Reynoldsburg Couple Pleads Not Guilty in Death of 4-Year-Old Ja’Kai Smith
Columbus, Ohio – In a developing case from Reynoldsburg, Ohio, a young couple has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges in connection to the death of 4-year-old Ja’Kai Smith. On April 25, a Franklin County grand jury indicted Kailee Smith-Parks (19) and Linwood Allison Jr. (20) on a total of over 40 counts of child endangerment, along with one count each of aggravated murder and murder.
According to Franklin County Prosecutor Shayla Favor, the abuse allegedly began on March 21 and continued until April 10, when Smith-Parks brought Ja’Kai to Mount Carmel East. He was then transferred to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, where he tragically passed away.
Surveillance footage reportedly captured the couple harming Ja’Kai, according to the prosecutor’s office. Favor stated that the couple’s actions appeared intentional and sustained, resulting in the fatal injuries.
Franklin County Children Services (FCCS) confirmed that they had previously interacted with the family over child endangerment concerns in December 2023, although the case was closed before Ja’Kai’s death.
During the arraignment, Smith-Parks waived the reading of her indictment, while both she and Allison Jr. remain held without bond. As of now, no future court dates have been scheduled.
The case of Ja’Kai Smith has sparked widespread attention in Columbus and Franklin County, raising serious questions about child protection systems and how such a tragedy could occur despite prior intervention.
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