A Daytona Beach mother was sentenced to 32 years in prison for the death of her 14-year-old son, who weighed only 33 pounds at the time of his death.
Talia Nelson pleaded no contest to aggravated manslaughter of a child and aggravated child abuse, according to prosecutors. Investigators said she neglected and physically abused her son, ultimately causing his death on January 1, 2024.
Nelson claimed her son suffered from a rare bone disease, lactose intolerance, and bulimia, but records show he had not been taken to a doctor in years. Authorities also noted fresh bruises on his face and scars across his torso, back, and legs.
“This case brought tears to my eyes when I saw the condition of our teenage victim,” said R.J. Larizza. “It is incomprehensible for a mother to neglect and torture her own flesh and blood to the extent we uncovered in this case. How could she watch her son suffer for weeks and months and years until he weighed less than a typical 7-year-old child? Heartless and cruel are words that come to mind. May he rest in peace, and may she be forever haunted by her brutal and vicious crime.”
