A 26-year-old mom from South Carolina is facing decades behind bars for the tragic killing of her 4-year-old daughter. The heartbreaking incident, reported by Law and Crime on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, involved the child being found beaten to death and hidden in a dresser drawer shared with the mother’s then-boyfriend three years ago.
Jackleen Elizabeth Mullen has been given a 30-year prison term by Judge Eugene C. Griffith, Jr. for the murder of her daughter, India Heavenly Lacey Martin, according to court documents revealed by Law&Crime. The jury found Mullen guilty of one charge of child abuse homicide.
In addition to the 30-year sentence, Mullen received a 10-year prison term for aiding and abetting homicide by child abuse, with both sentences set to be served at the same time. The verdict spared her from a potential life sentence, as she was acquitted of a murder charge.
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Mullen, who must serve at least 85% of her sentence under state law, has already spent over three years in pre-trial detention. This means the earliest she could be considered for release is around 22 years from the guilty verdict.
Her former partner, Audrevious Williams, faces accusations of homicide by child abuse and aiding and abetting the same charge. He testified against Mullen during her trial.
India, Mullen’s daughter, had special needs and couldn’t communicate or walk unaided. She succumbed to head injuries, as determined by a medical examiner.
The tragic case unfolded when Mullen falsely reported her daughter missing, claiming she was with a relative in North Carolina. In reality, the child’s lifeless body was hidden in a dresser drawer at their residence. Police-worn body camera footage, presented during the trial, captured the exchange between an officer and Mullen prior to the discovery.
Despite admitting guilt in a forgery case, Mullen continued to deceive the police by withholding the truth about her daughter’s demise, according to reports from the Herald-Record. Deputy solicitor John Anthony reportedly stated, While her child was dead in her house, Ms. Mullen came down here to the Moss Justice Center and pleaded guilty to that forgery during Mullen’s sentencing.
