MIKKAH EDWARDS - 1 yo - Atlanta GA

ATLANTA —
A 1-year-old boy has died from serious injuries and his father is in jail, accused of beating him, police said.
Channel 2's Amy Napier Viteri spoke with the child's mother who said she never expected something like this to happen.
Toni Brown said she had to make the difficult choice to take her 13-month-old son, Mikkah, off of life support.
The child's father is facing serious charges.


Brown described Mikkah as always smiling and a joy to be around. She
returned home Friday after work to find the baby unresponsive after
leaving him in the care of his father, Ryan Edwards, 34.

"He had suffered a severe brain injury, fractured skull and severe brain damage, Brown said.

Brown said she took him to an urgent care facility near her Morrow
home. Because of the seriousness of his injuries, crews brought Mikkah
to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Egleston. She said the news was not
good.
"If he did recover, he would be severely handicapped. He would not speak. He would not walk," Brown said.
Clayton County police arrested Edwards and booked him into the Clayton
County Jail on charges of child cruelty and aggravated battery.
Brown made the difficult decision to take her son off life support Monday evening.

"I'm devastated. I am, like I said, I have my good moments. I have my bad moments," Brown said.
Brown said she has never had trouble like this before with Edwards.
Mikkah's grandmother, Ruby Huntley, told Viteri she's still trying to understand how this could happen.
"For him to take my grandson. I'm mad, I'm very, very mad," Huntley said.
"Children are innocent and people should pay for hurting the innocent," Brown said.

Edwards is currently in the Clayton County Jail. Investigators said more charges are pending.

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/police-toddler-dead-after-abuse-father/nHLFG/

What a precious little boy beaten to death by his own father. So senseless. I hope he rots in jail.

I find it hard to believe this is the first time he abused the baby. I question why the mother didn't put a stop to it before he murdered him.

Father charged with murder in death of Clayton County toddler

By Angel K. Brooks,The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
6:15 a.m. Thursday, February 2, 2012

Charges have been upgraded to murder for the father of a 13-month-old Clayton County boy who was taken off life support Monday after suffering severe injuries.


Clayton County Sheriff's Office, Clayton County Sheriff's Office

Ryan Edwards, 34, remained in the Clayton County Jail without bond Thursday, charged with murder, child cruelty and aggravated battery.

Mikkah Brown was found unresponsive by his mother, Toni Brown, when she returned home from work Friday. The toddler had been left in his father's care, Channel 2 Action News said.

Toni Brown said she took Mikkah to an urgent care facility near their Morrow home, and he was transferred to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston.

"He had suffered a severe brain injury, fractured skull and severe brain damage," she told Channel 2.

Monday, she made the difficult decision to have life support removed, the report said.

"Mikkah was very loving, very happy, very sweet," she said.

Brown told Channel 2 that she had never had this kind of trouble with Edwards.

"Children are innocent, and people should pay for hurting the innocent," she said.

http://www.ajc.com/news/clayton/father-charged-with-murder-1324341.html