TALLAHASSEE, FL – A Florida woman has been sentenced to spend the remainder of her life in prison after pleading guilty to the murder of her girlfriend’s young son, a horrific crime that has shocked the community.
Te’Lea Jefferson, 28, received her life sentence after admitting to the first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse in the 2020 death of a 3-year-old boy named Miguel. In addition to life imprisonment for murder, she was handed a further 30-year sentence for child abuse, as decided by the court on Tuesday.
The series of tragic events unfolded on October 19, 2020. That evening, Jefferson transported Miguel to a hospital, where medical staff found him unresponsive, with a body temperature of merely 88 degrees. The boy had suffered significant head and facial injuries. Despite efforts to revive him, Miguel was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Hospital personnel promptly alerted local law enforcement.
Initially, Jefferson claimed Miguel’s injuries resulted from a fall while brushing his teeth. Her story suggested that he had slipped from the sink and struck a toilet, shattering it. However, investigators soon discovered multiple deep cuts on the child’s head and other injuries that contradicted her account. The severity and nature of the boy’s wounds led police to conclude that they were inflicted deliberately.
When questioned further, Jefferson confessed to her actions. She recounted that she had struck the child with a tire iron after becoming frustrated when he did not immediately comply with her demands to get off the sink. According to her statement, she struck Miguel three or four times, causing the toilet to break in the process.
Miguel had reportedly been under Jefferson’s care the entire day, while his mother was at work and his sibling at school. She acknowledged that she delayed taking the critically injured boy to medical attention, admitting he was likely deceased by the time they arrived at the hospital.
The investigation also uncovered evidence of ongoing abuse in the household, affecting both Miguel and his older sibling. Consequently, the Department of Children and Families has taken custody of the surviving child.
Since her arrest following the incident, Jefferson has remained in jail. Prosecutors initially considered pursuing the death penalty before reaching the plea agreement.
This case has brought to light the grave dangers of child abuse and the importance of timely intervention from community and law enforcement officials.