Mom Charged in Beating Death of 5-Year-Old Son

A 24-year-old Allentown woman has been charged with homicide in the death of her 5-year-old son in November 2012.

Jessica Sharelle Adams also is charged with endangering the welfare of a child, a third-degree felony, for allegedly striking the child numerous times on various parts of the child’s body and engaging in a continued course of conduct involving physical abuse.

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According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by an Allentown police officer in the Special Victims Unit:

At 9:16 p.m. Nov. 29, Allentown police responded to an apartment at 107 N. 12th St. to assist emergency medical personnel in the case of a 5-year-old boy who was unconscious and not breathing. The victim was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital in Allentown and was then transferred to Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township, because he had a “severe brain bleed.”

Medical personnel determined that the boy had several other injuries and had bruising to his head, arms and stomach. The boy underwent surgery.

At 2:31 a.m. Nov. 30, the boy was pronounced dead. An autopsy done that day determined that the cause of death was “multiple blunt force injuries.”

The Lehigh County Coroner’s Office ruled the death a homicide.

Police interviewed Adams and her boyfriend and determined that the child had been struck repeatedly, but only by Adams.

As in every criminal case, the fact that an arrest has occurred or a complaint has been filed is merely an accusation; and the defendant, Jessica Sharelle Adams, is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.