A Bloomington teenager weighed 124 pounds in January 2025. By the time she died six months later, she weighed just 80 pounds. Monroe Circuit Court 3 has now issued arrest warrants for her father, Jerry Mayfield, and her stepmother, Toris Mayfield, on charges tied to her death.
Jerry and Toris Mayfield each face three counts of neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury, a Level 3 felony, according to Fox 59. The victim, 14-year-old Jamiyah Mayfield, died after Toris Mayfield called 911 on July 2, 2025, reporting a medical emergency; Jamiyah was transported to a hospital in Bloomington, where she died. Under Indiana Code § 35-46-1-4, neglect of a dependent is elevated to a higher felony level when it involves cruel confinement, deprivation of necessary food and water, or results in serious bodily injury to a child, according to Keffer Hirschauer LLP.
Cameras, a Blocked Window and a Reversed Lock
Court documents describe a home outfitted with multiple cameras, including one inside Jamiyah's bedroom, the station's report states. Toris Mayfield allegedly kept Jamiyah confined to that bedroom and communicated with her through a Ring camera, while other people living in the residence freely came and went. When Jamiyah asked to use the bathroom, Toris Mayfield denied the request, per the same account.
Investigators allege the bedroom's only window was blocked by a screw inserted into its frame, and that the door locks had been reversed so the Mayfields could lock the room from the outside. The room itself contained no carpet, bedding, clothing or food, according to the article. Video history from the bedroom camera reportedly showed a significant decline in Jamiyah's weight and skin condition over time.
Withdrawn From School, Flagged to the State
The Mayfields withdrew Jamiyah from the Monroe County public school system in February 2025 and reportedly began homeschooling her, the outlet reports. Indiana is a no-notice, low-regulation homeschooling state, meaning parents are not required to notify state education officials or obtain approval when pulling a child from public school to begin home instruction, according to the Indiana Department of Education. That same month, on February 19, 2025, the Indiana Department of Child Services received a report alleging Jamiyah was confined to the house at all times and that school had been her only social life.
School officials had said Jamiyah showed no abnormal functions or disorders before her withdrawal, per the report. On May 1, 2025, she received medical treatment at IU Health for leg swelling, where staff noted she had poorly controlled ADHD, weight loss and marks on her skin, the station notes. According to court documents, the Mayfields claimed Jamiyah was refusing to eat by spitting out food and using the bathroom improperly, and separately said she had developed an eating disorder and a developmental disability.
A Forensic Picture That Shifted
During the July 2, 2025, emergency call, Toris Mayfield described Jamiyah as limp and said she dragged her to the bathroom before contacting 911, per court documents. The autopsy report initially attributed her death to polymedication-induced arrhythmia from six medications and listed ADHD and cachexia, a condition related to severe weight loss; the manner of death was first classified as accidental, then later changed to undetermined. The final autopsy report determined the cause of death as complications of severe protein-calorie malnutrition and dehydration, and a child abuse pediatrician determined the death was diagnostic of child torture.
Per court documents, Jamiyah experienced a medically unacceptable drop in weight and inadequate health care after being removed from school, which contributed to her death. Investigators allege Jerry and Toris Mayfield discussed withholding food from Jamiyah and which foods she could eat. Police reviewed text messages, videos, Ring camera footage, school records, medical records and autopsy records as part of the investigation, according to the station's report. The Mayfields initially cooperated with investigators but changed their cooperation after detectives identified potential evidence of child abuse, the outlet reports.
A Statewide Pattern of Neglect Cases
The case echoes a recent Frankfort, Indiana, prosecution in which a couple was charged with Level 3 felony child neglect after prosecutors alleged they intentionally withheld food from a child as punishment and documented it in text messages, as Hoodline previously reported. Monroe County has also seen other neglect prosecutions this year, including an August case in which a Bloomington mother was charged with felony neglect after her toddler repeatedly left their residence while she was incapacitated.
Statewide, the Indiana Youth Institute and the Department of Child Services recorded more than 21,000 child abuse and neglect cases in Indiana in 2025, with neglect accounting for the vast majority of cases requiring state intervention. Any individual with reason to believe a child is being abused or neglected is required under Indiana Code § 31-33-5-1 to report it immediately to law enforcement or the Department of Child Services, according to IN.gov. A Level 3 felony conviction in Indiana carries a potential prison sentence of three to 16 years per count and a fine of up to $10,000, with an advisory sentence of nine years.
