatic injuries. The death was ruled a homicide.Child's mother alleges abuseWhen police talked to Pedilla's girlfriend, the baby's mother, she told them Pedilla had been punching the baby in the head, throwing her around, kicking chairs she was sitting in and that he punched the baby's right thigh. The abuse had been going on since February, according to the affidavit.Police said they read Pedilla his Miranda rights in Spanish and he admitted to punching the child in the right thigh the previous Saturday. Forgery chargesDuring the investigation, investigators said they spotted, in plain sight, a fake permanent resident card with Pedilla's picture on it. However, the name on the card said "Ruddy Suero Diaz," according to police. "(Pedilla) advised that it was a fraudulent card that he used to get employment," the affidavit states. Police said they also found a Social Security card with the same name on it. Police said Pedilla's legitimate Visa expired on Jan. 12, 2025.
SUSQUEHANNA TOWNSHIP, Pa. —
A Dauphin County couple is charged in connection with a baby's death.
Jose Melendez Pedilla is charged with first-degree murder, child endangerment and other offenses.
Layla Souders is charged with third-degree murder, child endangerment and other offenses.
Both are in Dauphin County Prison.
Susquehanna Township Police responded to an apartment on the 3200 block of Wakefield Road on Friday, March 28 for a 4-month-old child in cardiac arrest. The caller and the only person with the baby in the apartment was Pedilla.
The child was on the floor of a rear bedroom, according to investigators. She was not breathing and was not responsive. The officer performed CPR until EMS arrived.
Pedilla told the officer the baby was his girlfriend's daughter and he was taking care of her while she was at work.
"(Pedilla) advised he was feeding (the child) a bottle of formula and she was crying, had a seizure, and became unresponsive. He said he attempted CPR and called 911," the affidavit of probable cause states.
At the hospital, the baby was found to have a compound fracture of her right femur and she remained unresponsive, police said.
A county spokesperson said the cause of death of Ioni Souders was multiple traumatic injuries. The death was ruled a homicide.
Child's mother alleges abuse
When police talked to Pedilla's girlfriend, the baby's mother, she told them Pedilla had been punching the baby in the head, throwing her around, kicking chairs she was sitting in and that he punched the baby's right thigh. The abuse had been going on since February, according to the affidavit.
Police said they read Pedilla his Miranda rights in Spanish and he admitted to punching the child in the right thigh the previous Saturday.
Forgery charges
During the investigation, investigators said they spotted, in plain sight, a fake permanent resident card with Pedilla's picture on it. However, the name on the card said "Ruddy Suero Diaz," according to police.
"(Pedilla) advised that it was a fraudulent card that he used to get employment," the affidavit states.
Police said they also found a Social Security card with the same name on it.
Police said Pedilla's legitimate Visa expired on Jan. 12, 2025.
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