Toquerville mother pleads guilty to child abuse

SAINT GEORGE – The woman accused of locking her 12-year-old son in a bathroom for about a year and nearly starving him to death pleads guilty to three counts of second-degree felony child abuse.

Attorneys say Brandy Jaynes was not offered less prison time for a guilty plea.  Instead, defense attorney Edward Flint says the plea was done in the best interest of her children.  Flint says, “Every time we have news reporters, her kids are teased in school.”

Flint says he doesn’t not try to refute the facts that were brought out during the investigation.  He acknowledges the victim suffered injuries at Jaynes’ hands, but, he says “Neither of us believe she acted willfully and intentionally.  She acted under extreme duress and in a very impaired mental state of being.”

Details of this case made national headlines.  The boy was found in a feces-filled bathroom wrapped in a blankets, and his legs had grown so weak, he couldn’t use them.  Ever since he was found, prosecutor Angie Reddish-Day says, “He’s progressing quite well.  After being taken out of that horrible environment, he started to progress very well, almost immediately.”

Sentencing is scheduled for August 28^th, and Reddish-Day says the victim will be able to speak during sentencing if he wants, but, they haven’t decided if he will, yet.  “He also has the opportunity to make a victim impact statement in writing if he didn’t want to speak,” she says.