Hinze is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Takoda Collins, who is the son of her boyfriend Al-Mutahan McLean. McLean is charged with murder (proximate result) in connection to his son’s death.
Authorities say Hinze and Ebert lived in the same home on Kensington Avenue when Takoda died in December after suffering “extreme abuse.”
Ebert pleaded guilty in May to involuntary manslaughter, a felony in the third degree, and endangering children, a felony in the second degree, prosecutors said.
Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck Jr. previously said Ebert has not been sentenced. Prosecutors declined to discuss whether Ebert was cooperating with them. However, the motion filed by defense attorney Dennis Lieberman says Ebert’s grand jury statements were “made in order to pursue a plea agreement with the State of Ohio.”
“Co-defendant Jennifer Ebert testified before the grand jury in the above-captioned matter which led to a supplemental indictment against defendant Amanda Hinze,” the motion says. “Testimony before the grand jury is believed to be inconsistent with her prior statements made to law enforcement...”
Lieberman declined to comment when reached by the Dayton Daily News.
Exactly who said what to law enforcement has not been made available to the public as authorities continue to investigate and prosecute the case. However, an affidavit filed in the Dayton Municipal Court case says that McLean, Hinze and Ebert were interviewed by Dayton Police shortly after Takoda’s death.
“The interviews revealed that Takoda was kept naked in a dirty, locked, dark attic and abused daily over the course of several years,” the affidavit says. “The interviews also revealed that Takoda was held underwater and gasping for breath prior to succumbing to his injuries."
“McLean physically and emotionally abused Takoda while Hinze and Ebert allowed it and at times reported to McLean if Takoda was not doing what he was supposed to (standing with his legs crossed and bent over for extended amounts of time. Hinze and Ebert knew that reporting to McLean would result in a beating. None of the parties attempted to get Takoda help during these years of abuse,” the affidavit says.
A search warrant obtained by the Dayton Daily News also says “during the course of the interviews, information (was) obtained from all three subjects referencing items used in child abuse. These items include a pink taser, metal spatula, a green cot and plastic covers.”
Authorities in that search warrant say Takoda was tortured and abused.
It is unclear whether McLean also requested to see Jennifer Ebert’s testimony, as his case has been sealed from both the public and the media.
Hinze and McLean are both due back in court in September for a motion to suppress hearing.
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