Duluth father convicted in 2019 murder of 9-week-old daughter
Khaliq Woods (Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office)
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - A Gwinnett County jury has convicted a Duluth man of murder and other charges in the 2019 death of his 9-week-old daughter, prosecutors announced Tuesday.
Jurors deliberated for 10 hours before returning their verdict.
SEE ALSO: Duluth man charged with 9-week-old daughter's murder
What we know:
Khaliq Woods, 29, was found guilty of two counts of felony murder, aggravated battery, and first-degree cruelty to children following the death of Kamila Woods. He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.
The backstory:
The case stemmed from a Nov. 30, 2019, incident when Woods brought the infant to Northside Duluth Medical Center. She was pronounced dead upon arrival. According to investigators, Kamila’s mother had dropped her off at Woods’ apartment the day before.
Woods told authorities he had been playing with Kamila, tossing her into the air and catching her. He said that during one of those moments, he felt her side "go in" and heard her wheezing. He placed her in bed around 10 p.m. and later found she was unresponsive around 2 a.m., at which point she would not take a bottle or pacifier. He eventually took her to the hospital around 6 a.m. via rideshare.
An autopsy showed Kamila suffered multiple rib fractures, a lacerated liver, and bleeding and swelling of the brain. Medical experts testified that the injuries were consistent with violent shaking and squeezing.
A search warrant for Woods’ phone revealed he had searched "symptoms of broken ribs in children" nine times around 2 a.m.
What they're saying:
"We grieve with the family of the deceased child, Kamila Woods," said Gwinnett District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson. "This is a tragedy that an infant’s life was taken. We pray that the outcome of this trial will help Kamila’s family heal."
The Source: The details and quotes in this article were provided by the Gwinnett County District Attorney's Office.