Woman directed Rottweiler to kill child: Deputies
A Florida woman has been taken into custody for allegedly killing her boyfriend’s young daughter, according to deputies. Tyshael Elise Martin, 34, was arrested on a warrant near her Montverde home shortly after 6 p.m. on Wednesday. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said she faces charges of first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, and child neglect.
LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – A Florida woman has been arrested in connection with the death of her boyfriend’s young daughter, according to deputies.
Tyshael Elise Martin, 34, was taken into custody near her Montverde home Wednesday evening and faces charges of first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, and child neglect, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Tyshael Martin makes first appearance after murder arrest
Tyshael Martin, of Monvtverde, was arrested for first-degree murder on Wednesday in the death of her boyfriend’s 9-year-old daughter, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. She appeared via Zoom before a judge for a first appearance Thursday morning.
The investigation began on June 17, when 9-year-old Jamaria Sessions was found unresponsive at the Harbor Oaks Drive home she shared with Martin. Emergency personnel discovered the girl with multiple abrasions, bruises, burns, and possible bite marks, and the Medical Examiner’s preliminary findings suggested the injuries were consistent with physical abuse.
Tyshael Martin (Credit: Lake County jail)
Detectives executed a search warrant to obtain video footage from the family’s home security system. One set of recordings from the night of June 15 shows Jamaria being “viciously” attacked by the family’s 103-pound rottweiler, with Martin directing the assault while holding the dog’s leash, deputies said. The footage also reportedly showed Martin repeatedly kicking Jamaria, who lay motionless on the floor.
Martin was also reportedly seen dragging Jamaria’s nearly lifeless body across the floor and continued to strike and shake her. Martin was possibly heard saying, “I’m fixin’ to kill her,” deputies said.
Further investigation through interviews, additional videos, and text messages revealed that Jamaria’s usual punishment included extended wall sits, running in place with her arms raised, being hit with various objects, and receiving kicks, punches, and pinches.
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On Tuesday, investigators received the child’s autopsy results, which indicated that her cause of death was complications from multiple blunt injuries to the head, torso, and extremities, as well as thermal injury to her right foot. The manner of death was ruled as homicide, deputies said.
Jamaria’s grandmother, Althea Chenault, who previously cared for her, expressed heartbreak, saying, “That’s a baby, a beautiful little girl now gone.”
Martin remains in the Lake County Jail without bond, while Jamaria’s father, Lojuan Sessions, who was released from prison in October 2023, has not been charged.
The Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the case, which they described as “the worst case of aggravated child abuse we’ve ever seen.”
