ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The father of a 9-year-old girl who investigators say was abused and murdered in Montverde has been arrested, accused of aggravated manslaughter, marking the second arrest in the child’s death, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Lo Juan Sessions, 26, was arrested Friday by Orange County deputies on a Lake County warrant for aggravated manslaughter of a child in connection with the death of Jamaria Sessions, the sheriff’s office said.
Lo Juan Sessions’ arrest follows that of his girlfriend Tyshael Elise Martin, 34. Martin was arrested Wednesday and faces charges of aggravated child abuse, child neglect and first-degree murder.
Jamaria Sessions was found dead in a home along the 16000 block of Harbor Oak Drive on June 17, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
A news release states detectives obtained footage from the family’s security system on June 15 that showed Jamaria being “viciously attacked by the family’s 103-pound Rottweiler, with Tyshael commanding the attack while holding the dog’s leash,” officials said.
The sheriff’s office said detectives learned the girl was punished with prolonged wall sits, running in place with her arms up, being hit with objects, kicked, punched and pinched. An autopsy report revealed the girl’s cause of death was multiple blunt injuries to the head, torso and thermal injury of the right foot. According to a probable cause affidavit, the girl was burned on her foot when Martin used boiling water on the girl’s hair.
“The abuse continued to the point at which Tyshael can be seen dragging Jamaria’s nearly motionless body across the floor. Jamaria was then repeatedly struck and shaken by Tyshael, who can be heard in the video possibly saying, ‘I’m fixin’ to kill her,’” the release said.
Martin is being held in the Lake County jail on no bond.
News 6 is working to learn more about the circumstances of Lo Juan Sessions’ arrest.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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