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Jacqueline E. Adams (Shelby County Sheriff’s Office)
A 58-year-old woman in Alabama is accused of torturing and ultimately killing a 13-year-old boy in her care who was starved, abused, and repeatedly beaten with a skillet before his death.
Jacqueline E. Adams was arrested last week and is currently facing charges of felony murder and aggravated child abuse in the August 2024 death of young Ledarius Johnson, authorities announced.
According to a news release from the City of Calera Police Department, Adams was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service after an “extensive investigation” into Ledarius’ death that included assistance from multiple state and federal law enforcement agencies.
“Protecting the most vulnerable members of society is a crucial responsibility,” Police Chief David Hyche said in a statement about the case. “Children, the elderly, and individuals with special needs often lack the means to defend themselves, making them particularly susceptible to exploitation and harm.”
Newly released court documents obtained by The Birmingham News, the Shelby County Reporter, and Birmingham ABC affiliate WBMA provided additional details about the final days of Ledarius’ life and circumstances of his death.
Authorities on Aug. 8, 2024, reportedly responded to a call at a home in Ivy Hills Circle regarding a medical assist on a juvenile male — later identified as Ledarius — which quickly devolved into cardiac arrest. Medics at the scene attempted to perform lifesaving procedures on the boy as he was transported to Shelby Baptist Medical Center for treatment. Ledarius succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead a short while after arriving at the facility.
Doctors reportedly told police that Ledarius was emaciated, weighing only 86 pounds at the time of his death.
“Photographs of (Ledarius) taken after his death depict a severely malnourished and underdeveloped child,’’ Circuit Judge Bill Bostick wrote in an order obtained by Birmingham News denying Adams bond.
At the time of the boy’s death, his twin brother and two other children, ages 14 and 16, were also in the home and under Adams’ care.
Security footage obtained from inside of the home in the execution of a search warrant reportedly revealed horrific details of abuse.
According to the Reporter, the footage showed Ledarius spending the majority of his final days on the floor in the home’s bathroom. During that time, Ledarius was reportedly provided very little food or water and was beaten multiple times by Adams as she wielded a skillet.
In a clip played during Adams’ bond hearing, she could allegedly be heard saying to Ledarius that she “doesn’t need him” but that “he needs her and she has food and he needs food.”
“The very nature of these alleged offenses, specifically the defendant’s pattern of abuse and neglect of the minor victim resulting in his death, her destruction/secreting of evidence and delay seeking medical attention for the dying child, the apparent probability of conviction(s) and sentence(s) and the applicable enhancement statute(s), all weigh heavily in this court’s decision regarding pretrial detention,” Bostick’s order denying bond read.