PORT GIBSON, Miss. (AP) - A Mississippi judge on Thursday sentenced a woman to life without parole, days after a jury convicted her of capital murder in the death of her 14-month old stepdaughter.
News outlets reported that the sentence was given to T’Kia Bevily after District Attorney Daniella Shorter decided not to seek the death penalty.
Bevily was convicted Friday of capital murder for the October 2017 death of 14-month-old Jurayah Smith.
The toddler’s father, Morris Bevily, is also charged with murder. His trial was scheduled to start this week, but it has been postponed.
Investigators said the toddler received multiple blunt-force injuries to her head and was killed while in custody of T’kia and Morris Bevily.
Morris and T’Kia Bevily were charged in 2019.
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