Last week, a judge set a trial date for 34-year-old Lesli Ann Jett, who is charged with the murder of her boyfriend’s four-year-old son, Tate Thurman, last year.

Lesli is charged with three counts of felony murder and one count of aggravated battery of a child of under 13. On February 18, 2020, four-year-old Tate Thurman was rushed from his family’s home in East Peoria, Illinois to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois in cardiac arrest and covered with severe injuries and head to toe bruises. She told police that Tate slipped in a puddle of water and became unresponsive; she was the only adult present at the time of Tate’s injuries. 

After two days on life support, Tate was pronounced dead on February 20. Lesli was arrested soon afterward.

Tate’s autopsy revealed a vast number of painful injuries, including intestinal tears resulting from “high-velocity blunt force trauma,” a pancreatic hematoma causing internal bleeding; and “deep muscular bruising of the abdominal wall and back, an acute fracture of [the] right collarbone, and extensive contusions and abrasions to [his] scalp, face, neck, chest, [genital area], buttocks, upper back, shoulder, and limbs, including deep muscular bruising of the scalp, neck, [and] torso.” 

Lesli is scheduled for trial beginning on June 28, 2021 in Tazewell County Circuit Court.

Click here for my ongoing coverage of Tate’s story.

Sources: 25 News/Week.com