A Tennessee mother has been convicted of aggravated child abuse and neglect after prosecutors said she burned her 6-year-old son with scalding water and forced him to stand outside in cold weather as punishment.
A Shelby County jury found 31-year-old Jasmine Irby guilty as charged of aggravated child abuse and aggravated child neglect, the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday. Jurors deliberated for approximately one hour before reaching their verdict.
The charges arose from incidents that occurred in late 2023, when Irby was living at a residence in Memphis, according to local NBC.
Prosecutors said Irby “used hot water as punishment” on her son, causing second-degree burns to his hand and head.
“Evidence showed the child was also made to stand outside in the cold wearing only pajamas,” the district attorney’s office said.
The authorities have not released further details about how long the child was kept outside or the circumstances in which his injuries were discovered. The district attorney’s office did not immediately respond to a request from Law&Crime seeking additional information about the case.
Jail and court records show that Irby was booked into the Shelby County Jail on May 17, 2024. Her bond was set at $300,000. A grand jury later indicted her on Sept. 24, 2024.
Irby’s trial began last week. During her testimony, she reportedly admitted that she “only” burned her son’s hand. Prosecutors challenged that account by presenting evidence showing that the child had suffered injuries to both his hand and his head.
The district attorney’s office said recorded jail calls were also introduced during the trial and helped prosecutors establish Irby’s guilt. Authorities did not publicly disclose the contents of those calls in the announcement of the verdict.
Prosecutors also said Irby displayed no apparent remorse for what had happened to her son.
The jury ultimately convicted her on both counts after about an hour of deliberations. Aggravated child abuse and aggravated child neglect are serious felony offenses under Tennessee law, although Irby’s exact potential sentence was not immediately disclosed.
Irby remains listed in connection with the case following her conviction. She is scheduled to return to court for sentencing on Oct. 29, when a judge is expected to determine the punishment she will receive.
Information about the child’s current condition or living arrangements has not been publicly released.