PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Charisse Stinson, the mother accused of killing her 2-year-old son Jordan Belliveau in 2018 pled guilty to second-degree murder on Tuesday during a pre-trial hearing.
The plea deal means Stinson will get a 50-year sentence and will have to pay the Largo Police Department nearly $28,000.
Stinson has already served 771 days in jail.
In court Tuesday morning, Stinson thanked the state attorney's office for the offer.
"It is a long time but I will walk with my head held high. I apologize for the pain I have caused. I'm not the same person. I was angry and bitter but now I'm free mentally and I thank my son for that. I was lost for a long time," she explained.
Stinson's biological mother also addressed the court and asked for a shorter sentence.
"Our daughter loved her son Jordan. I know she loved her son. This was a tragedy. 50 years is a lot. Please reconsider the amount of time you are giving her. This won't bring Jordan back but I'm asking you to allow me to enjoy my daughter," she told the judge.
Belliveau, 2, was found dead in a wooded area near the Largo Sports Complex in September 2018.
Stinson was initially charged with first-degree murder after her son's death. An Amber Alert was issued for the toddler at the time after Stinson told police she accepted a ride from a stranger who assaulted her and knocked her out before kidnapping Belliveau.
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Instead, detectives say Stinson hit her son in a moment of frustration, causing him to have seizures. When Belliveau died, detectives say Stinson carried her son's body to the wooded area where he was found. Then, detectives say she made up the elaborate lie to try to cover up the crime.
Stinson will still face a felony charge for lying to police.
In February 2020, Gov. DeSantis signed a bill named after Belliveau to protect children from abuse in the state's welfare system. Jordan's Law reduces the workload for caseworkers meaning the maximum caseload would be no more than 15 children, if possible. It became law on July 1.
