A mother who neglected her son leading to his tragic death has been sentenced to 32 years in prison after pleading no contest to charges of aggravated manslaughter and aggravated child abuse.
Zakye Smith-Nelson, a 14-year-old boy, passed away after being found unresponsive at his family home on January 1, 2024, weighing only 33 pounds, significantly below the normal weight range for a boy his age.
To justify her son’s appalling condition, Talia Nelson, Zakye’s mother, falsely claimed he had rare medical conditions such as a bone disorder, bulimia, and lactose intolerance. However, she could not provide any evidence of medical diagnoses for these alleged conditions when questioned by authorities.
Medical examiners discovered that Zakye, who was severely undernourished, had extensive bruising and scarring on his body, consistent with being physically abused. The presence of bedsores indicated he was immobile and incapable of causing these injuries himself.
During a search of their Daytona Beach home in Florida, investigators found a bedroom filled with filthy clothes emitting a strong urine odor, while the master bedroom contained unused laptops intended for homeschooling.
When emergency services responded to a call reporting an unconscious child, Nelson claimed that Zakye collapsed while she was preparing dinner for him. She admitted to giving him protein shakes to help him gain weight but acknowledged failing to seek medical help for him despite his deteriorating health.
Nelson told police that Zakye would move by scooting on his buttocks, denying any neglect. Medical records revealed that Zakye had not received medical attention since he was 10 years old, when he was described as healthy.
An autopsy revealed that Zakye was severely malnourished and losing bone density at the time of his death. State Attorney R. J Larizza condemned Nelson’s actions as cruel and heartless, expressing sorrow for the victim’s suffering and emphasizing the severity of the crime.
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