Mother sentenced to 60 years for poisoning 4-year-old daughter with Benadryl to fake seizure disorder

A Texas mother was sentenced to 60 years in prison after she was caught giving her 4-year-old daughter adult-strength Benadryl and then appearing to seek a new victim while out on bond.

Jesika Jones, 32, was sentenced Friday for poisoning her daughter in 2022 and taking her to Cook Children’s Medical Center to claim she was suffering from a seizure disorder.

'The scars of your betrayal run deep.'

Benadryl is very harmful in large doses and can lead to nausea, vomiting, hallucination, seizures, and even death.

Jones admitted to police that she had given the child the medicine, according to Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office Det. Michael Weber.

"In this case, I had a confession," said Weber. "We had evidence in the child’s blood, and we had evidence in mom’s purse."

Weber said testimony and evidence shows Jones also claimed another child of hers suffered from epilepsy when that child actually didn't. He said his office dealt with many other similar cases.

"They either exaggerate, falsify, or induce medical symptoms in their child in order to fulfill an intrinsic need in themselves," Weber explained.

Jones bonded out of jail but was arrested again for violating bond and having contact with a child in April. She then violated bond a second time by contacting a child of a man she was trying to date — and that child testified that Jones showed interest in medications the child was taking.

Weber went on to scold the district attorney's office for not following up on the case in order to prevent Jones from being bonded out of jail.

"No bond revocation hearing was sought. That is a failure in the criminal justice system, specifically a failure by the Tarrant County DA’s office," Weber continued. "It is a frustration of mine that that office continues to view these offenders as not a threat to the public at large or additional children."

The district attorney's office did not respond to KDFW-TV's request for comment regarding Weber's criticism.

The office did post to social media a quote from the victim's father after Jones was sentenced.

"The scars of your betrayal run deep," the father said in court.

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