Georgia babysitter sentenced to life after death of 9-month-old baby, prosecutors say

A Georgia man convicted of murder in the death of a 9-month-old infant he babysat at his home has been sentenced to life in prison, prosecutors said.

Dehaven Johnson, 30, was found guilty of malice murder, felony murder, first degree cruelty to children and aggravated battery on Wednesday in the March 31, 2021 death of baby Jelani Williams, Fulton County court records show.

On Monday, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis announced it took a jury just 40 minutes to reach the verdict.

Court records obtained by USA TODAY show a grand jury indicted Johnson on the felony charges Aug. 23, 2021 after the infant suffered "brutal" and fatal injuries while being watched by Johnson in his apartment in Sandy Springs, a north Atlanta suburb. 

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'Severe pain in his final moments'

On the day of his death, Jelani's mother, Diasia Williams, dropped her son off at Johnson's home, WANF-TV reported, and said Johnson contacted her and said Jelani was unresponsive and that he had called police.

According to the Sandy Springs Police Department, officers responded to Johnson's apartment and first responders "rushed the child" to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta where he was pronounced dead.

An autopsy revealed Jelani suffered blunt force trauma injuries, a broken femur and bleeding on the brain that resulted in his death during care by Johnson, according to police, who later arrested Johnson in connection to the baby's death.

“The child was severely abused and would’ve suffered severe pain in his final moments,” Robert Shapiro, a senior district attorney who prosecuted the case, told WANF-TV about the tragedy. “This was an especially difficult case, given the age of this victim. "

Remembering Jelani

Olythina Holt, who created an online fundraiser to help pay for the baby's memorial service, called Jelani "a happy little one and the center of his family.

Jelani made an impact on so many "in just the little time he was here with us," Holt posted on the fundraising page. She also went on to say, "He was able to brighten your day with his bright eyes and contagious smile. "

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Sentencing and conviction

According to his sentencing disposition, Johnson was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole plus an additional 40 years behind bars.

Johnson is appealing his conviction, court papers in the case filed Monday show.

According to the one-page document, Johnson is asking for a new trial for reasons including the state allegedly failed to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.

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