A 20-year-old Mississippi mother has been charged with capital murder after allegedly throwing her 2-month-old daughter on a road repeatedly, per WAPT-TV.
Makaylia Shaylynn Jolley “repeatedly and forcibly” threw her child on a roadway in Pearl, Mississippi, the Pearl Police Department shares. On Thursday, authorities discovered that the baby Khalysie Lashay Jolley, was “severely injured.” The mother is alleged to have run into the woods before being caught. Khalysie has since succumbed to her injuries.
“At this point, all we can do is say a prayer for the child. The good lord figures this baby is too good for this world,” Police Chief Dean Scott said. “The act was very deliberate and intentional. She showed no remorse throughout the day.”
Makaylia reportedly has another child, a young boy now in the care of his grandparents. Since the incident, a GoFundMe campaign is seeking aid to pay for the baby’s funeral expenses. Nearly $4,500 has been raised as of Tuesday in the fundraiser, which was started by the Khalysie’s great-grandmother Paula Stolley.
“I don’t understand. Something had to go wrong,” a neighbor said. “Postpartum [depression], or something. Because she really is a very good mother.”
Makaylia Jolley is set to appear in court on Tuesday, as she also faces a charge of felony child abuse. Rankin County District Attorney Bubba Bramlett said the mother could face life in prison and potentially the death penalty if convicted, per WAPT.
“What the public needs to know is this is a mother that truly loved her kids,” cousin Kayla Moore said during a vigil this week. “This is a mental thing, this is a spiritual thing, and it needs to be recognized before they throw the hammer down on her.”
