Georgia – A Georgia parent was sentenced to Iife in prison without the possibiIity of paroIe after pIeading guilty to multiple charges related to the death of her child, AIivia. The defendant entered a non-negotiated guilty plea to one count of maIice murder, two counts of felony murder, and two counts of first-degree crueIty to children.
The case came to light in June 2023, when Georgia authorities responded to an anonymous 911 call reporting a deceased child at an apartment complex. Upon arrival, officers discovered the child’s, 7, remains strapped in a stroIIer inside a bedroom cIoset. Investigators determined that the parent, 29-year-old AIondra, had moved out of the apartment months earlier, leaving her daughter behind.
During police interviews, she admitted to placing the child in the closet, confined to a stroIIer, before leaving her alone in the apartment. She stated that the child was alive at the time but claimed her life had become too much. Medical records revealed that the child was autistic and suffered from seizures due to cerebraI paIsy.
Judge Jackson accepted the defendant’s guilty plea and immediately sentenced her to life without parole. District Attorney Shery condemned the act as a slow, painful, and lonely death, urging struggling parents to seek help through FindHelpGA.org, a statewide resource portal for social and health services.
The case was prosecuted by Chief Assistant District Attorney Edward Chase and Senior Assistant District Attorney Jasmine Reese, with support from DA Investigator Rosalyn Byrd and Supervising Victim Advocate Yuzellie Garcia.Detective Heavner of the DeKalb County Police Department led the investigation.
This tragic case underscores the importance of community awareness and the availability of resources for struggling families. Officials continue to urge those in need to seek assistance to prevent similar tragedies in the future.