A mother-of-two has revealed how she saved herself after her partner tried to murder her on Valentine’s Day by setting her on fire – while their children to watch her burn.
Savannah Bailey, 26, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Javaunte Jefferson, 29, had been together for six years and had two daughters together, and while their relationship had been rocky, they were fighting to make it work.
But after getting into an argument, Savannah woke up on Valentine’s Day in 2020, to Javaunte pouring gasoline over her and throwing a match on her as he watched her body go up in flames.
Their two young girls, Cerenity, who was four during the incident, and Cemaya, who was one at the time of the attack, watched in horror as their mom ran around the house, engulfed in flames, before their father dumped them in the snow outside and fled the scene, leaving their mother to fight for her life.
Savannah Bailey, 26, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has revealed how her partner tried to murder her on Valentine’s Day by setting her on fire and allowed their children to watch her burn
She and Javaunte Jefferson, 29, had been together for six years and had two daughters together, and while their relationship had been rocky, they were fighting to make it work
But after getting into an argument, Savannah woke up on Valentine’s Day in 2020, to Javaunte pouring gasoline over her and throwing a match on her as he watched her body go up in flames
By some miracle, Savannah survived, but her entire body is scarred for life, and she can no longer speak due to her airways being damaged.
Savannah, who has been left unable to work since the attack, says: ‘Every Valentine’s Day will be a horrible reminder of the day Javaunte set me on fire.
‘Now, I still can’t talk, and I’ll sadly never look the same. But I stay strong for my girls.’
In 2014, Savannah met, Javaunte, who was unemployed, on a dating site, Plenty of Fish.
Savannah says: ‘At first, Javaunte was sweet, loving and made me feel special. We fell madly in love.’
After two years together, in 2016, they had their first daughter, Cerenity Bailey, now seven.
Savannah says: ‘Days after I gave birth, Javaunte suddenly became nasty. He started calling me a b**** and that I was worthless.
‘From then on, he verbally tormented me every day.
In 2014, Savannah met, Javaunte, who was unemployed, on a dating site, Plenty of Fish
Their two young girls, Cerenity, who was four during the incident, and Cemaya, who was one during the incident, watched in horror (Savannah shown before the attack)
By miracle, Savannah survived, but her entire body is scarred for life, and she can no longer speak due to her airways being damaged
‘Sobbing, I’d always break up with him, but he’d apologize and promise it wouldn’t happen again.
‘But the next day, he’d do it again and it was a vicious cycle.’
The next year, Savannah and Javaunte had another daughter, Cemaya Jefferson, now four.
Savannah says: ‘I was juggling looking after the girls, studying early childhood education and working at a fast-food restaurant.
‘While Javaunte barely helped and didn’t contribute financially. Yet, for some reason, he always bullied me about spending money.
‘He also slapped me once and I never looked at him the same. He’d always cry and apologize after.’
For the next few years, Savannah constantly tried to end things, but Javaunte won her back each time.
Savannah, (pictured before the attack) who has been left unable to work since the attack, says: ‘Every Valentine’s Day will be a horrible reminder of the day Javaunte set me on fire
After two years together, in 2016, they had their first daughter, Cerenity Bailey, now seven
For the next few years, Savannah (shown before the attack) constantly tried to end things, but Javaunte won her back each time
Time passed and in February 2020, Valentine’s Day was approaching.
Things seemed okay between the couple and they planned a romantic day out.
Savannah says: ‘The day before, my mom paid for me to get my hair done.
‘I wanted to look good for our date the next day, so I gratefully accepted.
‘But that afternoon, while I was at the hairdressers, Javaunte called me screaming. He said I wasting money on my hair when I hadn’t even paid my taxes yet.
‘My blood boiled. After arguing back and forth, I warned him that he needed to change or we were done.’
Furious, Savannah hung up and that night back at home, Javaunte was no-where to be seen as she put their girls to bed.
Savannah went to sleep but hours later, on Valentine’s Day morning, she woke to Javaunte standing over her, clutching a container of gasoline.
On Valentine’s Day morning, Savannah (pictured before the attack) woke to Javaunte standing over her, clutching a container of gasoline
Savannah says: ‘He poured it all over my body, then he lit a match and threw it on me’
Savannah says: ‘He poured it all over my body, then he lit a match and threw it on me.
‘My entire body became engulfed in flames.
‘Howling, I leapt up and ran around the room while Javaunte watched me burn, with a dead look in his eyes.
‘I knew I was going to die.
‘Soon the girls woke up and saw me on fire too. They were hysterical.
‘I couldn’t believe my babies were going to watch me burn alive.’
To Savannah’s horror, Javaunte picked up both girls, who were only in diapers, and dumped them outside in the freezing snow.
Javaunte came back into the house, blocked the front door with the sofa, then he fled out the back.
Savannah says: ‘Still running around, I felt my skin melting onto the floor.
‘I finally managed to escape out the back then I jumped into the snow and put myself out. It was excruciating.
To Savannah’s horror, Javaunte picked up both girls, who were only in diapers, and dumped them outside in the freezing snow
Javaunte came back into the house, blocked the front door with the sofa, then he fled out the back
‘With all my might, I ran around the house to get the girls. They were sobbing, but they were unharmed.’
Neighbors called for help and minutes later, Savannah was blue-lighted to Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital.
Once there, she blacked out and was put into a medically induced coma.
That same day, Javaunte texted Savannah: ‘Since you love to always waste money on hair and get a relationships on me hoe. I guess I love too hard. You’ve disrespected me for the last time.’
Afterwards, he posted the screenshot to Facebook so police tracked his location from the status and arrested him.
Meanwhile, surgeons and doctors warned Savannah’s family that she would die, but by miracle, she pulled through.
She had suffered third-degree burns to 60 per cent of her body and underwent over 15 surgeries and multiple skin grafts.
Savannah (shown before the incident) was able to escape and jumped into the backyard, in the snow, and put out the fire
Neighbors called for help and minutes later, Savannah was blue-lighted to Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital
Three months later, in May 2020, Savannah woke up from the coma.
She says: ‘I was burned so badly from head to toe, I looked like a completely different person. I was devastated.
‘I also couldn’t speak because my airways had been so badly damaged.
‘Surgeons fought to fix my throat but they couldn’t. My voice would never return.
‘I couldn’t believe Javaunte had done this. Especially on the most romantic day of the year.
‘He was a monster.’
After that, Savannah had intense physical rehab and in September 2020, after eight months in hospital, she was discharged.
She moved into her mom’s, who became her caregiver, while also helping with Savannah’s girls.
Still without a voice, Savannah had to type on her phone to communicate with her daughters and family.
In March 2021, Javaunte Jefferson, now 30, was found guilty of attempted murder and arson at Milwaukee County Court.
Three months later, in May 2020, Savannah woke up from the coma. She moved into her mom’s, who became her caregiver, while also helping with Savannah’s girls
In March 2021, Javaunte Jefferson, now 30, was found guilty of attempted murder and arson at Milwaukee County Court (Savannah pictured before the attack)
He was sentenced to 50 years.
Savannah says: ‘In court, Javaunte turned to apologize to me, but I looked away.
‘It was fake for the jury. He had no remorse.
‘I learned in court how police had asked Cerenity what happened that day and she’d replied “My daddy did it.”
‘I was heartbroken at how much her and her sister had seen.
‘Now, I’m still trying to adapt to my new face and body. I still can’t speak either so it’s very hard.
‘Please, if you experience any abuse at home, leave before something like this happens to you too.
‘I still don’t know why Javaunte did this, but I’m relieved he’s in prison.
‘He watched me burn, now it’s my turn to watch him burn.’
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