After an unattended toddler was found dead, a Louisiana mother was put behind bars. Police not only discovered the mom’s whereabouts at the time of her daughter’s beating, they also identified the suspects in her child’s killing — which was even more shocking.
Dineshia Yates, 26, entered a guilty plea this week to charges related to a February 2024 incident. The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office say they responded to a home on O’Neal Lane after receiving a report of an unresponsive 3-year-old toddler. The girl was identified as Yates’ daughter, Blessing Buckles, per WAFB. Officers said the 911 caller was a child, who said there were no adults home. However, when the police arrived on the scene, Yates along with her friend Terica Scott were just pulling into the driveway, the report says.
Where were they??? The two told police they were coming back from the casino. Meanwhile, inside the home, the report says deputies found eight children between the ages of 11 months to 12 years — all of whom were left unattended. Police discovered Yates and her children had been staying with Scott. The pair had repeatedly left the children home alone, police say.
On this particular occasion, police claim Scott’s 10-year-old son and 12-year-old nephew had used their time home alone to brutally beat the 3-year-old girl. Blessing was rushed to the hospital with bruises and abrasions to her face and body which were consistent with blunt force trauma, per WAFB. The toddler was also said to have suffered a brain bleed. She died from her injuries two days after the incident.
Chile, the police rounded everybody up in this case. Both Yates and Scott were slammed with principal to second-degree murder and principal to simple battery. Scott’s boys were also arrested and booked into the East Baton Rouge Juvenile Detention Center for the same charges.
Earlier this week, Yates entered a “best interest” guilty plea to lower charges of manslaughter and cruelty to juveniles, per WBRZ. This means she isn’t required to formally admit guilt but... she’s still going to face the same punishment —which is 15 years prison time. Scott pleaded not guilty to her charges.