Neglect: The Streamer and the Silent Crib

Neglect: The Streamer and the Silent Crib

From Obscura: A True Crime Podcast by Justin Drown

April 14, 2026 · 30 min · Episode 201

About this episode

The episode examines the tragic case of a two-year-old boy who died of starvation while his mother streamed on Twitch.

A two-year-old boy was found dead in his crib in Clinton Township, Michigan, starved to death while his mother streamed on Twitch. Featuring real court audio from the sentencing, Obscura examines the 2023 case of Sierra Pearl Zaitona and Jonathon Matthew Cheek, two parents who let their child waste away in silence. The boy had been in foster care before being returned to his biological parents, Sierra Pearl Zaitona and Jonathon Matthew Cheek, both of Clinton Township. According to court records, the child was healthy and thriving under state care. The decision to reunify the family would prove fatal. What happened after his return would become one of Macomb County's most disturbing neglect cases in recent memory. On Thursday, March 16, 2023, Zaitona discovered her son dead in his crib and called 911. Cheek was not home at the time, instead visiting his own mother's residence. When first responders arrived at the Clinton Township home, they found the toddler beyond saving and living conditions that told a story of prolonged neglect. The Macomb County Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy and determined the cause of death was fatal starvation. A child who had once been healthy had…

Topics covered

  • neglect
  • true crime
  • child welfare
  • streaming
  • court case

Keywords

  • Clinton Township
  • Sierra Pearl Zaitona
  • Jonathon Matthew Cheek
  • Twitch
  • Macomb County

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Clinton Township, Michigan, Macomb County's, Macomb County

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