DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — Al-Mutahan McLean, the father of Takoda Collins, has been charged with four counts of murder by the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office.
McLean’s girlfriend, Amanda Hinze, who lived at McLean’s residence, was charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter. The charges were announced during a press conference on Wednesday by Prosecutor Matt Heck.
“I was outraged to learn of the horrific abuse Takoda endured,” Heck said. “No child should have to live in this kind of atmosphere.”
Collins, who was 10 years old, died on Dec. 13, 2019. He was pronounced dead at Dayton Children’s Hospital after Dayton police and medics transported him from his house on Kensington Drive after he was found unresponsive. McLean was later indicted for the rape of a child under 13 by force, two counts of felonious assault and four counts of endangering children.
Hinze was charged with four counts of endangering children. Jennifer Ebert, who also lived at the home, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in May.
McLean and Hinze will be indicted on those charges, as well as the additional counts announced on Wednesday, in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court on July 8 at 2 p.m. before Judge Dennis Adkins.
Collins’ death led to an outcry around the Miami Valley when the abuse he suffered came to light. Montgomery County Jobs and Family Services didn’t have an open case on Collins at the time he died.
Collins was pulled out of Horace Mann Elementary School by his father in May 2018 to homeschool him after teachers continued to report complaints about his abuse. Dayton Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Lolli told WDTN.com on Jan. 10 that teachers and staff at Horace Mann had made 17 complaints to the agency over abuse Collins suffered while he attended school.
After his death, Collins’ former teachers sent numerous emails to local State Representatives and State Senators. They expressed outrage over at the lack of action taken to protect Collins and called on reforms to the children’s services system.
The Dayton Police Department recently announced changes after an administrative review of its handling of the case. These changes include officers completing a memo when called for a welfare check.
This comes after after the commissioners ordered an investigation into the Children Services Division over the death of Takoda Collins after his school contacted local agencies 17 times about suspected abuse.
Review: Montgomery Co. Job and Family Services failed to meet state and federal standards
The investigation found that Montgomery County JFS failed to meet five of the seven federal data standards and four of the seven state standards.
