MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — A Tennessee appellate court has upheld the convictions and 15-year prison sentence of a Rutherford County woman found guilty of aggravated child abuse and aggravated child neglect stemming from injuries sustained by her infant son in 2020. The 29-year-old, who filed the appeal, remains incarcerated and is expected to serve her sentence through 2037.

In a ruling released Thursday, January 15, 2026, the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the judgment of the Rutherford County Circuit Court in the case of State of Tennessee v. Marlikka Jordan. Jordan was convicted by a jury of two Class A felonies related to severe injuries suffered by her nine-month-old son, identified in court records as J.J.

Background of the Case - The charges stem from events occurring between May and June 2020, when Jordan was the primary caregiver for J.J. The child was taken to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital on June 9, 2020, after Jordan reported swelling and bruising to his leg. Medical examinations revealed multiple fractures throughout J.J.’s body, including injuries in various stages of healing, as well as a skull fracture and injuries to his mouth consistent with blunt force trauma.

Medical experts testified that the injuries were non-accidental and would have caused significant pain. Doctors ruled out brittle bone disease and other medical explanations. Investigators with the Department of Children’s Services and law enforcement determined that Jordan had custody and control of the child during the time period when the injuries occurred.

Trial and Conviction -  During the trial, prosecutors presented testimony from medical professionals, child protective services investigators, law enforcement officers, and family members. The jury heard evidence showing that J.J. suffered numerous fractures over time, including to his legs, arms, wrists, shoulder, hands, and skull.

Jordan denied abusing her child and maintained that she did not know how the injuries occurred. However, the jury found her guilty of aggravated child abuse and aggravated child neglect. The trial court sentenced her to an effective 15-year term in confinement.

Issues Raised on Appeal - On appeal, Jordan argued that the trial court erred by excluding evidence of injuries observed on the child after August 1, 2020—when the child was no longer in her custody—and that the evidence presented at trial was insufficient to support her convictions.

The appellate court rejected both arguments. Judges ruled that Jordan waived her claim regarding excluded evidence by failing to properly raise it in her motion for a new trial and by failing to provide a transcript of the hearing on that motion. As a result, the court presumed the trial court’s ruling was correct.

Appellate Court Ruling - The Court of Criminal Appeals also concluded that sufficient evidence supported the convictions. The panel found that a rational jury could reasonably determine Jordan was responsible for the child’s injuries based on circumstantial evidence, medical testimony, and the timeline of caregiving.

In affirming the convictions, the court noted that the jury was entitled to weigh witness credibility and resolve conflicting testimony. The appellate judges ruled that the State met its burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

The ruling leaves Jordan’s convictions and 15-year sentence intact. Upon her release, Jordan will be 41-years-old.