Sentenced: 3YO Melhani Stewart Was Abused To Death By Her Step-Mother

[Sugar Cookie]

A court affidavit says that last Aug. 22, Ashanti Jackson, 32, called 911 and told them her stepdaughter, Melhani Stewart, fell off the bed due to a seizure and then became unconscious.

They were at the Suburban Motel in Clarksville at the time.

Once Stewart was at the hospital, police said staff saw signs consistent with abuse. They said she had multiple bruises and abrasions, as well as brain swelling.

Melhani died two days later.

In the final report from the Norton Pediatric Protection Specialists team, they determined that both the child's head and abdominal injuries were the result of abuse.

They said Jackson's claim of what happened, jumping around and then having a seizure, was not "medically plausible" to cause those injuries.

The affidavit also said Jackson waited to call 911 after the child was injured and that likely contributed to her death.

The day Melhani was hospitalized, the Department of Child Services took emergency custody of the child's three siblings, ages 6, 9 and 13.


The court documents say the children said in interviews that Jackson would often physically punish them. Interviews also said Melhani was forced to sleep on the floor because she often "pooped in the bed."

Police said they did not believe the father was involved in the abuse, and that it happened solely in the care of Jackson.

Woman charged, accused of abusing 3-year-old stepdaughter to death at Clarksville motel

More than six months after a 3-year-old girl died, her stepmother is facing charges, accused of abusing her to death.

www.wlky.com

 

[Kitsune Faye]

I disagree; dad had to have known, given the abuse was ongoing.

 

[Sugar Cookie]

Melhani Darnae Stewart

 

[Sugar Cookie]

ASHANTI JACKSON

Earliest Possible Release Date* 08/01/2053

DATE OF SENTENCE: 11/03/2025

DESCRIPTION: AGGRAVATED BATTERY

TERM IN YEARS: 40 YEARS

PROJECTED RELEASE DATE: 08/01/2053

DATE OF SENTENCE: 11/03/2025

DESCRIPTION: NEGLECT OF A DEPENDENT RESULTING IN BODILY INJURY

TERM IN YEARS: 3 YEARS

PROJECTED RELEASE DATE: 10/31/2025

An Indiana woman found guilty on charges related to the death of her 3-year-old stepdaughter last year will spend decades behind bars.

A Clark County jury found Ashanti Jackson guilty Sept. 12 of aggravated battery and neglect of a dependent resulting in injury. Those are two of the four charges originally given to Jackson. She was found not guilty of neglect of a dependent resulting in death and battery with serious injury of a person under the age of 14.

Jackson, of Indianapolis, was sentenced in Clark County Circuit Court Monday afternoon to 40 years at the Indiana Department of Corrections. A three-year sentence on the neglect of a dependent charge will run concurrently.

Court records state that surgeons had to remove part of the child's skull due to a large amount of brain swelling. The child, identified by her mother to WDRB at the time as Mehlani, was not expected to survive, and she was taken off support on Aug. 24, 2023, after doctors determined there was no brain activity.

The final autopsy report was released on Dec. 12. It stated that the 3-year-old "was assaulted," and her death was ruled a homicide. The report said she died from blunt impact injuries to her head, "in the setting of battered child syndrome."

The coroner's report also indicated the child suffered "a significant traumatic injury to her abdomen." Specifically, they found a tear in her mesentery, which is a membrane that attaches the intestine to the wall around the stomach area. It is believed that injury occurred up to two weeks before the child was hospitalized, and most likely caused her "to endure pain and suffering."

Police said evidence shows Jackson tried to revive the child before calling 911 by placing her in a cold bath.

Indiana woman sentenced to prison in death of 3-year-old stepdaughter

A Clark County jury found Ashanti Jackson guilty Sept. 12 of aggravated battery and neglect of a dependent resulting in injury.

www.wdrb.com