Corinth babysitter sentenced to life in prison for murder of toddler, child abuse

Corinth babysitter sentenced to life in prison for murder of toddler, child abuse

Posted by
1 min read
December 16, 2024

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.

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Facebook

Breaking News

Don't Miss

Exit mobile version