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Deliberations Begin In Foster Mother's Murder Trial

4-Year-Old Died While In Woman's Care

POSTED: 10:51 am EST November 15, 2007
UPDATED: 11:00 am EST November 15, 2007

A jury is deliberating the case of a Dorchester foster mother accused of killing a young boy who was in her care.

Closing arguments were held Wednesday in the case against Corrine Stephen. Prosecutors said she was responsible for injuries that led to the death of 4-year-old Dontel Jeffers in 2005. Officials said that the boy was beaten in the stomach so hard that his organs were perforated, which led to a fatal infection.

Jeffers died 11 days after he moved in with Stephen. The Massachusetts Department of Social Services placed Dontel with the Dorchester woman.

Officials said that she repeatedly abused the boy by tying him up and assaulting him, but Stephen claims that the boy hurt himself while jumping on a bed.

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