MORGAN COUNTY, Mo. -- The Stover couple charged with second-degree murder in the beating death of three-year-old Blake Litton are on the road to jury trial. The decision was made by Associate Circuit Court Judge Kevin Schehr Wednesday after both appeared for preliminary hearings.

Thomas “T.J.” Presley, 21, and Jamie Ann (Miller) Litton, 25, have been charged with second-degree murder and felony child endangerment.

Presley waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Wednesday, July 18, and was bound over for trial in Circuit Court. Public Defender Carrie Comstock represents him.

After testimony in Jaime Litton’s preliminary hearing, Judge Schehr determined enough evidence existed to move the case against her to trial. Her attorney, Max Mitchell, did not present evidence in her defense during the hearing.

Attorneys representing each defendant have not requested change of venue.

Both Presley and Jamie Litton are currently scheduled to appear in Morgan County Circuit Court at 9 a.m., Aug. 23.

The murder charges against the mother and her boyfriend stem from an investigation into Blake Litton’s death on Feb. 16, 2012. Blake was pronounced dead at Bothwell Hospital in Sedalia in the early morning hours after Presley told authorities the child had been the victim of a hit-and-run accident.

An autopsy indicated that the child’s death was caused by trauma suffered from a severe beating. Medical authorities alerted law enforcement and after a brief investigation Presley was questioned, arrested and later charged by Morgan County Prosecutor Dustin Dunklee.

Acting Prosecutor Doug Kinde presented evidence and witness testimony on July 18, 2012, regarding Jaime Litton’s alleged involvement in the death of her son.

Kinde’s case was based on Jamie Litton’s alleged actions after Presley apparently informed her that he had beaten Blake for soiling his pants, reportedly exemplified by text messages exchanged between the couple.  

According to the testimony of one sheriff’s deputy, Jamie Litton allegedly asked a co-worker to borrow money so she could take her son to the hospital after she received text messages from Presley telling her “he lost it” and had beat Blake “bad this time.”

According to the probable cause statements filed with the court in February, Blake Litton was alive when Presley drove him to Litton’s place of employment, the Golden Age Nursing Home in Stover, at approximately 5 a.m., after Presley sent the text messages to Jamie Litton. Surveillance video from the nursing home shows Presley pulling into the parking lot and a person walking around the vehicle. Three minutes later the vehicle left the parking lot, according to the probable cause statement.

Jamie Litton initially told investigators that she believed Presley was taking Blake to the hospital emergency room. Later she allegedly stated that she received a text message from Presley telling her that a car had struck Blake.

Jamie Litton did not immediately indicate to law enforcement that Presley had caused injury to Blake, according to testimony.

According to the probable cause statement, injuries found during the initial autopsy included a lacerated liver and ruptured blood vessel in his brain, visible bruises and lacerations to the head, neck, torso, buttocks, legs and arms.

At the end of the state’s evidence and testimony, Judge Schehr ruled Jaime Litton be bound over to Circuit Court.

Both Presley and Jamie Litton have been incarcerated since Feb. 16. Since his incarceration, Presley has been charged with third-degree assault on a law enforcement officer from an incident in April 2012. His probation from a 2011 charges of harassment and trespassing also has been revoked.

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