The Springfield Township investigation began with an unresponsive infant and ended with convictions of both adults charged in the case.
AKRON, Ohio — What began as an emergency call for an unresponsive 11-month-old girl at a Springfield Township motel developed into a lengthy child-abuse investigation that has now resulted in life prison sentences for the infant’s father and his girlfriend.
Jamilee Hunt, 38, became the second defendant in the case to receive a life sentence when Summit County Common Pleas Court Judge Joy Malek Oldfield sentenced her Monday. Hunt can first seek parole after 55 years. Her boyfriend and co-defendant, Jason Santos, 38, was sentenced to life in prison in April after pleading guilty to eight felony charges involving his daughter.
The case dates to Nov. 22, 2024, when Springfield Township police officers and fire personnel were sent to the Red Roof Inn on South Arlington Road. A 911 caller had reported an unresponsive infant. First responders began CPR and were able to revive the girl, but officers noticed extensive bruising and other signs that prompted further investigation.
The infant was taken to Akron Children’s Hospital in critical condition. Prosecutors said medical providers found fractures involving her ribs, arms and legs, along with other serious injuries. Some fractures were in different stages of healing. Further medical evaluation found a traumatic brain injury, internal bleeding and evidence consistent with sexual assault.
Investigators soon focused on Santos and Hunt, who were staying at the motel with the child. Authorities said Hunt initially identified herself as “Nicole Abare.” Investigators later determined that was not her identity. Prosecutors also said the explanations given about the girl’s injuries changed and did not match the medical findings.
A Summit County grand jury indicted Santos and Hunt in December 2024 on charges including rape, felonious assault and endangering children. Hunt faced an additional child-endangering charge. The allegations moved through the court system separately this year, producing a guilty plea in one case and a jury verdict in the other.
Santos, of Stony Creek, New York, pleaded guilty in April to rape of a child under 13, five counts of felonious assault and two counts of endangering children. He was sentenced to life in prison, with parole eligibility after serving between 55 and 59 years. He was also classified as a Tier III sex offender.
Hunt, of Hudson Falls, New York, proceeded to trial. A Summit County jury convicted her in April of one count of rape of a child under 13, five counts of felonious assault and three child-endangering counts. Her sentencing was later held Sept. 28, when Oldfield imposed a life term with parole eligibility after 55 years.
The court also classified Hunt as a Tier III sex offender. If Hunt is eventually released from prison, she will be subject to sex-offender registration requirements, including registration with the local sheriff every 90 days. Given the minimum period she must serve before becoming eligible for parole, the sentence leaves open only a distant possibility of release.
The child survived the injuries that triggered the original emergency response. Summit County Prosecutor Elliot Kolkovich’s office said after Hunt’s conviction that she was safe and continuing to heal with a new guardian. Her name has not been publicly disclosed in the prosecution materials reviewed for this report, and it is being withheld because she is a minor and the victim of sexual abuse.
With Hunt’s sentencing, both defendants charged in the investigation have received life sentences. Santos entered his guilty plea while Hunt was convicted by a jury, but the cases arose from the same November 2024 emergency response and subsequent investigation into the infant’s injuries.
Author note: Last updated September 29, 2026.