Jackleen Mullen, 26, was found guilty of homicide by child abuse

 A South Carolina mother, Jackleen Mullen, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after being found guilty of homicide by child abuse and aiding and abetting homicide by child abuse in the death of her disabled four-year-old daughter, India Heavenly Lacey Martin. Mullen's boyfriend, Audrevious Williams, is also charged with homicide and murder in connection to the case.

India, who had special needs and was unable to talk or walk without assistance, went missing in May 2020. When police questioned Mullen and Williams about her whereabouts, Mullen falsely claimed that India was visiting a relative's house. Body cam footage captured the tense interaction, with police confronting Mullen about the possibility of murder. Despite her initial denial, further investigation led to the discovery of India's lifeless body stuffed into a dresser drawer in their bedroom.

A medical examiner determined that India's cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. During Mullen's trial, it was revealed that she showed no emotion when confronted with information about India's absence and continued to insist that her daughter was in North Carolina. Williams is expected to testify this week in connection to the charges against him.

The court did not find Mullen guilty of murder, but she was convicted on charges of homicide by child abuse. The judge ruled that Mullen must serve her sentences consecutively and mandated that she serves at least 85 percent of her sentence before being eligible for parole, in accordance with state law.

Mullen and Williams share a one-year-old child, and both parents have children from previous relationships. The judge has ordered that neither of them can have any contact with any of their children while the case is pending. Additionally, it was disclosed during the trial that Mullen had faced charges in the past when her child was born premature and tested positive for cocaine in 2016.

Prosecutors presented evidence that while India's lifeless body was in their home, Mullen went to police headquarters and admitted to forgery in a separate case, further illustrating her lack of remorse or emotional response to the tragedy.

The case serves as a harrowing reminder of the vulnerability of children and the devastating consequences of child abuse. The severity of the charges against Mullen and Williams underscores the tragic circumstances surrounding India's death and the subsequent legal consequences they now face. As the trial unfolds, it sheds light on the complexities of the case, revealing disturbing details about the lack of emotion displayed by Mullen and the contrasting gravity of the charges she now faces.