Couple Indicted in 2008 Death of Infant

A Seaside Heights couple has been indicted by an Ocean County grand jury on a count of manslaughter in the 2008 death of their 11-month-old baby.

Denise M. Manco and Rondell F. Moore were indicted last week on a count of second-degree manslaughter in the death of their child, referred to in the indictment as J.M., in Seaside Heights, on Sept. 12, 2008.

The indictment says J.M. was born Oct. 1, 2007. The pair also was indicted on a count of second-degree endangering the welfare of the child, J.M., and a count of third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance, stated by the indictment as being heroin.

"There was an ongoing investigation, and it was felt there was enough evidence to move forward (with an indictment) at this time," Ocean County Assistant Prosecutor Michael Weatherstone said.

Denise Manco's Facebook page includes a Sept. 12, 2011 tribute to Jaiden Rondell Moore, born Oct. 1, 2007, and died Sept. 12, 2008. She is a graduate of Toms River High School North, according to her profile.

Manco's status is unclear. She was not listed in the Ocean County Corrections Department's inmate information website today.

Moore, 37, is being held in the Ocean County Jail, Toms River, in lieu of $100,000 bail, on a charge of reckless manslaughter after he was arrested on Sept. 10, 2012, and on a charge of willful nonsupport, according to the Ocean County Corrections Department's inmate information website. The source of those charges is unclear.

In a separate incident, Manco and Moore were arrested last December after a raid on their Seaside Heights motel room resulted in the seizure of 122 bags of heroin and a small amount of marijuana. They were charged at that time with possession of heroin, possession of heroin under one half-ounce with intent to distribute, possession of heroin with intent to distribute in a recreational zone and possession of under 50 grams of marijuana.