This browser does not support the Video element.
Jail letters draw scrutiny in killing of 9-year-old girl
A woman charged with killing a 9-year-old girl allegedly acknowledged responsibility in handwritten letters exchanged with her boyfriend from jail, according to relatives and investigators. The letters, written while both defendants were incarcerated, are now central to a case that has drawn renewed attention as the family seeks justice.
ORLANDO, Fla. - A woman accused of killing a 9-year-old girl allegedly acknowledged responsibility in handwritten letters exchanged with her boyfriend from jail, according to relatives and investigators.
The letters, written while both defendants were incarcerated, are now central to a case that has drawn renewed attention as the family seeks justice, authorities say.
The backstory:
Prosecutors say the correspondence includes statements by Tyshael Martin that appear to concede wrongdoing, though she also wrote that she does not remember parts of what occurred.
Her boyfriend, Lo Juan Sessions, urged her in one letter to explain what happened, and suggested cooperation could help her case, according to excerpts shared by authorities.
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX LOCAL APP
Martin faces a first-degree murder charge in the death of Jamaria, the daughter of Sessions.
Sessions is charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child. Jamaria was found dead June 17, 2024. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said the child showed signs consistent with prolonged abuse.
What they're saying:
Althea Chenault, Jamaria’s grandmother, said reading the letters was painful and infuriating, and that she could not bring herself to read them all.
"She would light up a whole room," said Chenault of her granddaughter.
Chenault said she was preparing for yet another Christmas without Jamaria. Once beloved holiday traditions, like making gingerbread houses, have died alongside her granddaughter.
"We used to be making those houses for Christmas… but now we’re not doing it because she’s not here."
She said the tone of the exchanges lacked remorse and reopened wounds for the family, but also strengthened her resolve to pursue accountability through the courts.
SIGN-UP FOR FOX 35'S BREAKING NEWS, DAILY NEWS NEWSLETTERS
"They were still talking and joking in the letters, like it was okay what happened," she said. "It’s just heartbreaking. I don’t know. I try to be strong. I am being strong; I have to be."
The grandmother said she had previously contacted law enforcement and child welfare officials multiple times seeking custody of Jamaria and her sisters. She said she plans to continue attending court proceedings as both cases move forward.
What's next:
Authorities have not said whether the letters will be used at trial. Court dates for Martin and Sessions are pending.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Lake County Sheriff's Office, the Lake County Jail, and Althea Chenault, Jamaria Session’s grandmother.