Bio

Tasha Bates was born in 1986. She grew up in a home her family described as unstable. Her aunt, Tracy Honey, said Tasha "never had that childhood" and did not have the stability she should have had.

Her mother, Sandy Keith, worked as an over-the-road truck driver. Bates was divorced and became a single parent. Her family said she had no steady job and received no child support when she moved back into her mother's trailer in early 2012.

Bates had children, including a son named Skyler. Family members described her as the best mother she knew how to be, given her upbringing. Relatives also said she was dealing with depression at times.

Family members stayed involved in her life and in caring for the children. Some relatives spoke publicly about wanting mercy for her and about helping Skyler moving forward.

Murder Story

On June 28, 2012, Tasha Bates' two sons, Leland, 5, and River, 3, died. The Bradley County medical examiner ruled the cause of death hyperthermia, or severe overheating of the body. Autopsies and hospital records showed the boys' body temperatures reached at least 109 and 103 degrees. Investigators said the overheating likely happened in a hot car.

First responders tried to cool the boys and gave CPR, but River died soon after the first 911 call and Leland died later. Bates told officials different versions of events during the investigation. Detectives ran a controlled experiment that showed the car's interior could reach very high temperatures on a hot day.

Searches of the home and garage produced evidence that prosecutors said linked Bates to methamphetamine manufacture and use. Bates was arrested on July 18, 2012, and charged with first-degree murder, aggravated child neglect, and meth-related offenses. The state presented testimony about the scene, the condition of the vehicle, toxicology testing, and temperature testing at trial.

A Bradley County jury found Bates guilty in August 2013 of two counts of first-degree murder and aggravated child neglect. She was also convicted of facilitating the manufacture of meth. On November 25, 2013, Judge Amy Reedy sentenced Bates to two consecutive life terms in prison. Additional convictions produced a 40-year sentence to run concurrently with the life terms.

Life sentences in Tennessee require at least 51 years to be served. Bates was sent to the Tennessee Prison for Women in Nashville. Family members, including the boys' grandmother, attended hearings and some advocated for mercy. The case record shows an automatic appeal process for the life sentences.