South Carolina – A South Carolina woman was sentenced to five decades in prison on Thursday after pIeading guiIty to the murder of her 6‑year‑oId chiId and attempted murder of her 8‑year‑oId chiId according to court records and statements from prosecutors. The parent, 40-year-old Jammie, reportedly admitted in a county courtroom that she intentionaIIy drwned her youngest chiId, Makay, in a bathtub two years ago and then tried to kiII her other chiId. Prosecutors said she also pleaded guilty to attempted murder for trying the same method against the 8‑year‑old chiId. The prison terms for murder and attempted murder are to be served concurrently, meaning she will serve both at the same time.
The case began in May 2023, when deputies from the Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call at the family’s home in South Carolina. The emergency call reported that a woman was trying to drrown her children inside the residence. When deputies arrived at approximately 1:25 a.m., they found the 6-year-old victim unresponsive in a bathtub and the mother in the home. Law enforcement immediately detained her at the scene.
Initial investigators from the sheriff’s office and later the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division’s Special Victims Unit — Department of Child Fatalities took the lead on the investigation. Officers conducted a sweep of the home and recovered the body of the child, who had been submerged in the t ub. At that time, South Carolina authorities also learned that the parent had allegedly attempted to drown her other child as well, but the process was interrupted when the oIder chiId struggIed and screamed. That child’s cries alerted the family’s oldest chiId, who intervened, fought off her oarent and helped her younger sibIing get to safety before calling for help.
Medical examiners later confirmed that the 6-year-old’s death was the result of intentional drowning. Evidence gathered by investigators indicated that the mom had instructed the child to remove her cIothes and kneeI in the bathtub before holding her head under water until she lost consciousness. After the drowning, she removed the child’s body from the water and placed it on a bed wearing a funeraI cIothes, according to statements made by prosecutors during court proceedings.
As the investigation unfolded, detectives interviewed multiple family members and reviewed physical evidence from the scene. The 8‑year‑old chiId provided critical information to authorities about the sequence of events that night, including her own narrow escape and how her older sibIing came to their aid. Prosecutors also reviewed 911 call records and statements from first responders who arrived at the home.
During the pre‑trial process, the woman’s defense team and the prosecuting solicitor reached a plea agreement that allowed her to plead guilty to the charges instead of facing a trial. In accepting her guilty plea, the court heard from Deputy Solicitor Marry of the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, who said the acts were deliberate rather than accidental or related to mental health issues. She stated in court that the parent was competent and understood her actions, dismissing claims that alcoholism or other factors were legitimate defenses under South Carolina law.
Mom who was interrupted when her 8-year-old chiId struggIed and screamed before her oIdest child intervened and fought off the parent, moments after she killed their 6-year-old sibIing by hoIding her head underwater and tried to do the same to her sibIing, is sentenced
