A Sandy Springs man will spend the rest of his life in prison for the death of a 9-month-old baby, according to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
A jury took 40 minutes to reach a guilty verdict against Dehaven Johnson, 30, the DA’s Office reported in a press release. He was convicted on charges of malice murder, felony murder, first-degree cruelty to children and aggravated battery.
Judge Kelly Ellerbe sentenced Johnson to life without the possibility of parole plus 40 years, according to the release.
Diasia Williams dropped off her 9-month-old child, Jelani, at Johnson’s apartment on the night of March 31, 2021. The defendant was a good friend, though not related by blood, and referred to the child as his nephew, the release said.
Less than two hours later the mother asked about her son, Johnson exchanged text messages in which he said the child was breathing but not responsive, the release reported. She asked Johnson to call 911 and EMS responded to the call. After being transported to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the child was pronounced dead by medical personnel.
“On March 31, 2021, Heaven gained a precious child, and I am finally left with a sort of peace that Jelani received justice on Oct. 18, 2023,” Diasia Williams said, according to the release.
Johnson was arrested and charged with murder on April 1, 2021, the Sandy Springs Police Department told Rough Draft Atlanta.
Sandy Springs Police Detective Keith Smith conducted an on-scene interview, during which the defendant said the child might have choked on his bottle when he stepped away. In a follow-up interview, Det. J.T. Williams said the child had a fall and he may have either “dropped” the infant or Jelani might have fallen from a futon.
An autopsy performed on the child revealed trauma to the infant’s chest, abdomen, leg and brain. Dr. Ricardo Jiminez of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta testified that the injuries were consistent with non-accidental trauma. The injuries were consistent with multiple forces of impact on baby Jelani, inconsistent with CPR, falls, or the choking described by the defendant, according to the release.
The case was prosecuted by the office’s Crimes Against Children Unit: Assistant District Attorneys Robert Shapiro and Dion Peeples, Assistant Chief Investigator Temperance Stoddard, Victim Witness Advocate Jasmyn Drummond, and Legal Assistant Nyome Griffin.