Ohio woman charged with homicide of her mother in Southfield

A 22-year-old lady from Cincinnati, Ohio has been charged with first-degree homicide and felony assault with a firearm for the deadly taking pictures of her mom in Southfield.

Riley Donaldson is accused of getting into her mom’s dwelling within the 18000 block of Bainbridge Drive on Oct. 5 round 11:30 p.m., armed with a firearm she allegedly used to kill 45-year-old Ada Mae Simmons-Jones. In her haste to depart the Bainbridge Drive dwelling after the taking pictures, Donaldson left her purse behind, in response to Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren. The firearm used within the killing has not but been recovered, Barren added.

Investigators used surveillance video and different expertise to find out that Donaldson was within the dwelling for only some minutes — when the homicide allegedly occurred — after which instantly fled to Ohio, Barren mentioned. They tracked her automobile’s return to Michigan two hours later, Barren mentioned, and she or he was arrested Oct. 6 throughout a site visitors cease in Detroit.

Barren mentioned Simmons-Jones was the authorized guardian of Donaldson’s three-year-old daughter, and conflicts with custodial preparations are believed to have performed a task within the killing. The three-year-old baby was within the dwelling on the time of the deadly taking pictures, as was Simmons-Jones’ 77-year-old mother-in-law, however neither was injured within the incident, Barren mentioned. The three-year-old is now within the care of her grandfather.

Simmons-Jones was pronounced lifeless on the scene.

“Our investigation revealed that this homicide, this homicide, was premeditated,” Barren mentioned.

Simmons-Jones’ mother-in-law advised police she heard three or 4 gunshots inside the home after which noticed somebody operating out the door, Barren mentioned.

Just a few weeks earlier than the deadly taking pictures, Simmons-Jones contacted police to report that Donaldson had taken the three-year-old baby and fled dwelling from Bainbridge Drive, stealing Simmons-Jones’ automobile and canine. The kid and automobile have been subsequently present in Toledo, Ohio, and Simmons-Jones declined to press prices in opposition to her daughter. The canine has not been discovered, Barren mentioned.

Simmons-Jones had additionally reported that her daughter had a historical past of psychological sickness, however Barren mentioned he believes proof reveals Donaldson was conscious of what she was doing when she killed her mom. “In my 28 years in regulation enforcement, I’ve seen severe psychological sickness the place that particular person does not perceive what they’re doing…this is not it,” Barren mentioned.

He additionally mentioned Donaldson is “very conscious of the justice system” and requested an lawyer after her arrest. A choose makes use of a particular course of to find out whether or not psychological sickness is the reason for a suspect’s actions, Barren mentioned, however at the moment “we’re not permitting psychological well being to be a cop-out.”

Donaldson is being held within the Oakland County Jail with out bond. Her subsequent court docket look is scheduled for Oct. 22 for a possible trigger convention earlier than forty sixth District Decide Shelia Johnson.