John Jefferson
Left: Glenn Smith. Right: Jasmine Ellison (Harris County Sheriff’s Office).
A mother and father in Texas are behind bars after they allegedly killed their 5-month-old girl during a “horrific weekend” of abuse, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said.
Glenn Wayne Smith, 25, is accused of causing serious bodily injury to a child while Jasmine Marie Ellison, 23, is accused of causing serious bodily injury to a child by omission. Gonzalez said the girl, Ja’nae Smith, was transported to the hospital from a home in the 1400 block of Plumwood Drive in Houston on Sept. 29. According to a criminal complaint, the girl had bleeding on her brain, blood coming from her mouth and broken ribs. She also had broken ribs that were healing, the complaint said.
“A specialist examined the baby and determined that the injuries to the baby’s brain were ‘sheering injuries’ which in her medical opinion were more likely caused by shaking the child aggressively,” the complaint said.
Sad and disturbing. On 9/29/24, 5-month-old Ja’nae (female) was transported to a hospital from the 1400 blk of Plumwood. Ja’nae suffered from multiple rib fractures and brain bleed. Her prognosis was grim. Sadly, she succumbed to her injuries on
1/2 pic.twitter.com/dTXWbvQD5j
— Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) October 7, 2024
Gonzalez said Ja’Nae suffered a “horrific weekend” which began on Sept. 26. She was “throwing up, partially paralyzed, vomiting blood,” Gonzalez said. Despite the girl’s condition, Smith and Ellison allegedly waited four days to seek medical treatment. Her prognosis was “grim” when she entered the hospital and she died on Oct. 3, Gonzalez said. He called the incident “sad and disturbing.”
A judge Monday set bond at $250,000 for Smith and $150,00 for Ellison. Both remain in the Harris County Jail. A lawyer for Ellison filed a requesting his client’s bail be set at $10,000 or that she be released on her own recognizance. He also reportedly argued that the child’s condition worsened while she was at work.
“Defendant has never been charged with a crime, has personal ties to the community in that Defendant resides in Harris County, Texas where she also is gainfully employed. Because of these ties to the community, Defendant is not a flight risk,” the motion said.
Ellison’s attorney declined comment. A judge assigned Smith a lawyer from the Public Defender’s Office.
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