Woman sentenced to 42 to 94 years in son’s beating death

WEST CHESTER, Pa. – A woman who pleaded guilty to murder in the beating death of her 3-year-old son in a mobile home near Philadelphia has been sentenced to 42 to 94 years in prison.

Thirty-three-year-old Jillian Tait pleaded guilty to third-degree murder, aggravated assault and possessing an instrument of crime in the November 2014 death of Scott McMillan in West Caln Township. Her ex-boyfriend was sentenced earlier to life in prison plus 10 to 20 years.

Authorities allege spankings of the boy escalated and he was “punched and beaten with blunt and sharp objects, whipped, taped to a chair with electrical tape and beaten, hung up by his feet.”

Prosecutors say Tait and the ex-boyfriend went car shopping, bought pizza and engaged in sexual activity as the boy lay dying.