The child’s great-grandmother says Aquria Beloch has made progress but still faces medical care, nightmares and a fear of hot water.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — More than a year after severe burns sent Aquria Beloch to intensive medical care, the now-3-year-old is continuing to recover while the former babysitter accused in connection with her injuries faces aggravated child abuse and neglect charges.
Aquria’s great-grandmother, Tracy Sims, said the child has made substantial progress since May 2025, when she suffered burns over more than 30% of her body while in a babysitter’s care. Sims now has custody of the girl and said the family continues to travel for medical treatment as Aquria deals with both the physical and emotional effects of what happened.
The new legal development came this week when a Shelby County grand jury indicted 22-year-old Sha’Tonia Wallace. Wallace was booked into the Shelby County Jail on Sept. 1 and was being held on a $100,000 bond. She faces aggravated child abuse and aggravated child neglect charges. Wallace has not been convicted, and the allegations against her must be resolved through the court process.
Sims said Aquria suffered serious burns involving hot or boiling water while Wallace was responsible for her care. She said the injuries affected the child’s head, back and arms and covered more than 30% of her body. The exact sequence of events has not been publicly established, and the family has said it still does not know precisely how the injuries occurred.
In May 2025, Aquria’s mother, Tamaurria Beloch, told WREG that her daughter was hospitalized at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital on a ventilator after being brought in with severe burns and other injuries. Family members said Aquria was first taken to a Methodist hospital and later received specialized treatment, including care at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Sims said the child’s recovery has extended well beyond her initial hospitalization. Aquria continues to have difficulty around hot or warm water, she said, and sometimes wakes during the night screaming or moving restlessly in her sleep. Sims said doctors also continue to monitor the girl’s physical recovery and that further treatment may be necessary.
The family’s circumstances changed again after Aquria’s mother died in a car crash months after the child was injured. Sims took custody of Aquria and said she left her job so she could care for her great-granddaughter. The loss of the girl’s mother has added another challenge as the child continues to heal, Sims said.
Despite those difficulties, Sims has described Aquria as active, affectionate and making meaningful progress. Her great-grandmother said the difference between the child’s condition immediately after she was injured and her condition now is significant, although she believes the recovery process remains far from complete.
The indictment has given the family its first major legal development in more than a year. It alleges Wallace knowingly treated a child 8 or younger in a manner that caused injury and serious bodily harm. The charging document lists alleged conduct between Oct. 16, 2022, and May 17, 2025. Authorities have not publicly explained the significance of the earlier date in relation to Aquria’s May 2025 injuries.
Sims said Wallace’s arrest has brought some relief but has not answered the family’s questions about what happened. She has also said she believes another person may have been involved. No other person has been publicly reported as charged in the case, and the family’s belief about another participant has not been established by investigators or a court.
Sims said she intends to follow Wallace’s case through the court system while continuing to care for Aquria. For the family, the indictment begins a new legal phase in a case that has already involved lengthy medical treatment, the death of Aquria’s mother and a continuing recovery for the young girl.
Wallace remained in custody on a $100,000 bond in the latest reporting. No additional charges against another person or a final outcome in Wallace’s case had been publicly announced.
Author note: Last updated September 5, 2026.