Sheriff Asks for Tips in Reopened Death of Infant Leo Whitehead

CEDAR SPRINGS — The Kent County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help as investigators reopen a 2021 child death case connected to Irene Whitehead, the Cedar Springs mother charged earlier this month with the murder of her 2-year-old daughter, Ryleigh.

“We are looking for tips into what we believe was the 2021 murder of Leo Whitehead,” Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young announced during a press conference Monday. “Leo was the 2-month-old son of Irene Whitehead, who is now charged with murder for the death of her 2-year-old daughter.”

Whitehead, 27, was arraigned on December 1 on charges of first-degree child abuse and first-degree murder in connection with Ryleigh’s death. Following her confession in late November, detectives began reviewing the circumstances of Leo’s death, which until now had been ruled natural.

According to Sheriff LaJoye-Young, similarities between Ryleigh’s and Leo’s deaths prompted detectives to reopen the earlier case as a homicide investigation. Court records reveal that during a police interview on November 25, Whitehead admitted to suffocating her daughter, Ryleigh, and signed a statement that read, “I killed them (Ry/Leo),” referring to both of her children.

Leo died in the fall of 2021 at just 2 months old. At the time, the Kent County Medical Examiner listed his death as natural, citing “parainfluenza viral-type pneumonia.” That conclusion, the sheriff said, was based partly on statements made by Whitehead during the initial investigation. “Now, with additional information, the emerging pattern and Whitehead’s own statements, the cause of death has been changed to homicide,” LaJoye-Young said.

Leo’s body was cremated following the autopsy, meaning a second examination will not be possible.

Sheriff LaJoye-Young, who has served in Kent County law enforcement for decades, called the case “one of the most disturbing and deliberate acts” she’s ever encountered. “It does happen that a mother would be responsible for the death of her child,” she said. “But something so deliberate and over time … I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Investigators believe Ryleigh’s repeated hospitalizations, once thought to be due to chronic breathing problems, were actually caused by suffocation, allegedly at the hands of her mother. Whitehead was previously the subject of multiple Children’s Protective Services investigations, the sheriff confirmed. However, none of those inquiries found evidence of immediate danger.

Additionally, detectives say Whitehead sought treatment for her children at several different hospitals and clinics, which may have made it more difficult to identify a pattern of harm over time. As part of their renewed investigation, authorities are also reviewing Whitehead’s past in Georgia, including possible interactions with law enforcement, medical personnel, and child welfare agencies.

Sheriff LaJoye-Young said investigators are "also looking into any possible abuse cases involving the other children,” adding that “there is information we are actively vetting.”

Court records show that Whitehead is the mother of four children and filed separate paternity cases for each. Paternity was never established for Leo or Ryleigh, according to court filings. The fathers of her two surviving children have since been granted custody.

Authorities are urging anyone with information about Leo’s death, or the family’s history in Michigan or Georgia, to contact the Kent County Sheriff’s Office or Silent Observer.

“This has been an incredibly emotional case for investigators and for the community,” LaJoye-Young said. “But our focus now is finding the truth and finding justice for these children.”