Babysitter who tortured toddler to death will spend rest of her life behind bars
A babysitter who beat a two-year-old boy to death has been jailed for life.
Makallie Elizabeth Durham, from Mississippi, was looking after Jay Hurd’s two children, two-year-old Kristian Harris and his 11-month-old sister, in September 2022 when the young boy became unresponsive.
Alcorn County deputy sheriffs and emergency services were called to a property in the city of Corinth, where they found little Kristian with marks and bruises on his body.
He was rushed to a hospital along with his sister, who was also injured. He later died of his injuries two days later.
Makallie was then arrested on suspicion of murder and several counts of child abuse.
More than two years later, the babysitter was sentenced to life in prison by Circuit Judge Michael P. Mills after pleading guilty to capital murder and child abuse.
A court heard how Makallie hit Kristian ‘in the face or head’ on three separate occasions on September 9, 12 and 13 of 2022.
She was also found guilty of striking his little sister in the same areas on three consecutive days between September 11 and 13.
The final count of the indictment revealed that Kristian was beaten on September 13 which led to his tragic death.
Following the sentencing, Kristian’s mother said he son had got justice.
She posted on Facebook: ‘It won’t bring you back, but she’ll never be able to hurt anyone ever again.
‘You are finally getting the justice you deserve baby although I’m human I’ll be honest, nothing will ever be enough for your life! But I did right by you son, I let God take control.
‘Your story, our story is and will always change lives forever baby boy. I love you always.’
Makallie will ‘not be eligible for parole or any other form of release from incarceration,’ say the attorney’s office.
She is currently being held at Alcorn County Jail awaiting transport to Mississippi Department of Corrections where she will begin her sentence.
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