Pennsylvania Caretaker Sentenced to 47 Years After 2-Year-Old Boy Dies of Beating, Eating Antifreeze

A 27-year-old Philadelphia lady caretaker faces at least two decades in prison after the little child, whom the she was babysitting, died of torture and antifreeze intake. The little boy's body was also discovered with symptoms of hunger and dehydration.

Jedayah Nesmith, 27, of the city's West Oak Lane area, was sentenced to 23 to 47 years in state prison for the 2-year-old boy's death in 2017. After pleading guilty to third-degree murder, endangering the welfare of a child, abuse of a corpse, and other charges, prosecutors announced the sentence on Monday.

Caretaker sentenced for two decades over Pennsylvania boy's death

Nesmith was the toddler's mother's girlfriend, and the mother had requested Nesmith to house the kid while she worked. The child, Azim Jones-Fearon, sustained such severe injuries while under Nesmith's care. The Medical Examiner's Office had trouble identifying his cause of death, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

He had been assaulted, was malnourished, had a brain bleed, and had antifreeze in his system, as per PennLive. When Nesmith tried to pay an ex-boyfriend $1,000 to dispose of the corpse, he went to the cops, who eventually found out what had happened.

District Attorney Larry Krasner said Monday the criminal justice system can never revive the life of the 2-year-old boy. However, He thanked ADA Nora Nienhagan Greenberg for keeping the defendant accountable.

The attorney also emphasized the importance of public notification on social services and law enforcement if people suspect a child's life is in danger. He urged the public to work together to protect the lives of the residents and prevent terrible, heartbreaking incidents like the death of Azim Jones-Fearon.

Suspect Is the girlfriend of the victim's mother

Per Crime Online, Jones-Fearon's mom had Nesmith look after a boy due to a change in her work schedule, according to Metro Philly. For a month and a half, the youngster lived with Nesmith. The caretaker misled the boy's mother about his location, stating that he was in the Poconos with her mother and that they couldn't be contacted by phone.

According to reports, Nesmith promised a man $1,000 for the body of Jones-Fearon. The guy recorded the conversation on Facebook Live and reported it to authorities, claiming he did so to expose Nesmith and proved he was not involved in the boy's murder. In this case, neither the guy nor Jones-Fearon's mother was prosecuted criminally.

In connection with Azim Jones-Fearon's death, the caretaker -girlfriend of the victim's mom- pleaded guilty to third-degree murder, child endangerment, and reckless endangerment in January 2020. The medical examiner found Jones-Fearon died as a result of homicidal violence, but the officials were unable to establish his specific cause of death.

Jones-Fearon was found dead and nude on a bed in Nesmith's residence, according to reports. The boy suffered multiple bruises and bone fractures, as well as a brain hemorrhage and antifreeze in his gastrointestinal system, according to the medical examiner. Anyone with suspicions of child abuse should contact the state's ChildLine, which may be reached at 1-800-932-0313.