A Florida mother has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder after she allegedly directed her Rottweiler to attack a 9-year-old girl, resulting in her death.
A Lake County, Florida, mother has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder after she allegedly directed her Rottweiler to attack a 9-year-old girl, resulting in her death.
Tyshael Elise Martin, 34, was arrested near her Montverde home after 6 p.m. Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, and child neglect, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Florida Mother Arrested for Directing Rottweiler to Attack and Kill 9-Year-Old Girl
Emergency crews responded to Martin's home on June 17 after receiving a report that 9-year-old Jamaria Sessions was unresponsive. When emergency personnel arrived, they found the child with numerous abrasions, bruises, burns, and possible bite marks, prompting sheriff's deputies to respond.
An investigation conducted by the medical examiner indicated the child's injuries were consistent with physical abuse.
Florida Mother Arrested for Directing Rottweiler to Attack and Kill 9-Year-Old Girl
As part of the sheriff's office's investigation, detectives obtained video footage from the family's security system.
The videos reportedly showed that on the night of June 15, Jamaria was "viciously" attacked by the family's 103-pound Rottweiler. At the other end of the dog's leash was Martin, who allegedly directed the dog to assault the child.
Florida Mother Arrested for Directing Rottweiler to Attack and Kill 9-Year-Old Girl
Detectives also allege the video showed Martin kicking Jamaria repeatedly as she lay motionless on the floor.
The video also allegedly shows Martin dragging the girl's body across the floor while she struck and shook her. Authorities said Martin likely said, "I'm fixin' to kill her."
Investigators also unveiled interviews, videos, and text messages suggesting Jamaria's punishment included extended time sitting at a wall, running in place with her hands raised, being hit with various objects, and being kicked, punched, and pinched.
Investigators received the child's autopsy report Tuesday, which indicated Jamaria's cause of death was complications from multiple blunt injuries to the head, torso, and extremities, along with an injury to her right foot. Deputies said the manner of death was ruled homicide.
Martin was processed and booked into the Lake County jail, where she was held without bond.
The arrest of Martin comes just days after a Florida man was sentenced to death for the "cruel" murders of two women, one of whom was identified as his girlfriend.
Wade Wilson, known as the "Deadpool Killer," was convicted in April of killing 21-year-old Mercedes Leer and 37-year-old Diane Ruiz in 2016. Prosecutors described Wilson's actions during the attacks as "torture" and said he showed "no mercy or remorse."
Wilson's death sentence is the first such sentence handed down in Florida since 2017.
The recent cases of violence and abuse against children in Florida have raised concerns about the state's child protection services. In March, a Florida man was arrested for allegedly killing his 4-year-old son over a decade after his death during an unsupervised visit.
The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) has come under fire in recent years for its handling of child abuse cases. A 2019 report by the Miami Herald revealed that DCF had closed over 2,000 abuse cases in the past year without investigating them, putting children at risk.
In response to the criticism, DCF has announced plans to reform its child welfare system, including increasing staffing and improving training for caseworkers. However, it remains to be seen whether these reforms will be effective in preventing future tragedies.
