22-year-old shoots mother dead over custody of 3-year-old child, MI cops say

A 22-year-old woman killed her mother and fled, but forgot her purse at the scene, Michigan police said.

Riley Donaldson, an Ohio resident, bought a car, drove to her mother’s Michigan home and shot her to death on the night of Sunday, Oct. 5, the Southlake Police Department said in an Oct. 14 news briefing.

Officers arrived at the home to find Ada Mae Simmons-Jones, 45, unresponsive, with gunshot wounds to her chest, back and head, Chief Elvin Barren said. Also at the home were Simmons-Jones’ 3-year-old granddaughter, and her 77-year-old mother-in-law.

The mother-in-law told police that, at about 11:40 p.m., she heard several gunshots, and then someone ran out the front door, Barren said.

Neighborhood surveillance video captured a black Chrysler 300 arriving at the house, a person getting out and entering the house, then leaving in a hurry, all in the space of three minutes, Barren said.

But “in the hurry to flee from the scene, our suspect left her purse behind, which contained identifying items,” Barren said. The purse belonged to Donaldson, mother of the 3-year-old girl at the home, he added. Additionally, cell phone data shows Donaldson was at the address at the time of the killing.

Simmons-Jones had full custody of the girl, according to Barren.

Investigators believe the killing was premeditated, and “does center around … the custodial arrangements of the 3-year-old child.”

After the shooting, Donaldson drove back to Ohio for several hours, then went to Detroit, Barren said. During that time, police believe Donaldson got rid of the gun used to kill her mother, though it hasn’t been found as of Oct. 15.

Police spotted Donaldson’s black Chrysler in Detroit on Oct. 6, followed it, and arrested her in the parking lot of a CVS, officials said.

Despite having custody of Donaldson’s daughter, investigators say Simmons-Jones “was very accommodating,” letting Donaldson see the child whenever she wanted.

In late August, Simmons-Jones called police after Donaldson took the girl from the home, along with Simmons-Jones’ car and her dog. Police located the car and the girl, but not the dog, and Simmons-Jones refused to press charges, Barren said.

However, she petitioned for Donaldson to be hospitalized in a mental institution, and a mental health evaluation was conducted, Barren said. It’s unclear what, if anything, came of that effort.

Whether Donaldson struggles with mental health issues or not, Barren said she knew what she was doing.

“We’re not going to allow anyone to use mental health as an escape,” he said.

Donaldson is charged with murder, officials said.

Southfield is a suburb of Detroit, and a roughly 15-mile drive northwest from the city’s downtown.

No attorney information was available for Donaldson as of Oct. 15.

This story was originally published October 15, 2025 at 3:58 PM with the headline "22-year-old shoots mother dead over custody of 3-year-old child, MI cops say."