A woman based in Illinois has been accused of beating her boyfriend’s 4-year-old to death while claiming he died after slipping on a wet floor while she was asleep.
Lesli Jett, 33, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder with intent to kill a child under the age of 12 and one count of aggravated battery, according to WMBD, Mix1068 and the Journal Star.
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If Jett is found guilty on any of the murder counts, she could face up to 100 years in prison.
Jett was accused of murdering her boyfriend’s son, Tate “T.T.” Thurman, after Tate was found unresponsive by first responders on Feb. 18.
That day, Jett had called 911 to report the boy was suffering from cardiac arrest but when first responders came to the family’s East Peoria home, they called police as Tate’s body was covered in bruises and Jett’s phone call had seemed suspicious to them.
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Jett alleges how the boy had “slipped on some water and fell on the floor and immediately became unresponsive,” according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by multiple outlets.
According to the affidavit, Jett and another child, 2, were sleeping at the time of the incident.
Tate was then transported to a hospital in critical condition, where doctors found he was suffering from internal bleeding due to a large intestinal tear. In addition, his body was also covered in extensive bruising and lacerations. Doctors believe Tate fell into a coma 30 minutes after the bleeding began.
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After two days, Tate never regained consciousness. Jett along with Tate’s father has insisted that the injuries were from his fall and not abuse.
The Peoria County Coroner said Tate’s injuries were “grossly inconsistent” with Jett’s story, according to WMBD.
The autopsy revealed Tate suffered from a fractured collarbone, deep muscular bruising and extensive contusions and abrasions across his body, including his buttocks and genital area. Jett’s bond was set at $3 million