4-year-old dies after dad punches him, Georgia deputies say. Dad’s charged with murder
.jpg "A Georgia man is accused of punching his 4-year-old son in the face and causing injuries that led to his death, DeKalb County deputies said.")
An Atlanta-area man is accused of causing his young son “excessive pain and injuries” that ultimately led to his death, Georgia deputies said.
Javonte Harris, 27, of Decatur was arrested and charged with murder Thursday, Feb. 16, after authorities said he punched the 4-year-old boy in the face, according to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office. He also faces a charge of first-degree child cruelty.
Investigators said the child was abused between Feb. 7 and Feb. 11 and became unresponsive. He was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
Authorities arrested the boy’s mother, 25-year-old Malisha Sasfras, on Feb. 11 and issued a “be on the lookout” alert for Harris, WSB-TV reported.
Both were booked into the DeKalb County Jail and remain held without bond as of Feb. 17, online records show. Sasfras is facing charges of murder and first-degree cruelty to children.
Decatur is less than 10 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta.
This story was originally published February 17, 2023 at 12:05 PM with the headline "4-year-old dies after dad punches him, Georgia deputies say. Dad’s charged with murder."