South Milwaukee residents Jerome Millen and Christina Collado are each facing felony charges after Collado's 4-year-old daughter died.

Millen, 22, could face life in prison if convicted of a single felony count of physical abuse of a child resulting in death. Collado, 21, could face up to 60 years in prison if convicted of felony child neglect, according to two criminal complaints filed in Milwaukee County Circuit Court.

South Milwaukee police responded around 7 a.m. Feb. 28 to a residence in the 400 block of Montana Avenue for an unresponsive girl. Despite lifesaving efforts, the child was pronounced dead on-scene.

According to the criminal complaints:

Investigators found numerous bruises on the girl, who was only wearing a diaper, along with a burn injury and what appeared to be “a human bite mark."

Family members and others told police Millen had repeatedly physically abused the child in the past, and that when he disciplined the girl, he often went too far.

Millen left the residence shortly before emergency personnel arrived. Police later found him at a friend's house.

Millen admitted to covering the girl’s mouth multiple times Feb. 27, including smothering her with a pillow. He also admitted to striking the child multiple times.

When told the girl was dead, Millen said, “so my life is over.”

“If all the injuries caused (her) to die, it’s my fault, my fault,” he told police. “If she suffocated that is my responsibility and I killed that child.”

Collado said she knew Millen was abusing her daughter, adding that if she’d properly protected her child the girl would still be alive.

The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy and made a preliminary ruling that the girl’s death was homicide with findings consistent with suffocation.

Both Millen and Collado were scheduled to make initial court appearances Tuesday. Millen was ordered held on a $250,000 cash bond; Collado's bond was set at $50,000.

Contact Erik S. Hanley at (262) 875-9467 or erik.hanley@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ES_Hanley.