Woman Sentenced to Life for Beating 3-Year-Old to Death with Tire Iron, Waiting Hours to Seek Help

A Florida woman was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of her girlfriend's 3-year-old son using a tire iron, after delaying medical assistance.

TALLAHASSEE, FL- Details of the Case

Te’Lea Jefferson, 28, was sentenced to life in prison after pleading no contest to first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse in the brutal 2020 death of her girlfriend’s 3-year-old son, Miguel. The woman admitted to beating the child with a tire iron, causing fatal injuries, and waiting over three hours before seeking medical help.

On the evening of October 19, 2020, Jefferson drove Miguel to the hospital around 7 p.m., finding him unresponsive with a dangerously low body temperature of just 88 degrees. Medical staff immediately noted "severe trauma" to his face and head, and the child was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Hospital personnel contacted the Tallahassee Police Department, raising suspicions about the circumstances surrounding the child's injuries.

Initially, Jefferson told investigators that Miguel had fallen while brushing his teeth and hit the toilet, causing the porcelain to shatter. However, upon further investigation, authorities discovered that Miguel’s injuries didn’t match the explanation. He had several deep lacerations on his head and face, along with a nearly severed finger. Investigators concluded that the injuries were consistent with intentional violence, not a fall.

After questioning, Jefferson admitted to lying about the incident. She revealed that she cared for Miguel alone while his mother worked and his sibling attended school. According to Jefferson, Miguel refused to get down from the sink when asked, which led to her striking him with a tire iron. She confessed to hitting him three or four times in the face, recalling blood spraying from the wounds as she assaulted him. Jefferson also admitted that Miguel was likely already dead when she drove him to the hospital.

During the investigation, it was discovered that both Miguel and his sibling had suffered prior abuse. The surviving child was taken into custody by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) following Miguel’s death. Jefferson’s actions, part of a broader pattern of mistreatment, raised alarms about the safety of children in her care.

Jefferson was arrested shortly after her confession and has remained in custody ever since. Though prosecutors initially sought the death penalty, a plea deal was reached, and Jefferson was sentenced to life in prison for the first-degree murder charge, in addition to 30 years for aggravated child abuse.