Rodney McWeay trial: Pediatrician testifies about child's early growth
Father on trial in daughter’s starvation; medical records shown
Rodney McWeay is on trial in Fulton County, accused of starving his daughter and neglecting his two sons
FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - The trial has resumed for Rodney McWeay, the Fulton County man accused of starving his daughter to death and neglecting his two young sons. Prosecutors say McWeay is facing multiple charges, including cruelty to children, after evidence revealed alarming patterns of abuse and neglect.
What we know:
Testimony on Monday morning focused heavily on medical records detailing the children's physical and developmental health over time.
A pediatrician from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta took the stand to explain how the condition of McWeay’s youngest son, Treasure’s little brother, worsened significantly between 16 months and three years old.
What they're saying:
The doctor noted that while the child’s early growth appeared normal, later records showed concerning declines in speech, weight, and overall development—indicators that raised serious red flags.
"Any drop on the growth curve for a child is abnormal," the pediatrician testified. "There’s no point in a child’s normal development where we would ever expect stagnation."
In addition to malnutrition concerns, the witness testified about bruising patterns found on the child, which were consistent with being struck by a belt, cord, or other object—further supporting the prosecution’s claims of physical abuse.
Four-year-old Treasure died at the hospital from cardiac arrest/
"The father states he noticed she was breathing heavy, and her hands were blue," said Dr. Keely Iannelli told jurors. "Then he put her in the tub, she did not respond to bathwater which led him to call 911."
"So, basically, the heart is the last to go," Dr. Iannelli told jurors, saying malnourishment broke down the young girl’s body.
All three McWeay children ended up at the hospital. "He was dirty, his pants soiled," nurse Malana Bell testified after Treasure’s brother who was brought into the ER. She testified the signs of trouble were clear to her especially in one child
"Someone ordered the two boys pizza. He didn't know when to stop. He was eating so fast," the nurse testified, adding that they had to stop him from eating so fast to prevent him from throwing it back up.
That three-year-old, who FOX 5 is not naming, also had bruises on his back and bottom.
Much of Monday’s testimony focused on the days before that fatal day. As prosectors build the child cruelty charges. There are lots medical records, charts showing how the children grew over time: height, weight, BMI. Speech patterns and how all began to look not quite right.
"Any drop in the growth curve is abnormal," the pediatrician testified.
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The backstory:
McWeay is accused of starving his 4-year-old daughter to death. Last week, graphic testimony from a state child welfare investigator describing squalid conditions inside the family’s home during his trial.
McWeay, 32, is charged with murder, kidnapping and child cruelty in the December 2023 death of his daughter, Treasure McWeay. He has pleaded not guilty and faces multiple life sentences if convicted.
Ashia Hawkins, a child protection investigator with Georgia’s Division of Family and Children Services, told jurors she visited the home in June 2023 after receiving a tip about McWeay’s three children. Body camera footage confirmed her account of children locked inside a room. "The kids are locked in that room," she told police at the time.
Hawkins described exposed wiring, a stench of feces and mold, and an encounter with McWeay in which he demonstrated control over his children. "This is how I have my kids trained," she recalled him saying as he snapped his fingers and pointed to the floor, prompting Treasure to sit silently. Hawkins broke down on the stand as she described the girl’s inability to speak.
Hawkins said the children were briefly removed and placed with their mother in Maryland, but McWeay later brought them back to Georgia. "I knew the children were going to die," she testified.
Earlier in the week, McWeay’s aunt testified that he declined family support and had trouble keeping a job. Prosecutors say McWeay kept the children isolated in a mold-infested duplex under constant surveillance, denying them food, water, and access to bathrooms. Treasure weighed only 24 pounds at the time of her death.
Police and DFCS records show repeated but ineffective attempts to intervene. Five Atlanta police officers received minor discipline after the case drew public scrutiny, prompting new response protocols.
McWeay turned down a 75-year plea deal.
What's next:
Rodney McWeay faces a range of charges in connection to the death of his daughter and the reported mistreatment of his surviving sons. The trial continues this afternoon at the Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta.