Jackson County

Woman charged with felony child abuse by Jackson County Sheriff’s Office

By Anita Lee

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office has charged Melissa Pearson, 46, with child abuse involving a juvenile whom she knew.

No further details are being released to avoid identifying the child. Pearson was released on a $25,000 bond on the felony charge. She also has been charged by the Mississippi Department of Corrections with violating the terms of probation.

The sheriff’s office began its investigation of Pearson on September 25.

This story was originally published April 14, 2026 at 9:52 AM.

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Anita Lee
Sun Herald
601-909-0638
Anita, a Mississippi native, graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and previously worked at the Jackson Daily News and Virginian-Pilot, joining the Sun Herald in 1987. She specializes in in-depth coverage of government, public corruption, transparency and courts. She has won state, regional and national journalism awards, most notably contributing to Hurricane Katrina coverage awarded the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in Public Service. Support my work with a digital subscription
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