UPDATE:

According to Pearl Police Department, a child who was slammed the pavement by her mother multiple times has died. This is the Facebook post from Pearl Police Department.

“The eight week old infant, Khalysie Lashay Jolley, passed away Saturday afternoon at 4:33. Our thoughts and prayers continue for her. Charges against her mother, Makaylia Jolley will be upgraded to Capital Murder along with Felony Child Abuse. Jolley’s initial appearance in Pearl Municipal Court is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.“

ORIGINAL STORY:

Pearl Police Chief Dean Scott’s face was tight as he opened his press conference on Friday to address current charges on a mother witnessed by dozens slamming her 8 week old child on the pavement repeatedly.

“She was the victim of a very cruel and intentional abuse by her mother,” Scott said. “Due to her injuries, it is a very bleak outlook. We look to be upgrading the mother’s charges to capital murder at any moment. It’s just a matter of time, according to medical staff at this point. Her injuries are too severe at this point to even attempt to treat. As small as she is, they’re just trying to keep her comfortable. She is unresponsive.”

The child, Khalysie Lashay Jolley, is currently at Blair E. Batson fighting for what’s left the life her mother initially gave her. Makaylah Shaylynn Jolley, 20, who has allegedly all but taken it back, is in the Rankin County Jail.

“She’s being treated with a lot more dignity and respect than her child was,” Sheriff Bryan Bailey said.

According to police, Jolley was seen slamming Khalysie to the ground multiple times. Bystanders called 911, and when police arrived another woman was holding the child and Jolley fled into the woods. She was caught shortly after that.

“And we shut the city of Pearl down and she was heavily escorted to the hospital,” Scott said. “But I think at this point all we can do is say a prayer for the child. I think the good lord figures this baby was too good for this evil world. That’s all I have.”

Scott said that as a father, he is not interested in the feelings of the young mother, but that she will be mentally evaluated.

“I have no sympathy for the suspect,” he said. “The act was very deliberate and intentional, she showed no remorse throughout the day. We will work hard to see that she receives the just punishment she deserves. The father in me? I think there’s a special place in hell for people like that.

“I’ll admit no parent wakes up in the morning with intent to do what she did but it doesn’t make it right. Something’s wrong, I agree, but as a father, I can’t. You may have that love in your heart, but I don’t. Not after what I saw.”

Asked again later by WAPT reporter Ross Adams whether she had been cooperative or divulged anything to detectives, Scott stood stonefaced for almost 10 seconds.

“She showed no remorse, Ross, that’s all I can say,” he said.

Scott went on to say that Khalysie’s organs are shutting down. Asked how the investigators and patrol officers who are working the case are holding up, Scott responded, “I can tell you none of them have slept. Everybody here, we’re all fathers, nobody has slept. If that answers your question.”

District Attorney Bubba Bramlett said his office has been involved since just after the incident.

“I ask for your prayers for the police and the eyewitnesses,” he said. “To witness this killing, it’s a life changing event. To be able to see what this woman did with your own eyes and not be able to stop it…”

Bramlett said Rankin County’s last death penalty case was very similar to this. In 2003, when a baby named Brandon Bennett died of blunt force trauma inflicted by his father, who is now on death row.

“If this child dies, these charges are upgraded,” he said.  “At that point, all the information will be gathered and presented to a grand jury, I suspect she would be indicted for capital murder and we get into all the psychological testing… once those are completed, as a DA’s office we’ll go through all those tests and evaluations, and determine at that time whether it makes sense. If it doesn’t make sense we’re not going to do it.”