CORINTH, Miss. — A 25-year-old woman from Corinth has been sentenced to life in prison without parole, plus an additional 40 years, after pleading guilty to the capital murder of a two-year-old child and four counts of felonious child abuse.
Makallie Elizabeth Durham entered her guilty plea on Friday in Alcorn County Circuit Court. The charges stem from a September 2022 incident in which Durham caused the death of a two-year-old child and inflicted injuries on an 11-month-old sibling. The injuries to both children were determined to be non-accidental, according to prosecutors.
Circuit Judge Michael P. Mills, Jr. handed down the maximum sentence of life imprisonment for the capital murder charge, with an additional 40 years for child abuse. Under the terms of the sentence, Durham will not be eligible for parole or any form of early release.
“This case involved unimaginable cruelty to two young children,” Assistant District Attorney Kyle Robbins said during the proceedings. The case was prosecuted by Robbins and Assistant District Attorney Clay Cummings.
The Alcorn County Sheriff’s Department led the investigation, with Investigator Caleb Marolt serving as the lead investigator, assisted by Investigators Heath Thomas and Lucas Wooten.
A life sentence brings closure to a case that shocked the Corinth community and underscores the severity of crimes against children.
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