A 21-year-old Mississippi woman has been found guilty of murdering her two-month-old daughter by grabbing her ankles and repeatedly slamming her onto concrete.
Makaylia Shaylynn Jolley, of Pearl, was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty Monday to murder for slamming her daughter’s body into concrete multiple times and leaving her to die along the way.
After throwing Khalysie Lashay Jolley’s away, Makaylia ran into the nearby woods where she was later arrested.
The baby suffered extensive skull fractures, swelling of the brain, abrasions, bleeding in her eyes, a right elbow fracture, left thumb fracture and brain hemorrhages.
“This is an inexplicable and heinous crime against an innocent child,” District Attorney Bubba Bramlett said in announcing the verdict.
Makaylia Shaylynn Jolley, of Pearl, was sentenced to life in prison for slamming the body of her daughter, Khalysie Lashay Jolley, into concrete multiple times and leaving her to die on the road
The baby suffered extensive skull fractures, swelling of the brain, abrasions, bleeding in her eyes, a right elbow fracture, left thumb fracture and brain hemorrhages. She was taken to Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital, where she died two days later
After throwing Khalysie away, Makaylia ran into the nearby forest, where she was later taken into custody
Before being turned over to the Pearl Police Department, Makaylia was sent to the University of Mississippi Medical Center for “medical treatment and evaluation.”
During her assessment interview, the now-convicted mother revealed that she did not know why she killed her daughter and that the incident was an accident. Little baby Khalysie died in hospital two days later.
Authorities say Makaylia was using drugs the morning of the incident.
Bramlett praised the first responder and investigators for their work on the case.
“Those men and women will forever be affected by what they saw on May 12, 2022. The same woman who was supposed to love and support Khlaysie is the one who chose drugs over her children and caused Khlaysie’s death,” Barmlett said.
“Makaylia Jolley will die in prison where she belongs because she committed these crimes against her daughter.”
During her evaluation interview, the now convicted mother revealed that she did not know why she had killed her daughter
Authorities said she had used drugs the morning of the incident, but Jolley claimed the attack was an accident
“Makaylia Jolley will die in prison where she belongs because she committed these crimes against her daughter,” District Attorney Bubba Bramlett said.
Makaylia has an older son who is now in the care of his grandmother
A Rankin County grand jury indicted her on capital murder charges in November 2022, and in May 2023 the Madison and Rankin County District Attorney’s Office said they would seek the death penalty for Makaylia.
To avoid witnesses, relatives and law enforcement officers having to relive what happened on the fateful day, a settlement agreement was offered to the mother in October 2023.
The plea deal allowed Makaylia to plead guilty to capital murder and be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole rather than face a trial in which the state planned to seek the death penalty.
“Law enforcement, the EMTs, the firefighters, there were innocent people. …The apartment owner witnessed it. The victim’s grandmother witnessed it. A truck driver witnessed it. A sweet lady who wanted to visit a patient and happened to be passing by saw these horrible things,” Assistant District Attorney Kathryn Newman said.
“I don’t think you can ever get those images out of your head.”
Makaylia reportedly has an older son who is now in the care of his grandmother. Khalysie’s father has not made himself known in the case.
Jolley said nothing during her hearing on Monday other than to answer the judge’s questions. She was in the courtroom for about 20 minutes where she wore a yellow prison jumpsuit.
“It was a good resolution for the state of Mississippi, and Ms. Jolley will die in prison,” District Attorney Bramlett said.