Mother, Boyfriend Charged In Death Of 4-Year-Old Girl: Police

SOUTH MILWAUKEE, WI — A 22-year-old South Milwaukee man faces up to 40 years behind bars after authorities say he is the person responsible for strangling the daughter of his live-in girlfriend, resulting in the child's death. Authorities also say the girl's mother has been charged after she admitted that she did not do enough to protect her child.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Milwaukee County, Christina Collado, 21, and Jerome A. Millen, Jr., 22, have both been charged with chronic neglect of a child-consequence is death. If convicted, they face up to 40 years prison.

Authorities say Collado and Millen, Jr., her boyfriend, had been living together for the past four months with Collado's two children, a 4-year-old girl and an infant.

According to the criminal complaint, South Milwaukee Fire Department first responders were sent to their home on the 400 block of Montana Ave. in South Milwaukee at 7 a.m. on Feb. 28 on a report that the 4-year-old girl was not breathing and did not have a pulse.

Police said Collado called 911 as a family member attempted CPR on her 4-year-old daughter. Police said Millen, Jr. was "freaking out and that he had to get out of here." By the time police arrived, Millen, Jr. was gone, police said.

According to the criminal complaint, the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office performed an autopsy on the child. Authorities said the child's death was the result of a homicide after seeing bruising to the child's forehead and face, back of head and ears. Investigators in their report noted seeing a human bite mark on one arm, a swollen brain and signs of suffocation.

According to the criminal complaint, Collado told police what happened during the early-morning hours of Feb. 28. Police said Collado told investigators she went downstairs to perform a routine task. According to police, she admitted hearing a loud banging sound. Police said Collado went into the room and saw her daughter lying on the floor with Millen, Jr. over her.

According to police, she said Millen, Jr. slammed the girl's head into the floor twice and then held a pillow over her face, smothering her. Police said Collado continued her story, saying she saw the girl's arms and legs flailing in distress, as Millen, Jr. ordered her to go to sleep.

Police said Collado ordered Millen, Jr. to stop.

According to the criminal complaint, Collado admitted that if she properly protected her daughter, she would still be alive. When police questioned Collado and family members who also lived with the couple, they told Police that Millen, Jr. would often take disciplining the child "too far," the criminal complaint stated.

According to police, authorities later tracked down Millen, Jr. at a friend's house in South Milwaukee, and he was arrested without incident, the complaint stated.

When police questioned Millen, Jr., they also informed him that the girl died. When he heard this, he responded, "so my life is over," the criminal complaint stated. Authorities said Millen continued, saying “if all the injuries caused [her] to die, it’s my fault, my fault. If she suffocated that is my responsibility and I killed that child.”