Rashad Turner (DOB: 4-8-90) and Denisha Woodsking (DOB: 10-1-90) have been sentenced in the death of their daughter, two-year-old Jada’Marie Glenn-Turner. Jada’Marie died from accidental fentanyl intoxication.
On February 24, 2020, police were called to the Crosslands Motel at 715 Kipling Street in Lakewood regarding a child who was not breathing. When police and other first responders arrived, the child was determined to be deceased.
Turner, Woodsking, Jada’Marie, and two other young children had been living at the motel for several days prior to Jada’Marie’s death. During a search of the motel room, police found a trash bag that contained drugs such as Xanax, oxycontin, heroin, Suboxone, and marijuana.
Following the autopsy and toxicology report, the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office found that Jada’Marie had ingested fentanyl that was present in the motel room; her cause of death was ruled as fentanyl intoxication.
On March 1, 2021, Mr. Turner and Ms. Woodsking each pleaded guilty to Child Abuse Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury (F3). On April 6, 2021, facing 16-22 years in the Department of Corrections, District Court Judge Phillip McNulty sentenced Rashad Turner to 20 years in prison. Judge McNulty noted that Mr. Turner had three prior felonies and was on probation at the time of the toddler’s death.
Yesterday, Denisha Woodsking appeared in person for her sentencing and also faced between 16-22 years in prison. Senior Deputy District Attorney Kelley Dziedzic told the court, “we do not doubt the significant grief experienced by Ms. Woodsking and her family, however, this case didn’t occur in a vacuum,” as she detailed Ms. Woodsking’s involvement and criminal history and asked the court to impose the same twenty-year prison sentence as Mr. Turner. SDDA Dziedzic argued that “twenty-years would serve as recognition of the seriousness of the offense, as reflective of the fact that Mrs. Woodsking has been given multiple opportunities to address the issues that brought us to today, and as acknowledgment of the parity of culpability between Ms. Woodsking and Mr. Turner.”
Ms. Woodsking also addressed the court and spoke of the tremendous loss she suffered as a result of her carelessness. She further told the court, “Jada’Marie was beautiful, smart, and she loved her family.” Ms. Woodsking apologized to her children who were separated after the incident and said, “all I can do now is grow and get the help I need so I can be a better mom.”
Speaking directly to Ms. Woodsking, Judge Phillip McNulty stated, “I’m sorry for the loss of Jada’Marie; even though you had a hand in it, I can’t imagine losing a child.” He further stated that he did find significant differences in Ms. Woodsking’s involvement and background, in comparison to Mr. Turner, and sentenced Ms. Woodsking to 16 years in prison.