Mother charged for biting son the same day fundraiser begins for her “new start”

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24-year-old Dedja Jenkins was charged with child abuse when her 7-year-old told his father she bit him on the cheek and left him outside with no coat in January. She’s also the mother of a 1-year-old who died after being left in a truck by her adoptive father.

On January 20th, Dedja Jenkins was with her son at 405 Elm Street when she became angry with the 7-year-old child. According to the affidavit, the boy told his father that his mother had bitten him on his cheek and locked him outside without a coat and well as struck him. The father took photographic evidence that supported the account. Investigators also interviewed the child at school and his story did not alter. The home where the abuse occurred is the boy’s great-grandmother’s house, she advised she had seen the mark on his cheek but had not witnessed the incident.

Dedja Jenkins (MNPD)
Dedja Jenkins (MNPD)

Dedja Jenkins is also the mother of the 1-year-old baby who died May 23rd in 2018 after her adoptive father left her in his truck and took rideshare to the airport. The day Jenkins was arrested, Bethany Christian Services, the adoption agency for baby Katera Jenkins-Barker, issued a press release in response to a petition started that implies race was a facet of Katera’s death. Then on the day of her arrest for the child abuse charge, a GoFundMe was started called “A new start for Dedja”.

Dedja Jenkins and Katera Jenkins-Barker (Source justice4katera.org)
Dedja Jenkins and Katera Jenkins-Barker (Source justice4katera.org)

On June 9th, Dedja Jenkins was arrested and charged with child abuse. Her bond was set at $15,000.


Jenkins, Dedja522772100 RIVERGATE MEADOWS DR
Goodlettsville, TN 37072
Child Abuse – Child 8 or less


Correction: On June 13th, we published that the GoFundMe called “A new start for Dedja” was started on June 11th, two days after Dedja Jenkins’ arrest. This was untrue, the GoFundMe was started the same day Jenkins was arrested on the child abuse charge. The original article and headline have been updated with the correct information.

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