Trouble seemed to follow the father, his family and the mother of an 8-month-old baby girl who died from injuries inside an Inkster motel room.
An emotional 22-year-old James Saltmarshall is charged with 1st Degree Murder and 1st Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct in the death of Janiyah Saltmarshall.
The 7 Investigators have learned the room at the Alpine Motel on Michigan Avenue in Inkster had been rented for 5 days.
Saltmarshall called 911 to say his baby fell and hit her head.
Police found alcohol but no drugs inside the room.
Saltmarshall gave a statement to police on video, but changed his story and would not explain other injuries on the baby, what is described as trauma that could be a sexual assault, too graphic for TV.
The mother had been in the room but left for work, leaving the baby with James.
Police say the mother should not have been there. She is not charged and her name has not been released. But she lost custody of the baby and another 3-year-old girl, removed by Child Protective Services.
The baby had been living with James’ mother in Detroit, but was removed by CPS on April 17, according to Detroit Police.
James Saltmarshall is facing life without parole if convicted. He is 22, the mother is 29. The cause of death is still pending, not yet determined by the Wayne County Medical Examiner.
