08-09-2011, 05:30 PM
The Detroit News
Detroit — A suspect in the death of 5-year-old Mariha Smith is behind bars — for violating probation, not murder.
Three days after hundreds turned out for her funeral, the boyfriend of one of her aunts, Darnell Cheatham, was jailed for 45 days Monday.
A probation officer described him in court as a "suspect in a homicide," but the 19-year-old was put behind bars for testing positive for marijuana last week while on probation for second-degree home invasion. It was Cheatham's second violation since he was sentenced in April.
Relatives said Cheatham is the boyfriend of Mariha's aunt, Quanita Smith.
Both failed lie detector tests in the days following the girl's death on the west side, and family members said they haven't seen the couple in more than a week.
Cheatham's attorney argued that prosecutors are holding him because they do not have evidence to charge him in the Mariha case. YET!
![[Image: 28800796_640X360.jpg]](http://www.clickondetroit.com/2011/0808/28800796_640X360.jpg)
Detroit — A suspect in the death of 5-year-old Mariha Smith is behind bars — for violating probation, not murder.
Three days after hundreds turned out for her funeral, the boyfriend of one of her aunts, Darnell Cheatham, was jailed for 45 days Monday.
A probation officer described him in court as a "suspect in a homicide," but the 19-year-old was put behind bars for testing positive for marijuana last week while on probation for second-degree home invasion. It was Cheatham's second violation since he was sentenced in April.
Relatives said Cheatham is the boyfriend of Mariha's aunt, Quanita Smith.
Both failed lie detector tests in the days following the girl's death on the west side, and family members said they haven't seen the couple in more than a week.
Cheatham's attorney argued that prosecutors are holding him because they do not have evidence to charge him in the Mariha case. YET!