Gaston County mother could get life in prison for 4-year-old son's death

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By Ken Lemon

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — A Gaston County mother could spend the rest of her life in prison after she was charged in the death of her 4-year-old son.

Tiffany Cheeks cried in court as prosecutors handed her attorney the indictment for first-degree murder in the death of her son.

[ Mother charged with stepfather in death of 4-year-old boy ]

Her plea agreement for an eight-year sentence was stripped from her.

Cheeks' sister said that's what she deserves.

"Eight years was not long enough," Brittany Tilley said.

[ 4-year-old boy who starved to death finally has grave marker ]

Malachi was born with several mental and developmental issues and was very dependent on care.

He died of starvation, left in a room that a judge said looked like a storage closest, while his two siblings were well-fed.

"Why?” Tilley asked. “My nephew didn't deserve this. He was an innocent child and he was already dealt a bad hand in life."

Tilley said her sister made family members believe the boy died from his congenital illnesses.

"I spent as much time with her as I could because she is my sister and I wanted to console her," Tilley said.

After an autopsy, Cheeks gave police statements implicating her husband and Malachi's stepfather, Thomas Cheeks.

Tiffany Cheeks pleaded to lesser charges two years ago and agreed to testify against her husband but when he went to trial last year, she changed her testimony.

Family members said love made her choose to fight for her husband's freedom instead of uncovering the truth about her son's death.

Thomas Cheeks was still sentenced to life in prison without parole.

[ Court clerks raise money to buy grave marker for boy who starved to death ]

Tiffany Cheeks now faces the same possibly.

"I think God got her what she needed,” Tilley said. “I think she did what she was supposed to do (so that) she can get what she really deserved."

Tiffany Cheeks murder trial starts in October.

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