- Jackleen Mullen, 26, was found guilty of murder by child abuse and aiding and abetting murder by child abuse in the murder of India Heavenly Lacey Martin
- Authorities determined the cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head
- Mullen’s boyfriend, Audrevious Williams, has also been charged with murder and murder
A South Carolina mother was sentenced to 30 years in prison after being found guilty of murder for killing her disabled four-year-old daughter along with her boyfriend.
Jackleen Mullen, 26, was found guilty of murder by child abuse and aiding and abetting murder by child abuse. The court found her not guilty of murder.
Her daughter, India Heavenly Lacey Martin, had special needs and could neither speak nor walk without assistance.
When she was reported missing, police went to the home where Mullen and her boyfriend, Audrevious Williams, lived in India to question them about the child’s whereabouts in May 2020.
Authorities said Mullen lied about her daughter’s whereabouts and that she was visiting a relative’s home Rock Hill Herald reports.
Jackleen Mullen, 26, was found guilty of murder by child abuse and aiding and abetting murder by child abuse. The court found her not guilty of murder
Police later said the mother “showed no emotion” during the investigation or when the child’s body was discovered
Bodycam footage shows police asking: “You want to go to jail for murder. Where is that child? She’s dead and we know it.’
“My child is not dead,” Mullen responded in the video, “My child is at Cindy’s house.”
But further investigation revealed that India’s body had been stuffed into a chest of drawers in their bedroom.
A medical examiner determined her cause of death to be blunt force trauma to the head.
Police later said the mother “showed no emotion” during the investigation or when the child’s body was discovered.
Detective Keenan McCrorey said in court during Mullen’s trial: ‘Officers were able to make contact with those family members, who confirmed that India was not with them at the time.
“Mullen showed no emotion when confronted with this information and continued to insist that India was in North Carolina.”
Williams has also been charged with murder and murder. It is expected that it will be on the stand this week.
During Mullen’s trial, prosecutors also told the court that she came to police headquarters and admitted to forgery in a separate case, while still lying about her daughter’s death.
Audrevious Williams has also been charged with murder and murder. It is expected that it will be on the stand this week
According to CN2Mullen was charged after her child was born prematurely and tested positive for cocaine in 2016.
Court testimony revealed that Mullen and Williams share a one-year-old child, and that both parents have children from previous relationships.
The judge has ruled that neither of them can have any contact with their children while the case is pending.
During Mullen’s trial, prosecutors also told the court that she came to police headquarters and admitted to forgery in a separate case, while still lying about her daughter’s death.
16th Circuit Solicitor’s Office Assistant U.S. Attorney John Anthony said, “While her child was dead in her home, Ms. Mullen came here to the Moss Justice Center and pleaded guilty to that forgery.”
Mullen has been allowed by the court to serve her sentence consecutively and, under state law, will have to serve at least 85 percent of her sentence before she can apply for parole.
