$60K bond set for Dillon woman facing homicide by child abuse charge in shaken baby case

DILLON, S.C. (WMBF) – Bond was set at $60,000 for a Dillon woman charged in connection with a shaken baby investigation.

The South Carolina Public Index shows Judy Cox is now charged with homicide by child abuse. She appeared in court at the Dillon County Judicial Center Monday morning for a bond hearing.

Family members of 5-month-old Jeremiah Thompson, who died in February, were in court Monday morning. They were wearing t-shirts with a picture of the infant adorned with wings and floating on a cloud. The words “Jeremiah Forever Loved” were written below.

Cox was first arrested back in February and charged with abuse/parent, guardian, other allowing another person to inflict great bodily harm upon a child.

An arrest warrant showed that she shook a five-month-old baby so hard that it caused severe damage to the brain area and severe trauma to the eye area.

According to information from the prosecution during Monday’s hearing, Cox was just charged last week with homicide by child abuse because the solicitor wanted to be as confident as possible, noting no one wanted to believe the defendant caused the infant’s death.

The solicitor said his office made sure to get multiple expert opinions from medical professionals as to what led to the death of the child before charging Cox with homicide by child abuse.

Cox is the former owner of Generations Daycare, where the incident allegedly happened. Her lawyer stated her client had cared for children in Dillon for 15 years and had no prior record.

The defense attorney said medical records will show the child’s health was deteriorating before the alleged incident.

She also said the prosecution should have asked a pathologist to examine the baby’s body, because she believes a pathologist would be able to say a blood test could show the child’s decline in health before entering the daycare.

Jeremiah’s mother, Melissa Thompson, described hearing her infant son’s first cry on Sept. 15, 2018. She then said she wasn’t expecting to hold her baby on Feb. 16, 2019 and watch him take his last breath.

“Jeremiah was a precious, happy, lovable, handsome bundle of joy,” Thompson screamed during the hearing.

Thompson asked the judge to deny bond. It was ultimately an unsuccessful plea, though.

“He was taken away from us too early by the hands of an individual with no heart," she said.

Thompson said she and her family are going through emotional, physical, mental and financial pain.

“I now have to go to the grave site, which is heartbreaking and painful, to visit my baby," she said.

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