Support truly
independent journalism
Police in Florida have arrested a woman they believe may have directed a dog to maul and kill her ex-boyfriend's nine-year-old daughter.
Tyshael Elise Martin, 34, has been charged with first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, and child neglect, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office. She was taken into custody on Wednesday and booked into the Lake County Jail.
The horrific incident occurred on June 17, when emergency medical personnel were called to treat an unresponsive child at a home in Monteverde, Florida, Inside Lake reports. When paramedics arrived, they found Jamaria Sessions — the daughter of Martin's boyfriend — bloodied and wounded. The girl was pronounced dead shortly after EMS workers arrived on scene.
Martin told deputies that she woke up that morning ready to take a family trip to California when she discovered Sessions unresponsive.
EMS workers noted bruises, burns, bite marks, and other damage to Sessions’s body when they examined her. A preliminary medical examiner's report suggested her various injuries were consistent with abuse.
When the girl's father, Lojuan Sessions, arrived at the scene, investigators noted he appeared "to be in disbelief" as he thought his daughter had traveled to California on June 9 to visit family. Martin had sent him a text on June 10 saying that her mother, Torcha, had taken Sessions out to California.
Lojuan was unable to travel with his daughter because he was on felony probation. He told investigators that he and Martin had been having arguments more frequently, which led to their breakup and Lojuan moving back in with his mother in Ocoee, Florida.
LCSO deputies obtained a search warrant and were able to pull surveillance footage from security cameras at the home.
After reviewing the footage, police said they discovered Martin had held the leash of the family's Rottweiler and gave it instructions while it mauled the little girl. The footage was captured two days before the girl's body was discovered.
Martin was later seen allegedly kicking, shaking, and dragging the child's body across the floor. Investigators noted that Martin may have said "I'm fixin' to kill her" in the video recording.
Further investigation found evidence that the girl was frequently subjected to physical punishments and beatings. The medical examiner concluded that Sessions died due to multiple blunt force injuries to the head, torso, and extremities and thermal injury to the right foot. Her death was listed as a homicide.
Martin is now in jail and was not granted bond.
