Stepmother enters new plea deal in beating death of 9-year-old

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Fort Wayne’s NBC) - The stepmother charged in the beating death of 9-year-old Elijah Thomas Ross in December of 2021 has entered into a new plea agreement.

According to court documents, Alesha Miller, 31, is facing several felony charges in connection with Elijah’s death. The new plea agreement would dismiss one count of neglect of a dependent, with the three other counts to be served at the same time for a total of 35 years. The new plea deal calls for her to serve five more years than the plea deal Miller entered into in April of 2022.

Miller was arrested on December 22, 2021, and charged with aggravated battery resulting in death, neglect of a dependent resulting in death, and two counts of neglect of a dependent.

Court documents say Miller and her spouse Jenna returned home from a Christmas party after receiving phone calls of a fight that had ‘gotten out of hand’. Witnesses told investigators that Alesha Miller hit Elijah with a wooden paddle. When Elijah ‘went limp’ Miller thought he was playing dead.

The Allen County Coroner’s Office said an autopsy of Elijah showed subdermal hematoma. The coroner’s office ruled Elijah’s death a homicide.

Miller’s spouse, Jenna Miller, was also charged in connection with Elijah’s death. Jenna Miller’s jury trial is scheduled to begin on November 29.

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