Woman accused of throwing boiling grease at 10-year-old cousin found not guilty on all counts

CLAYTON COUNTY — A woman on trial accused of throwing boiling grease on a 10-year-old girl has been found not guilty of the charges against her.

Channel 2′s Courtney Francisco was in Clayton County, where jurors heard closing arguments Tuesday before jurors began deliberating. They quickly came back with a verdict.

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In summer 2020, Shamara Mayes, who is nicknamed Shine, was visiting family in Clayton County when her cousin, Myracle Mateen, threw boiling water on her.

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Clayton County Assistant District Attorney Travis McDowell said Mayes had second and third-degree burns all over her body. She spent more than 200 days in the hospital and still bears the scars.

“The grease was thrown head-on, right in front of her,” McDowell said.

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Defense attorneys told jurors this wasn’t a case of child abuse, it was a tragic accident. They argued that Mateen and Shine ran into each other.

Defense attorney Matt Harris said Matten was changing a pot of grease and told the child to stay where she was.

“She turns, Shine didn’t listen to her (CLAPS). That’s what happened,” Harris said.

Mateen was 18 at the time. She’s now 22 and has been in the Clayton County jail since then. The judge asked Channel 2 Action News not to show her on camera, though she did testify in her defense.

The jury found Mateen not guilty of aggravated battery, not guilty of aggravated assault and not guilty of aggravated child abuse.

Shine’s mother, Stephanie Mayes, said she didn’t see any remorse from Mateen.

“No sympathy no nothing,” Mayes said. “And she trying to pin this and blame this on my daughter.”

It’s not the verdict Mayes wanted to hear.

“My daughter been through a long, rough life,” Mayes said. “She got to live day-to-day with what happened to her. Karma is a b***. That man upstairs God got the last say.”

Mateen will be released some time Wednesday night.

Jury selection begins for woman accused of pouring hot grease, oil on 10-year-old Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Ashli Lincoln talked to the child’s mother, who said justice has taken way too long.

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