PARENTS GUILTY OF MURDERING BABY, ABUSING TODDLER
State vs. D’Hari and Keith Black
Atlanta- A Fulton County Jury has returned guilty verdicts against a mother and father charged with murdering and abusing their young children. 27-year-old D’Hari Black and her husband 29-year-old Keith Black of College Park were convicted Friday of Murder, Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault and Cruelty to Children in the 1st Degree for the death of their baby son and abuse of their two-year-old daughter.
On December 14, 2008, the Blacks arrived at the South Fulton Medical Center carrying their unconscious 11-month-old son Keith Black III. After attempts were made to resuscitate the baby, medical staff pronounced him dead only twenty minutes after arrival. Police and child welfare were called to the hospital after medical staff identified multiple bruises and healed lacerations on the victim and his two-year-old sister Kyara. The young girl was immediately placed in foster care. Further medical tests on the child revealed healing rib fractures and deep healed scars and wounds believed to have been caused by an electrical cord or looped belt. There was also evidence of burn injuries on the girl’s body. In interviews with police, the defendants claimed the little girl had injured herself on the playground. They also explained the blunt force trauma to the baby’s head via conflicting stories. One parent stated the baby had fallen out of bed while the other stated he accidentally fell down the stairs. The defendants were initially arrested on charges of Cruelty to Children in the 1st Degree. Murder charges were added after autopsy results revealed the Blacks’ baby boy died of non accidental blunt force trauma to the head.
Jurors deliberated for 2 ½ hours before returning with a verdict of guilty on all counts for both defendants. They will be sentenced next month by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Kimberly Esmond Adams who presided over the case. Each faces a minimum of life in prison.
The case was prosecuted by Chief Senior Assistant District Attorney Pete Johnson with assistance from Senior DA Investigator Vance Williams. Detective T. Jackson formerly of the College Park Police Department and currently with the DA’s office was the lead detective.
Media Contact: Yvette Brown, 404-224-0560/404-392-8867, yvette.brown@fultoncountyga.gov