TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A woman accused of brutally beating a 3-year-old boy to death in 2020 has been sentenced to life in prison, according to the Florida State Attorney’s Office for the Second Judicial Circuit.
Te’Lea Jefferson was arrested in October 2020 after bringing the child to a hospital with visible injuries, claiming he had fallen from a sink and hit his head on a toilet. However, the investigation revealed a far more disturbing truth.
Jefferson later confessed to striking the toddler “three or four times” with a tire iron because he wasn’t listening to her instructions, prosecutors said. She was indicted on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse with a deadly weapon.
A month after the child’s death, prosecutors initially pursued the death penalty against Jefferson. However, she was ultimately sentenced to life in prison for the horrific crime.
The 3-year-old victim was under Jefferson’s care while his mother was at work. Medical staff reported significant head trauma when the child arrived at the emergency room, prompting the investigation that led to Jefferson’s arrest and eventual conviction.
