Mom in Court for Arson has $300,000 Bond
Family Speaks out
Omaha, NE – Tanesha Beard is behind bars Wednesday on a $300,000 bond. She’s the mom accused of setting an Omaha home on fire, critically injuring her boyfriend then letting her children take the blame.
There’s no question the fire inside this house was set on purpose. The fire department’s report lists the cause as arson.
Prosecutors say Beard started the fire with a gallon of gasoline. Her family calls it self-defense, an act of desperation. They claim Jermaine Westbrook abused her.
Her family gave us these pictures of Beard’s face bruised. They say she took the pictures herself.
“I saw the bruises I saw the bite marks. I witnessed the scar in her head from being knocked unconscious with a chair and I’ve talked to her children and they have shared with me the times this guy has beaten her,” says Danny Robinson.
Her friends say she told them about the abuse but never called police and neither did they. She was afraid of him.
“She was really in love with this guy and I think it was a sick type of love because he was so controlling,” says Robinson.
Westbrook’s cousin says he never saw a violent side of their relationship. He says Beard even told him their three year anniversary was coming up soon.
“And then to hear that happened a couple days later, I don’t understand that,” says Caresley Toney.
Beard faces many charges, including arson and child abuse. Her children were all in the house when the fire started.
If she can make bail, she’ll be under court order to stay away from the kids.
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