BRANTLEY FARMER - 9 Months (2014)/ Charged: Mother's BF; Donald Justin Lee - Morgan Co GA

Infant dies day after suffering severe head injuries

Updated: 4:44 a.m. Monday, March 24, 2014
Posted: 4:58 p.m. Sunday, March 23, 2014
By Rachel Stockman

MORGAN COUNTY, Ga. —  Charges will be upgraded for a man accused in the death of an infant found severely injured at a Morgan County home, deputies said.

The Morgan County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to Channel 2 that 9-month-old Brantley Farmer died Sunday afternoon at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite. The child was airlifted to the hospital Saturday after suffering severe head injuries, family members said.

The family wanted to thank the community for all of their prayers and support during this difficult time.

Deputies have already charged the child’s mother's boyfriend, 21-year-old Donald Justin Lee, with cruelty to children. He will likely face felony murder charges.

“He died at 3:51 p.m. and mom got to hold him and just cradled him the whole time,” said Brandon Hayes, the infant’s uncle. “Of course, she broke down when we told her, ‘He’s gone’ but (she had) considerable peace about her.”

Morgan County deputies and paramedics went to the home on Aqua Road Saturday, after reports of a child not breathing.

Investigators said, Lee, the boyfriend of Brantley's mother, called 911. He said Brantly had fallen off a couch. Deputies said Lee was caring for the child at the time.

Lee is in jail without bond.

“The only things that was said among the family was how could anyone do this,” Hayes said. “We’ve been praying for Brantley that we can forgive this guy for what he has done because we don’t want that hate to harbor.”

The family has set up a donation website to help pay for the child's funeral.

Murder charges filed in death of baby in Morgan County

Updated: 7:12 a.m. Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Posted: 11:00 a.m. Sunday, March 23, 2014
By Howard Pousner, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Murder charges have been filed against a Morgan County man after the weekend death of a 9-month-old baby in his care, an official with the local sheriff’s office said Tuesday.

Donald Justin Lee, 21, was arrested Saturday night and charged with cruelty to children. Charges were upgraded to felony murder on Monday, Morgan sheriff’s Capt. Christopher Bish told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Morgan deputies and paramedics went to the child’s home on Aqua Road in Madison after Lee called 911 and reported that Brantley Farmer had stopped breathing, investigators said.

Deputies said Lee, the boyfriend of Brantley’s mother, was caring for the child at the time.

At the home, Lee told police that Brantley had fallen off the couch. The severity of the baby’s head injuries made investigators suspect Lee, Bish said.

“Babies don’t usually fall off an 18-inch (high) couch and get these kind of injuries,” Bish told Channel 2.

Brantley was taken by ambulance to Morgan Memorial Hospital and then airlifted to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite. He was taken off life support at 3:51 p.m. Sunday, according to the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office

Lee is being held at the Morgan County Public Safety Center without bond.

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/arrest-made-in-case-of-injured-morgan-county-baby/nfJzK/