Woman Who Fed Toddler Antifreeze Before Starving Him To Death Gets 47 Years In Prison

A 27-year-old Pennsylvania woman, who fed a two-year-old child antifreeze and starved him to death, has been sentenced to serve up to 47 years in state prison.

Jedayah Nesmith was sentenced Monday after she pleaded guilty to third-degree murder, endangering the welfare of a child, abuse of a corpse and related charges, reports NBC Philadelphia.

The murder came to light after her ex-boyfriend alerted the police. Nesmith had tried to pay him $1,000 to dispose of the two-year-old victim, but he refused and contacted the police. The baby's remains were found in an apartment at West Oak Lane on March 22, 2017.

The man streamed his visit to Nesmith's apartment on Facebook live fearing he would be blamed for the killing. Neither the man nor the toddler's mother was charged with his death.

Upon discovery and inspection, the toddler was found to have physical injuries to the head and body, besides signs of starvation and dehydration. He was also naked and emaciated. The injuries, including a brain hemorrhage, were so extensive that the Medical Examiner’s Office had difficulty determining a cause of death.

Reports said Nesmith was the girlfriend of the victim's mother at the time of the killing. The child's mother had asked her to house the boy while she worked. When the mother, who lived at a different location, tried to maintain regular contact with her child, Nesmith lied to her, saying that the child was residing with her mother in the Poconos. On several occasions, Nesmith said she claimed she could not reach her mother on the phone.

According to Assistant District Attorney Nora Nienhagen Greenberg, Nesmith starved the child, denied him water and beat him. She ultimately abandoned him inside her apartment for at least several weeks.

"The criminal justice system can never bring back this beautiful two-year-old boy's life," District Attorney Larry Krasner said Monday.

"But I'm grateful to ADA Nora Nienhagan Greenberg for helping to hold this defendant accountable. I also cannot stress enough the important role that the public has in notifying social services and law enforcement if you believe a child's life is in danger. By working together, we can protect the lives of our most precious residents and avoid terrible, heartbreaking tragedies like this," Krasner added.