The case centered on a Jan. 6, 2024, killing and efforts to hide the girl’s body, prosecutors said.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Latasha Mott was sentenced Wednesday to 23 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in the death of her 5-year-old daughter, Nefertiti “Neffy” Harris, authorities said.
The sentence closes the main criminal case tied to the child’s death in early 2024, which investigators and prosecutors said happened inside the family home and was followed by attempts to conceal what occurred. The mother’s admission, made in January, avoided a trial that would have forced relatives and other witnesses to testify about a child’s final hours. The case has drawn steady attention in Syracuse because of the victim’s age, the family setting, and the steps taken after the killing, officials said.
Mott, a Syracuse resident, admitted in court last month that she killed her daughter on Jan. 6, 2024, after striking the child with a belt multiple times while the girl was in a shower at their home on West Beard Avenue, officials said. Prosecutors said the beating was severe enough to cause the child’s death. Afterward, investigators said, Mott tried to keep the killing from being discovered, moving the child’s body away from the home. On Wednesday, Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said the prison term reflected the seriousness of the crime and the efforts to hide it.
Under her plea, Mott was convicted of second-degree murder and two counts of concealment of a human corpse, officials said. Court records described a sequence that began inside the home and then shifted to outdoor locations where investigators later searched. In the months after the killing, the case moved through local courts as officers and prosecutors gathered statements and reviewed records, then advanced to county court after formal charges were filed. As the legal process unfolded, the child’s name became widely known in the community, and neighbors left small memorial items in places tied to the investigation.
Authorities have described the child as a kindergartner in Syracuse schools. In the early stages of the case, a family member spoke publicly about the girl’s personality and the shock of losing her. Donkeisha Jones, the child’s aunt, said the girl was “a nice, outgoing kid” who liked to joke and make faces that made relatives laugh. Those comments were among the first public glimpses of the child’s life outside the court papers, which focused on injuries, timelines, and what happened after the girl died.
Investigators said the attempts to conceal the death became a major part of the case, leading to additional charges beyond the murder count. Officials said the child’s body was moved and hidden after she died, and prosecutors argued that those actions delayed discovery and complicated the investigation. At times, the case raised painful questions about what others knew and when, and whether signs of trouble were missed. In court filings and statements, authorities emphasized that the central facts were established by Mott’s own admissions and by supporting records gathered during the investigation.
Prosecutors have also said another adult helped after the killing. Corrice Parks, identified as Mott’s boyfriend, was sentenced Tuesday to 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges including concealment of a human corpse, hindering prosecution, and criminal possession of a weapon, officials said. Onondaga County Chief Assistant District Attorney Robert Moran said Parks assisted in disposing of the child’s body. The sentence for Parks came one day before Mott returned to court for her own sentencing, keeping the case in the public eye throughout the week.
The guilty pleas narrowed what remained for a judge to decide: the length of prison terms and the formal resolution of charges. In Mott’s case, the 23-years-to-life sentence sets the earliest point at which parole could be considered, while also ensuring she will remain under state supervision for life if she is ever released. Prosecutors said the punishment accounted for both the fatal assault and the concealment counts. Court officials did not describe any additional hearings scheduled in the case after sentencing, though paperwork and prison processing typically follow immediately after a defendant is remanded.
Beyond the courtroom, the case left visible marks around Syracuse. Early reporting showed the home connected to the investigation during winter weather, and later coverage showed balloons and other items placed near a location tied to where authorities said the child was buried. The memorials were small, but they signaled how closely people followed the case and how strongly they reacted to the details. In interviews and public comments, community members repeatedly returned to the same point: a child died in a place that should have been safe.
Authorities have not described any further defendants expected to be charged. The key open questions now center on whether any additional public records will be released and how officials will address the broader issues raised by the case, including how quickly concerns were noticed and reported. For the family, the sentencing ends one part of the process but does not undo what happened. The child’s name, repeated in court and in news reports, remains the clearest reminder of the life at the center of the case.
With Mott’s sentence imposed and Parks already sent to prison, prosecutors said the criminal proceedings have largely concluded. The next milestone will be routine post-sentencing filings and the start of Mott’s state prison term, which begins immediately following her commitment on Feb. 11.
Author note: Last updated February 12, 2026.