PEARL, Miss. (WJTV) – Neighbors in Pearl held a balloon release and candlelight vigil for nine-week-old Khalysie Lashay Jolley, who died on Saturday, May 14, after allegedly being slammed against the road repeatedly by her mother on Thursday, May 12.
Friends and family mourned the death of the little girl and prayed for her mother, 20-year-old Makaylia Shaylynn Jolley.
The balloon release and candlelight vigil was held on North Bierdeman Road, which was the street where Khalysie was severely injured.
“This baby’s mama is a wonderful mama. She did not know what she was doing,” said one family member.
Khalysie was taken to Children’s of Mississippi in critical condition before she passed away on Saturday. Jolley’s great-aunt said she received a call from the child’s mother about an hour before the incident asking her to come over and pray. However, the great-aunt was unable to leave the house because she was watching her grandchild.
“I should have been there. I started blaming myself,” said Jolley’s great aunt.
Family and community members said the mother of two loved her children.
“We’re all emotional. This is not real. Our 20-year-old baby cousin is going to spend a long time in prison, if not life, if they don’t get her the right kind of help,” said Jolley’s cousin, Kayla Moore. “She didn’t have all this psychotic stuff that people were making up about her, and she was remorseful. When she did get pregnant with Cash, she settled down. Her whole life changed. When she got pregnant with this baby, everything was about the baby.”
Many people have condemned the mother for her actions, and someone even showed up to the vigil in protest.
“I just hate that this happened, but y’all need to pray for her. Do not sit here and bash her on social media. That is not cool at all,” said Jade Robinson, a friend of Jolley.
Jolley was arrested and initially charged with attempted murder and felony child abuse. Investigators upgraded the attempted murder charge to capital murder after the baby died.
Jolley is set to make her first appearance in the Pearl Municipal Court on Tuesday, May 17.