The mother of missing Jhessye Shockley 5-yrs, has been released from jail because prosecutors did not bring formal charges against her before a deadline passed. Jerice Hunter was arrested last week and booked on a felony count of child abuse. The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office released Hunter shortly after 10:30 a.m. Monday. Jerice Hunter reported Jhessye Shockley missing on Oct. 11. However an older sister of Jhessye has told police she hasn’t seen her since mid-September. Police have recommended only the child-abuse charge and have said that she is the focus of their investigation into Jhessye’s disappearance.
Authorities have in recent weeks said they don’t expect to find the girl alive, but declined to elaborate on why they believe that. According to the other children who are now in foster care, Jhessye was abused. One allegation of abuse that has surfaced is that Hunter returned home to find Jhessye watching television with a neighbor boy. The daughter said Hunter called Jhessye a “ho” and took her into her bedroom, where the older sister said she heard Jhessye screaming and crying.
The oldest child has said their mother would keep Jhessye in her bedroom closet. The girl said she would give Jhessye food and water when their mother left and then put her back in the closet so the 5-year-old wouldn’t get into trouble. All three of the children told authorities that they saw Jhessye with bruises or black eyes. The oldest child said that Jhessye’s hair had been pulled out and that she looked like a “zombie.” She said “the closet where Jhessye had been looked like a grave and smelled like dead people.”
Hunter’s three older girls initially said they saw Jhessye on the day their mother reported her missing. The oldest now says that Hunter told the children to lie to police and that the last time she saw Jhessye was Sept. 12, a recent court document said.
Police on Tuesday said they are far from finished investigating Jhessye’s disappearance. Police expect to search the city’s landfill in coming weeks.
November 28, 2011
Crime News