Accused child killer Jeremiah Thompson goes free; State loses case ‘slam dunk’ murder 2-year-old boy Jakarriah Patterson

Jeremiah Thompson was 21 years old when she was arrested by Lansing police in 2014 following the death of her two-year-old daughter.

According to investigators, Jakarriah Patterson was beaten to death for wearing a dirty diaper, who recorded broken bones, torn organs and scattered bruises.

Thompson, released on parole for robbery at the time of murder, was held without bond in the Cook County jail for nearly eight years awaiting trial on first-degree murder charges.

“I’ve been devastated. I’m angry. I’ve struggled and I’m still lost. I don’t understand. This confuses me. I don’t understand what they’re thinking,” said Karla Patterson, the little girl’s mother , who said she struggled to speak and had no explanation for what happened.

Patterson said she had no explanation and struggled to speak after a Cook County grand jury concluded her daughter’s father was not guilty.

That trial, finally held at Markham courthouse this month, ended on Monday when a jury returned four not guilty verdicts.

Thompson did not testify in the trial.

The jury saw what police called a videotape confession from Thompson. According to authorities, there were many red flags of abuse reported by DCFS in the months leading up to the girl’s death that the agency had previously documented.

Lansing Police Chief Al Phillips said they consider it a “serious case”.

Sheriff Phillips said he was “disgusted” and “infuriated” by the acquittal, and told the I-Team they were “100 per cent on the right people.”

“In my 24 years of law enforcement, I’ve never seen anything this bad. Very, very heartbreaking for that family and our detectives around here are heartbreaking for the family.” , Phillips said.

Jakarriah Patterson’s grandmother also expressed outrage at the ruling.

“So is it okay to hit your kids and let them die and you just run free,” she said, “I just wanted to say to the jurors, I hope you sleep well at night. really because you made a big mistake. “

The Cook State Attorney’s Office Kim Foxx said in a statement that it “has prosecuted this case to the fullest extent and will continue to do so on behalf of all Cook County victims.”

Thompson’s attorney from the Cook County Office of Public Defender declined to discuss an acquittal at this time.

The girl’s family said they will continue to fight for justice on her behalf. But in criminal court, when the jury votes to acquit, prosecutors don’t get a second chance.