LUFKIN, TX (KTRE) -
A Lufkin woman is leaving her fate in the hands of a judge after pleading guilty Wednesday to her part in her 15-month-old son's injuries at the hands of her ex-boyfriend.
Lachyah Tiyuana Teel, 25, entered a plea of guilty to a charge of endangering a child in District Judge Barry Bryan's courtroom.
Teel was arrested in January on a child
endangerment charge after Teel and her mother, Belinda Teel, allowed
Jeremei Grimes, a registered sex offender, to take Teel's 15-month-old son under his care for a few hours, even though they knew he is a
registered sex offender. A few hours later, Grimes called the
grandmother and told her the child was injured when he fell off a horse.
When the women saw the child again, they noticed injuries to the child's face and bruising from his neck to his pelvis.
The injuries became worse until Jan. 9, when
Grimes told the women he would take the child to see his aunt, who is a
nurse. Grimes returned with the child and told the women his aunt said
the child was fine and just needed Tylenol. The child had more injuries
to his hands, which he did not have before Grimes had him the second
time, according to the affidavit.
The grandmother then decided to take the
child to the hospital, where he was admitted overnight. Doctors
called Lufkin Police to the hospital who interviewed the suspects.
According to the affidavit, Grimes admitted
to lying about the child falling off a horse and about taking him to his
aunt, but would not admit to how the child was injured. He even walked
out of the interview after further questioning.
The women were questioned about why they
would allow a registered sex offender to take the child, when he had not
dated the woman in more than a year, and they had already accused him
of molesting the child's older sister.
Bryan will determine Teel's sentencing following a pre-sentence investigation.
Grimes and Belinda Teel have each already accepted probation sentences in the case.
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reserved.
Lachyah Teel. (Source: Angelina County Jail)
