Makallie E. Durham, a 23-year-old babysitter in Mississippi, has been indicted on new felony criminal charges in connection to the death and abuse of a 2-year-old boy and his 11-month-old sister that occurred in September 2022.
Besides the capital murder charge she already faced, Durham was charged with four counts of child abuse.
According to the indictment, the charges include that Durham intentionally harmed the two-year-old boy by hitting him in the face or head on two separate occasions. Durham was also accused of striking the younger girl in the face or head twice.
The incident occurred when Alcorn County sheriff’s deputies and emergency medical personnel responded to a call regarding an unresponsive child at a residence in Corinth. The two children were found with multiple bruises and marks on their bodies, and were taken to Magnolia Regional Hospital and later to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.
Durham was taken into custody, and two days later, the toddler boy died as a result of his injuries. His sister was reported to be in stable condition.
If found guilty on the capital murder charge, Durham could face life in prison or the death penalty. Clay Nails and Will Bristow of the public defender’s office are representing her in the matter.