ASHVILLE, NY – A teenager has been charged with 1st degree manslaughter in the death of a toddler in Ashville.
According to Chautauqua County District Attorney David Foley, autopsy results show that two-year-old Joshua Jock Jr. died as a result of strangulation and his death has been ruled a homicide.
The incident took place Monday night at a residence at 5227 Rt 474 in Ashville. The location also serves as a daycare facility known as Little Racer’s Daycare – but authorities say the death was not an incident at the daycare facility. The Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies were called to the location Tuesday.
According to a report from YNN News, the Joshua’s parents said their son was in the custody of Paula Mason Reeves, who is Joshua’s maternal great aunt and who also operates the daycare facility.
A 14-year-old female was charged with manslaughter in the first and arraigned Tuesday night. Bail was set at $1 million cash. Foley said she’ll be tried as a juvenile offender.
The state Office of Children and Family Services has suspended the day care’s license. Reeves also reportedly operated and voluntarily closed two family day care programs prior to opening this daycare in 2008.
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