Florida Mother Sentenced To 32 Years After 14-Year-Old Son Dies Severely Malnourished At 33 Pounds

A Florida mother was sentenced to decades in prison after prosecutors say her 14-year-old son died of severe malnutrition and abuse.

Talia Nelson, 45, pleaded no contest to charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child and aggravated child abuse and was sentenced to 32 years in prison, the 7th Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office said. The boy died on Jan. 1, 2024; an autopsy later ruled the manner of death a homicide, Daytona Beach police reported.

At the time of his death the teenager was severely malnourished and dehydrated, weighing only 33 pounds. Medical examiners documented fresh bruises on his face and linear scars across his torso, back and legs. Prosecutors say Nelson neglected and physically abused the child over an extended period.

Nelson initially told investigators the boy suffered from a rare bone disease, lactose intolerance and bulimia, but records obtained by investigators showed the last documented medical visit was in June 2020. Authorities say evidence supports that the boy did not receive necessary medical care for years.

"This case brought tears to my eyes when I saw the condition of our teenage victim," State Attorney R.J. Larizza said. "It is incomprehensible for a mother to neglect and torture her own flesh and blood to the extent we uncovered in this case. How could she watch her son suffer for weeks and months and years until he weighed less than a typical 7-year-old child? Heartless and cruel are words that come to mind."

Nelson is being held at the Volusia County Branch Jail and will serve a multi-decade prison term for the convictions. The case was reported by People and covered by local outlets including CBS News and Fox 13.

If you suspect child abuse, contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or visit www.childhelp.org. The hotline is toll-free, confidential and available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.