Tasha Bates wipes her eyes as she looks at a photograph Thursday in Judge Amy Reedy’s courtroom during her trial on charges related to last summer’s hyperthermia death of her two sons, 3-year-old River Bates and 5-year-old Leland Bates.VIDEO
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WHAT THE JURY DECIDEDTwo counts of felony murder: GuiltyTwo counts of aggravated child neglect: GuiltyFour counts of initiation of manufacture of meth: Not guilty, but guilty on lesser charges of facilitation of manufactuing methOne count of promotion of meth manufacture: Not guilty
The mother of two little boys who died from heat stroke last year may face life in prison after a jury found her guilty of first-degree murder and aggravated child neglect.
Tasha Bates, 27, waited until after the Bradley County jury of three women and nine men announced their verdict and left the room Thursday night before she broke down in quiet tears at the front of the courtroom.
She had spent several hours earlier in the day on the stand, testifying about the day she discovered her sons, 3-year-old River and 5-year-old Leland, unconscious on a 101-degree afternoon last summer.