Family fights mother's parole

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) - The family of a 4-year-old girl who was beaten to death by her mother in 1995 is working desperately to keep the killer behind bars. Jolynn Ritchie is up for parole in June.

"I just hope that God never shows her any mercy," said Dianna Wilson, Samantha Ritchie's cousin.

Samantha went missing from her Herman Avenue in July 1995, and Jolynn Ritchie pleaded for help in finding her daughter. The community joined the search, and Samantha's story spread across the nation. After a five day search, Samantha Ritchie's body was found brutally beaten in a watery pit at an abandoned foundry. It was pinned beneath metal and concrete.

"She laid in the house while we searched for days for Sam, she could of just come out and said what she did," said Williams.

Weeks later, Ritchie was arrested in her daughter's murder, along with a neighbor, Ernest Vernell Brooks. Police later said that Samantha walked in on Brooks and Ritchie having sex, which sparked the beating with Jolynn's arm cast. Both Brooks and Ritchie were convicted in connection with the killing.

In June, nearly 14 years since the conviction, Ritchie is up for parole. Ritchie's ex-husband, and Samantha's father, is passing around petitions along with his family in an attempt to keep Ritchie in prison.

"He's (Denton Ritchie) never going to see his daughter graduate, he's never going to see grandkids, he's never going to see her walk down the aisle, walk her down the aisle, so in my opinion, he's got a life sentence himself," said Williams. "He's been sentenced to life, so she needs to be there too."

Prosecutor Mat Heck has said he will oppose the parole of Jolynn Ritchie.