UPDATED 12:24 P.M. 12/8/23
PEORIA, Ill. – One of two people accused in the death of an eight-year-old child last year has pleaded guilty.
According to Peoria County Court records, Stephanie Jones, 37, pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of First Degree Murder in the death of Navin Jones, 8.
Navin was found to have been malnourished and suffered from a number of injuries, allegedly at the hands of Stephanie and Brandon Walker, 42.
“(Stephanie Jones) deserves the same dignity, respect, and attention that she gave her son, which was none,” said Jodi Hoos, Peoria County State’s Attorney, during Thursday’s hearing.
Stephanie Jones was facing six counts of murder, with the other counts being dropped as part of a plea deal.
The plea deal also includes that Jones must testify against Walker at his trial, which starts on Monday. Walker still faces six counts of First-Degree Murder. On Wednesday, a number of pre-trial motions were decided upon by a judge.
Stephanie Jones is facing 20 to 100 years in prison, with sentencing set for February 7th. Had she not pleaded guilty, she would have gone to trial next month.
“This defendant is pleading guilty (Thursday) to being the callous child murderer that she is,” said Hoos. “She will have one more day in court at her sentencing hearing, where we will ask this court to sentence her to enough time in prison so that her life ends forgotten in a prison cell, while the rest of us continue to remember Navin.”
