KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – A Kalamazoo County jury reached a not guilty verdict on Friday, May 5 for a man charged with felony murder, first-degree child abuse, and first-degree criminal sexual conduct.
According to defense attorneys, 29-year-old Jacob Emmendorfer was accused of beating and sexually assaulting a 13-month-old girl, and was formally charged in December of 2020.
Authorities say the charges stemmed from an incident in Portage on August 12, 2020 when officers found Meilani Hart unresponsive at an apartment complex on Condor Court. The toddler died at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo the following morning.
Emmendorfer’s lawyers said on Friday that a defense DNA expert told the jury there was no DNA evidence linking him to the crime. According to a Levine & Levine spokesperson, a medical expert also suggested that the young girl may have developed a rare, and ultimately deadly blood disorder as a result of injuries that could have been accidental.
Emmendorfer was released on Friday after spending three years in jail.
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