Baton Rouge Mother Sentenced After 3-Year-Old Daughter Fatally Beaten While Left Alone

Dineshia Yates faces consequences with an 18-month jail sentence following the tragic death of her daughter, as details emerge about unsupervised children and her absence during the incident.

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA- Mother Sentenced After Daughter, 3, Was Fatally Beaten by Two Children While Left Home Alone

A Louisiana mother will serve time behind bars after her three-year-old daughter was brutally beaten to death by two unsupervised boys while she was out gambling. The fatal incident has shocked the Baton Rouge community and raised serious concerns about child neglect and accountability.

Background

Dineshia Yates, 27, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and cruelty to juveniles in connection with the February 2024 death of her daughter, Blessing Buckles. On the day of the incident, Yates and her friend Terica Scott left eight children, aged 11 months to 12 years old, alone in Scott’s home on O’Neal Lane while they visited a casino.

Among those left behind were Scott’s 10-year-old son and her 12-year-old nephew, both of whom authorities say attacked and severely injured Blessing. The child was later pronounced dead on February 14, 2024, after suffering blunt force trauma injuries including a brain bleed and extensive bruising.

Timeline of Events

• February 12, 2024: A 911 call was made around 3:45 p.m. from a child inside Scott’s residence reporting that Blessing was unconscious. Deputies arrived to find no adults present. Yates and Scott arrived shortly after.

• Emergency medical personnel attempted to resuscitate the child and transported her to the hospital. She died two days later from her injuries.

• Investigators determined Blessing had sustained blunt force trauma to her head and body.

• Both women admitted they had left the children alone for several hours to gamble. Yates admitted to noticing bruises on her daughter from previous incidents involving one of the boys but ignored her pleas for help.

Legal Developments

Yates was sentenced to 18 months in jail after accepting a plea agreement. She was initially charged with principal to simple battery and principal to second-degree murder. The two boys involved in the fatal attack were also charged with battery and second-degree murder.

Terica Scott has pleaded not guilty to similar charges and is scheduled to appear in court on May 5, 2025. Prosecutors allege Scott knowingly left the children unsupervised despite being aware of her nephew’s violent behavior. She allegedly admitted to police that the boys had a history of aggression and that she continued to leave them alone with younger children.

Criminal Backgrounds

Yates and Scott both have prior criminal records. Yates has been previously arrested for theft and property damage, including hurling a brick through another woman’s windshield in 2020. Scott’s criminal history is more severe. She was charged with murder in 2021, arson in 2023, and has been accused of tampering with surveillance cameras.

Community Reaction

Sheriff Sid Gautreaux expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy. “A case like this is devastating. My heart breaks for this child lost too soon, and I pray for the others involved. Please call law enforcement immediately if you are ever aware of abuse, neglect, or desertion of children,” he stated following the arrests.

Justice for Blessing

Blessing Buckles’ death has become a grim symbol of what can happen when caregivers fail in their responsibility. Despite the sentencing of her mother, the community continues to mourn the child who, by all accounts, suffered greatly in her final days. As the case against Scott moves forward, many call for harsher penalties and systemic changes to protect vulnerable children.