UPDATE: Mother Convicted of Neglect for Burned Toddler

A woman convicted of neglecting her two-year-old child was sentenced to fifteen years in prison today at a sentencing hearing in front of Judge Scott Green. Today’s sentence followed the April jury trial conviction of Ashonti Sheeerice Glass for Aggravated Child Neglect. Under Tennessee law, Glass must serve seventy percent of the sentence before being eligible for parole.

In April, prosecutors with DA Charme Allen’s Child Abuse Unit obtained a conviction for Aggravated Child Neglect committed by defendant Ashonti Sheeerice Glass, 21. Assistant District Attorneys Ashley McDermott and Rachel Russell presented testimony that Glass’ two-year-old daughter suffered second and third degree burns on her feet. Glass waited two weeks before taking her daughter to the emergency room. Medical experts testified the child would have been in excruciating pain during those two weeks. Once she was finally taken to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, the victim was immediately transported to the Vanderbilt University hospital burn center, where she was treated for weeks, received skin grafts, and went through months of physical rehabilitation. When Knoxville Police Department Investigator Keith Johnson interviewed Glass about what happened to her daughter, Glass gave multiple inconsistent stories. Glass made further inconsistent statements to hospital staff and when she testified at trial.

District Attorney General Charme Allen stated,””It is our job to give a voice to the voiceless. When a two-year-old child is injured to this extent and doesn’t receive medical treatment, we have to step in to protect the child.””

If you have any questions, please contact Sean McDermott at 865-215-2515 or Sean.McDermott@knoxcounty.org. For more information about the District Attorney’s Office, visit our website at dag.knoxcountytn.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.