TAVARES, Fla.—The father of 9-year-old Jamaria Sessions, and his girlfriend, have been indicted for Jamaria’s brutal murder.
Lojuan Sessions, 26, and Tyshael Martin, 34, are both being held in the Lake County Jail on no bond, accused of ongoing abuse that led to the death of Jamaria, who would have been in fourth grade this school year.
Martin pleaded not guilty to her crimes Monday morning and was ordered not to have contact with Jamaria’s next of kin, Althea Chenault. Chenault, known as, “Nana” to Jamaria, is Jamaria’s maternal grandmother. Chenault had custody of Jamaria and her little sister Jaliah, following the death of their mother, Tadrina Dort. Inside Lake named Jaliah in this story at the request of Chenault because the sisters were so close. Dort died in September 2022 from congestive heart failure after beating leukemia; she was only 24 years old. Sessions was serving a prison sentence when Dort died and he picked the girls up from school without Chenault’s permission in October 2023, after his release. A probable cause affidavit, written by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office detective who investigated Jamaria’s case, states the detective uncovered evidence that the abuse started the day the girls were picked up from school by their father.
Tyshael Martin was arraigned Monday. VIDEO: Marilyn M. Aciego/Inside Lake
Chenault was in attendance for Martin’s arraignment, along with her son, Trane Chenault. They also attended Martin’s first appearance right after she was arrested, and they plan on attending Sessions’ arraignment for aggravated manslaughter of a child, scheduled for Monday.
“We’re going to be there for everything,” Althea Chenault told Inside Lake.
Chenault is also fighting to get Jaliah back into her care, her next court date is the custody case is scheduled for November. Jaliah is currently in the care of another maternal family member.
Martin is charged with first degree murder, aggravated child abuse and child neglect. During her arraignment, Circuit Judge James Baxley stated Martin was charged with second degree murder and documentation in the case also stated second degree murder. Inside Lake reached out to Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Bill Gladson’s office for an explanation.
“The document… was supposed to be utilized as a placeholder for information until we formerly indicted on the more serious charge (Monday,)” Brittney Carman, Public Information Officer for Gladson’s Office said in an email.
Martin told Baxley she is retaining a private attorney and expected him to speak with her Monday; at press time Wednesday, she still did not have an attorney, according to Lake County Clerk of Court online records.
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