A Cumberland County judge has sentenced Jeanie Ditty to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2015 murder of her 2-year-old daughter, Macy Grace Ditty.
According to the North Carolina Conference of Attorneys, Jeanie Ditty was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for First-Degree Murder, and 157 to 201 months for Felonious Child Abuse Inflicting Serious Bodily Injury.
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WRAL previously reported that Jeanie Ditty was charged with first-degree murder and negligent child abuse, inflicting bodily harm. The case started on Dec. 2, 2015, when paramedics brought Macy Grace Ditty to Cape Fear Valley Regional Medical Center.
Macy Grace Ditty died from extensive injuries two days later. The Fayetteville Police Department began its investigation shortly after the 2-year-old's death and said she died from blunt force trauma.
Jury selection for this trial began on Aug. 10, 2026.
Charges against Ditty's boyfriend were dropped in November 2019.
During the multi-week trial, 16 witnesses testified, including nurses and doctors who treated the toddler. A number of witnesses also testified to interacting with the defendant in the months leading up to the 2-year-old's death, claiming they tried to intervene in Jeanie Ditty's inattention and aggressive behavior towards the child.
"Macy was a precious toddler who was loved by so many people," said Special Prosecutor Lisa Coltrain with the North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys. "They carried the grief of losing Macy while always continuing to fight for her story to be told and justice to be served, and though it was a long road, it finally reached a conclusion."