On Wednesday in Warren County court, Judge M. James Chaney sentenced Brooke Mallett to 30 years in prison, the maximum sentence allowed by law, in the death of her young child in 2023.

Mallett received the maximum of 20 years for manslaughter in the death of her son Kaiden Mallett, and five-year sentences for each of two counts of child neglect.

Mallett was convicted of manslaughter and child neglect June 13 following a trial in Warren County court.

Mallett’s charges stemmed from an April incident last year when both three-year-old Kaiden Mallett and a five-year-old sibling went missing from their home and, according to law enforcement at the time, were gone for hours without the mother or her boyfriend noticing. Kaiden Mallett was later found dead in a pond near Memory Lane. Mallett and then-boyfriend John Duke Walker were initially charged with murder before a Grand Jury reduced the charges to manslaughter.

During Mallett’s June trial, the prosecution introduced testimony from Warren County Coroner Doug Huskey, who confirmed he pronounced the child dead at 12:29 p.m. on April 21, 2023.

Warren County sheriff’s deputies testified that, upon arriving at the home where Mallett and the children were staying, they found the house to be in extremely poor condition, with clothing, toys and dirty dishes strewn about. There was no power or water to the home and drug paraphernalia and a loaded gun were also found in the house, according to testimony. Because there was an outstanding warrant for Mallett’s arrest, she was taken into custody. Walker was also arrested on suspicion of child neglect.

Extensive testimony was also given during trial by Shirlene Hill of Child Protective Services. She was called to the home of Lynne Cox, who testified that the older child showed up at her home on the day in question dirty, barefoot and covered in bug bites.  Hill said she received authority to take the older child to Merit Health River Region emergency room in Vicksburg. A subsequent urine sample from the child tested positive for methamphetamines and amphetamines, testimony revealed. Hill also testified regarding two previous CPS reports involving Mallett in Copiah County. In one of those reports, dated March 2023, Kaiden Mallett tested positive for methamphetamines. Based on this finding, the mother was ordered to submit to a drug test immediately in Copiah County. She did not appear, resulting in a warrant being issued for her arrest.

Doctors from both River Region and University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson testified in June to the older child’s state of health, concurring with Hill’s assessment of the his physical appearance. Their testimony outlined the treatment that was provided, their concerns of child neglect and the positive drug screen.

Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace testified that he responded to the initial call on Old Highway 27 when the older child was found. Pace also led the search for the younger child, eventually finding him floating in a pond near Memory Lane. Pace retrieved the child from the water and began CPR, continuing until paramedics arrived and declared the child deceased, he said in testimony.

Mallett’s attorney, Alton Peterson, argued for a lesser sentence on the basis that she had no prior arrests or convictions. Mallett’s grandmother, Doreen Bates, asked the court for mercy, stating that Mallett was a good mother and that she loved her granddaughter very much.

Assistant District Attorney Michael Warren, argued for the maximum sentence. In his argument, he went over the facts presented in trial. He stated that Mallett’s children had paid the price because she chose methamphetamines. He concluded with the statement that, as an adult, Mallett made her choice, but her children did not.

Mallett’s sentences handed down Wednesday are to be served consecutively, Chaney said in court.

The complete story from Mallett’s June trial may be found below:

Mallett found guilty on all charges in death of young son