Jessica Motes, the Northeast Georgia woman who is charged with murder in the death of 4-year-old Autumn Fox, has a history of violence, drugs, and criminal cases involving child victims, law enforcement documents show.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) arrested Motes on Sunday, October 26, after authorities discovered Fox’s body in the trunk of a car in the Sam’s Club parking lot off Mundy Mill Road in Oakwood.
A history of violence
A review of public records shows Motes was arrested in Lula, Georgia, on the evening of October 3, 2015, following a domestic dispute that occurred in the presence of young children.
In that incident, deputies responded to a report of a physical altercation in progress at the 8900 block of Forrester Road sometime after 7 p.m. The investigation resulted in Mote’s arrest, who was 25 at the time.
The victim identified in the incident report was her father, Tim Motes, and two children, aged 9 months and 2 years.
Allegations and charges
The investigation, based on evidence and witness statements, determined that Motes allegedly tried to hit her father, punched a hole in a wall, and threatened to shoot him. During the event, Motes also allegedly threatened to kill herself, according to a witness statement.
The incident and outburst of violence took place in front of her two children, whom she had left behind when she fled the scene. Drew Motes, Jessica’s brother, said in a witness statement that he heard Jessica yelling at her kids and saying she was “leaving and she wasn’t gonna take the kids.”
Motes was charged with several offenses, all listed under the Family Violence Act. Those charges included criminal trespass, terroristic threats, and cruelty to children in the third degree.
Context and detention
The police report noted that Motes reportedly used methamphetamines. Tim Motes stated that his daughter was “on drugs” and that the family had “done all we can to help her.”
Motes was arrested at the scene and transported to the Hall County Jail that night. Court records have been requested to determine the outcome of these allegations; however, a source tells Now Habersham the cruelty to children charge was later dropped.
According to jail records, Motes remains in the Hall County Jail without bond.
