BELFAST, Maine — EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above aired June 23, 2021.
A Stockton Springs woman who is charged with depraved indifference murder in her 3-year-old son's death made her first court appearance Friday. Her bail has been set at $150,000.
NEWS CENTER Maine had previously referred to the accused as Jessica Williams. However, according to an affidavit filed by Maine State Police on Thursday, she is also known as Jessica Johnson and Jessica Trefethen. NEWS CENTER Maine is referring to her as Jessica Trefethen, as that is what she was referred to as in court Friday.
Maddox Williams was pronounced dead at Waldo County General Hospital on Sunday, June 20. He was the son of Trefethen and Andrew Williams, and was Trefethen's only child with Williams. Andrew Williams is currently incarcerated at the Knox County Jail.
Jessica Trefethen also has three children with Jason Trefethen. According to police, Jason lives in a camper at 30 Cross Ln. in Stockton Springs, which is the same property where Jessica lives.
According to police, Jessica Trefethen and her mother, Sherry Johnson, took Maddox to the hospital and Jessica told hospital staff that he had been knocked down by a dog leash and kicked by his 8-year-old sister. However, the office of the chief medical examiner reached a different conclusion on the cause of Maddox's death.
Police said Dr. Lisa Funte of the office of the chief medical examiner determined the cause of Maddox's death to be multiple blunt force trauma. The manner of death was determined to be non-accidental inflicted trauma, according to police.
Police said Funte also noted the following injuries during Maddox's autopsy on Monday, June 21:
- Bruises on his arms, legs, abdomen, and head
- Three partially-healed abrasions on his face and forehead, which were covered with temporary stick-on tattoos
- Deep tissue bruising on his butt
- Internal bleeding in his abdomen that indicated a rupture of the bowel
- Injuries and bleeding in his brain
- Fractured spine
Police said the autopsy also found abrasions on the inside of his lips that were indicative of facial impact. He was also missing three teeth, which appeared to be the result of at least two separate events, according to police. Police said X-rays revealed that his adult teeth had not yet grown into position to push the baby teeth out.
According to police, Funte said Maddox's injuries were inflicted upon him and the injuries were not consistent with a fall, being kicked in the stomach, or being knocked down.
Police also spoke with Jessica Trefethen on June 23. According to police, Trefethen told them her young daughter had told her Maddox got knocked down by a puppy. Police said she told them "she had no idea" how he would have received his injuries and that he had a lot of bruises because "he bruised very easily and her kids play wild and crazy." She also said he had fallen from a trampoline several days before but was not bleeding and seemed fine, according to police.
When police followed up with the office of the chief medical examiner, Funte told them Maddox's injuries were "too severe to be caused by kids playing, falling from a trampoline, or being knocked down by a puppy."
According to police, when they placed Trefethen under arrest later on June 23, they also asked her to explain Maddox's injuries because her explanations weren't consistent with Funte's findings. Jessica then responded, "Let's do this," and walked toward the police cruiser without answering the question, according to police.
In addition to her bail being set at $150,000, Trefethen can’t have any contact with any children under the age of 14 or have contact with a list of people, including Jason Trefethen and Andrew Williams. She is scheduled to be back in court for a status conference on Oct. 28.