ANDERSON, SC. (THECOUNT) — Tynisha Lashae Jones, 34, has been charged with murder/homicide by child abuse in connection with the December death of her 10-month-old daughter, after investigators said laboratory testing found a high level of morphine in the infant’s blood.
The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office said Jones was arrested Friday, September 25, following a months-long investigation into the child’s death. She remains held at the Anderson County Detention Center after bond was denied.
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Officials said the investigation began on December 12, 2025, when detectives were called to AnMed Medical Center in Anderson following the death of an infant. The child died while at the hospital, according to investigators.
Upon arrival, detectives interviewed several people, including Jones, and obtained a search warrant for the family’s home. Investigators collected specimens that were subsequently sent for laboratory testing as part of the death investigation.
Several months later, testing reportedly showed a high dose of morphine in the infant’s blood. Investigators then determined the death was a homicide, according to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office.
After reviewing the evidence and the child’s medical records, investigators determined Jones was responsible for giving morphine to her daughter, authorities said. The sheriff’s office has not publicly disclosed how the morphine was obtained, how it was administered or why the drug was allegedly given to the child.
The child was identified in a published obituary as Talayah Lucille Donaldson, who was born January 17, 2025, and died December 12, 2025. The obituary identifies Jones as Talayah’s mother and lists the infant’s father as Emmanuel Fitzgerald Donaldson Jr.
Jones is charged under South Carolina’s homicide-by-child-abuse statute. State law applies when a person causes the death of a child under 11 while committing child abuse or neglect under circumstances demonstrating extreme indifference to human life. A conviction under the applicable provision can carry a sentence of life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 20 years.
The charge remains an allegation, and Jones is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. The sheriff’s office has not released additional details concerning the circumstances surrounding the child’s death.
The investigation began more than nine months before the arrest, illustrating the time involved in obtaining and analyzing laboratory evidence in the case. Investigators ultimately combined the laboratory findings with evidence and medical records before determining that Jones was responsible, according to authorities.
Anderson is the county seat of Anderson County in South Carolina’s Upstate region, approximately 30 miles southwest of Greenville and about 15 miles from the Georgia border. AnMed Medical Center is located in central Anderson and was the location where investigators were initially called following the infant’s death.
MAP: AnMed Medical Center in Anderson, South Carolina
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