Image with caption: Skylynn Tuerk (McLennan County District Attorney’s Office). Background shows the hotel in Waco, Texas, where Tuerk’s baby tragically died due to starvation (Google Maps).
A Texas mother will spend several decades behind bars for allowing her 3-month-old baby boy to starve to death at a hotel in Waco.
Skylynn Tuerk, 34, confessed to the charges against her, which include murder, injury to a child, child endangerment, and possession of methamphetamine on Thursday morning.
Judge Susan Kelly of the 54th District Court sentenced Tuerk to 40 years for the murder, another 40 years for injuring a child, and two years for each of the other violations. These sentences will be served at the same time, making her eligible for parole after 20 years of incarceration.
The defendant will also receive credit for 633 days spent in pretrial detention, the court determined.
McLennan County Assistant District Attorney Tara Avants expressed gratitude for the Defendant’s acceptance of accountability, resulting in a substantial sentence. In a statement to Waco’s ABC affiliate KXXV, Avants stated, “The legal distinction between a life sentence and this 40-year sentence is minimal at only 10 years. The degree of neglect and recklessness exhibited by the Defendant meant we couldn’t settle for a lesser penalty.”
The behavior in question came to light on Nov. 29, 2023.
Authorities were alerted to the New Road Inn, a hotel situated off Interstate 35. Inside, they discovered Jacob Jeremiah Amon Harris, an infant, deceased from severe starvation.
The call described the tragic condition of the child, who appeared extremely malnourished and skeletal, as per court records obtained by Waco’s CBS and Telemundo affiliate KWTX.
In local media accounts, the victim was widely referred to as “Baby JJ.”
In the filthy quarters, police rescued Baby JJ’s then-3-year-old sister. At the scene of the crime, officers described finding cockroaches, raw meat, knives and swords, and drugs in a backpack.
In January 2024, Tuerk and the boy’s father, Charles Devin Harris, 28, were indicted on multiple counts related to Baby JJ’s death.
The investigation into the family was brought on by a third party making a report about the child’s welfare to Child Protective Services.
The CPS caller expressed concerns Baby JJ had not put on enough weight since his birth and described Tuerk as “nonchalant” about the issue. Meanwhile, Harris is alleged to have been “playing video games the entire time” the other person was in the room.
Arriving the next day — and by then too late — officers described the family as living in “unclean and dangerous” conditions, noting the bladed weapons were “within the reach of the 3-year-old girl.”
Officers also said there was no “real food for the children” kept in the “unsanitary” hotel room “and there was no baby formula for Jacob,” according to court documents. Rather, police alleged, the “only food found for the children were a couple of juice boxes and fruit snacks.”
The father’s case is still in the pretrial stage.
Tuerk’s defense attorney provided a statement to local multiple media outlets after the sentencing hearing.
“This was a tragic situation, and Skylynn was devastated by the loss of her child,” Jonathan Sibley said. “Skylynn and her family still grieve for the loss of their child, but are pleased to put this part of the process behind them. Skylynn and her family not only lost a loved member of their family, but, this family will also have to deal with losing Skylynn for a period of time while she is incarcerated. Skylynn’s family was represented in court today to support Skylynn and I’m sure they will continue to support her in any way they can while she is incarcerated.”
