Round Lake Beach woman accused of killing son denied request to speak with daughter
A Round Lake Beach woman accused of killing her son, then taking his body on a Metra train to Chicago, has been denied a request to have a telephone conversation with her daughter.
Lake County Judge James K. Booras denied the request Wednesday to alter the bond conditions for Jamie L. Jones, 29, after Assistant Lake County State's Attorney Jason Humke said Jones previously tried to discuss the case with the daughter.
He would not elaborate on the statement after court.
Jones faces 12 counts of first-degree murder in connection with the death of 6-year-old Carl Rice Jr.
Authorities say the boy died in his sleep overnight between June 30 and July 1 after Jones severely beat him at their house in the 1800 block of Cedar Lake Road.
Authorities said surveillance video from July 1 shows Jones carrying the child's body into the Round Lake Beach Metra station to catch a train to Chicago. At the train station, she used a backpack to prop up the boy's body in a seat, went outside to smoke a cigarette, then carried the body onto the commuter train for Chicago when it arrived.
A second video shows Jones carrying the body through Union Station after the train arrived in Chicago. She entered a car outside the station and was driven to her parents' house.
Jones alerted family members that something was wrong with Carl when the child did not wake up later that morning. He was pronounced dead a short time later.
An autopsy conducted by the Cook County medical examiner's office showed Carl suffered extensive bruising on his face, arms, chest, buttocks, thighs, skull and inside his mouth. The medical examiner determined Carl died six to eight hours before authorities were called.
Prosecutors are seeking a life sentence for Jones if she's found guilty of the most serious murder charges. She also faces up to 60 years in prison if found guilty of aggravated battery to a person under 13 years of age, and up to 5 years in prison if found guilty of concealment of a homicidal death.
Her case is scheduled to go to trial April 2.
Jones is held in the Lake County jail on $3 million bail. She is due back in court Feb. 28.