Teresa Patterson, 44, the woman who was convicted of murdering three-year-old Jerome Allen Martin in 1989 in south Modesto, agreed to a five-year denial of parole at her Feb. 6 parole hearing in Chowchilla.

Stanislaus County District Attorney John R. Mayne appeared at the hearing. Patterson waived her right to a suitability hearing after a recent conviction for possessing drugs in prison.

Patterson was convicted of first-degree murder and is serving a 25 years to life prison sentence for beating the child over a period of six months which resulted in his death. Jerome was the son of Patterson's lesbian lover, Ivy Martin. The two lived together in a small trailer on Olivero Street.

The child was watched by Patterson while Jerome's mother worked. Martin was also convicted of murder for allowing the abuse to continue but has since been granted parole. It was shown in court that Patterson inflicteg serious injuries on the toddler, including a fractured arm, separated shoulder, cigarette burns to his chest, scarring to his face and neck from fingernail scratches, and bladder damage caused by refusing to let him urinate.

A blow to the head on Jan. 7, 1989 took his life.

Both women planned to put Jerome up for adoption, but were never able to as he was too bruised and injured to be exposed to the authorities. Martin permitted the abuse to occur and refused to call for help once the child suffered his final injury. Instead of seeking medical care, the couple purchased drugs and used them while Jerome was dying in the next room.

After the child died the couple buried his body in a nearby field and reported him as kidnapped. When the child failed to turn up after a wide search, detectives became suspicious of the stories from the two women which did not add up. The sordid truth came out about the treatment the child was given.

At the time of the crime, Patterson was 18 and Patterson was 25.

She is incarcerated at the Central California Institute for Women in Chowchilla.