Jury begins deliberations in missing SC boy case

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Jurors have begun deliberating the fate of a 23-year-old mother charged in the case of her missing son.

A jury late Thursday afternoon began considering the case against Zinah Jennings.

The Columbia woman is charged with unlawful conduct toward a child. She faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Jennings’ son, Amir, was 18 months old when he was recorded on bank surveillance video. Police say she told them false, misleading stories about where the boy is. Jennings says she left the boy somewhere safe but won’t give details.

Some of the dozens of prosecution witnesses testified the young mother said she was stressed and needed a break from the boy. Jennings’ mother said she doesn’t believe her daughter would have ever harmed the boy.