OSKALOOSA – The Oskaloosa Police Department and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation announced an arrest in the death investigation regarding an 18 month-old girl in Oskaloosa, Iowa. On February 4, 2014, investigators with the Oskaloosa police department and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation arrested Alicia Marie Ritenour, age 20. Ritenour is the mother of Ava Ritenour, 18 months old.
Alicia Ritenour has been charged with Murder in the First Degree, a class “A” felony and Child Endangerment Resulting in Death, a class “B” felony. Ritenour is being held in the Mahaska County Jail. Ritenour’s bond has been set at $25,000 for the “B” felony and no bond for the class “A” felony.
On Friday, January 24, 2014, at approximately 2:11 p.m., the Oskaloosa PD received a 911 call from Apartment 224 at the Southern Hills Apartment Complex located at 18th Avenue East in Oskaloosa. Upon arriving at the scene, Officers found Ava Ritenour, 18 months old, deceased.
According to a complaint, a witness stated that he heard a “loud thump” during the middle of the previous night coming from the room where the infant sleeps, while the mother was alone in the room with the infant. Witnesses established that that the defendant was alone again in the morning around 8:30 AM with the infant and no other person had contact with the infant until she was found shortly after 2:00 PM on January 24th. The infant had been deceased for a significant period of time when found by law enforcement.
An autopsy was performed at the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner on the body of Ava Ritneour on January 25 and 26, 2014, by Dr. Michele Catellier, who determined the cause of death to be trauma to the head.
The manner of death will be classified as a homicide.
The investigation by the Oskaloosa PD, Division of Criminal Investigation, Mahaska County Attorney’s office and the Iowa Attorney General’s office is ongoing.
SUBJECT IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY
