Horrific footage leads to arrest of Lake County woman in 9-year-old’s murder, deputies say

By Averi Kremposky

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    MONTVERDE, Florida (WESH) — A Lake County woman was arrested on Wednesday after deputies said she was involved in the death of a 9-year-old girl.

According to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Tyshael Elise Martin, 34, was arrested on first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse and neglect charges after her boyfriend’s daughter was found dead in June.

On June 17, deputies received a 911 call after Jamaria Sessions was found unresponsive at her Montverde residence, where she lived with Martin. According to deputies, the girl was found with “numerous abrasions, bruises, burns and possible bite marks.”

Jamaria was pronounced dead shortly after EMS arrived at her home.

According to an affidavit obtained by WESH 2, Martin told deputies she woke up that morning for a family vacation to California. The woman said she found Jamaria cold and unresponsive when she went to wake her and other children in the house up.

Because of the nature of Jamaria’s death, law enforcement was immediately requested.

Detectives were able to gain access to video footage from the home’s security system, where they found horrific video, they say.

According to detectives, a video from two days prior shows Jamaria being “viciously attacked” by the family’s 103-pound Rottweiler. Detectives say the video shows Martin commanding the attack while holding the dog’s leash.

Additionally, video shows the woman kicking Jamaria, who “laid motionless on the floor,” deputies say.

Martin continued to drag the girl across the floor, then struck and shook her while possibly saying in the video, “I’m fixin’ to kill her,” deputies say.

Through additional interviews, detectives say they were able to learn that Jamaria frequently suffered punishments like prolonged wall sits, running in place with her arms up, being struck with objects and other forms of abuse.

According to findings from the Medical Examiner, the child’s cause of death was due to multiple blunt injuries to the head and more, plus a thermal injury of her foot. Jamaria’s death was ruled a homicide.

The woman is currently in jail without bond.

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