Bail set for Maine woman charged in death of 3-year-old son

BELFAST, Maine (AP) — A Maine woman charged with murder stemming from the death of her 3-year-old son was ordered held on $150,000 bail during an initial court appearance Friday.

Jessica Trefethen, 35, did not enter a plea during the appearance, which followed her arrest on Wednesday. Police identified her as Jessica Williams after her arrest, but she was referred to as Jessica Trefethen during her court appearance.

Police have said the medical examiner’s office has determined the cause of the death of her son, Maddox Williams, was blunt force trauma. Police said Maddox suffered multiple serious injuries, including bruises on his arms, legs, head and abdomen, WCSH-TV reported.

Trefethen lived in Stockton Springs. Police have said Maddox Williams died Sunday after his mother and grandmother brought him to Waldo General Hospital in Belfast.

Maddox is one of four young children to die in Maine in the last month. State officials have announced a plan to evaluate child safety policies in the state in the wake of the deaths. The chairs of the Maine Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee, Democratic Sen. Ned Claxton and Rep. Michele Meyer, said in a statement that it is “our shared responsibility to find ways our state can improve the safety and well-being of Maine’s children and best work proactively to prevent these kinds of tragedies.”

Trefethen is scheduled to return to court Oct. 28.