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Two arrested for murder of 3-year-old Armani Lyons, police say

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Published  April 11, 2026 6:00pm EDT
Atlanta
FOX 5 Atlanta
article

3-year-old Armani Lyons (Credit: GoFundMe)

The Brief

    • Atlanta police have arrested two people for the shooting death of 3-year-old Armani Lyons on Washington Street.
    • Barbara Edwards and Jermaine Hardeman face several charges, including felony murder and child cruelty.
    • Investigators believe Lyons was at his babysitter’s apartment when he was shot in the head on Easter morning.

ATLANTA - Two people are behind bars facing murder charges after a 3-year-old boy was shot and killed in southwest Atlanta last weekend.

What we know:

Atlanta homicide investigators established probable cause to arrest 71-year-old Barbara Edwards and 35-year-old Jermaine Hardeman in connection with the death of 3-year-old Armani Lyons.

Both suspects are charged with felony murder, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and second-degree cruelty to children. 

Lyons was found suffering from a gunshot wound to the head the morning of April 5 and later died at a local hospital.

What we don't know:

While two arrests have been made, police have not yet released details on how the shooting occurred. 

It remains unclear if the gunfire originated from inside the apartment or if the shots came from outside the building. 

Police also have not confirmed the specific relationship between the two suspects and the child.

The backstory:

Officers first responded to the 900 block of Washington Street SW just before 12:40 a.m. on Easter Sunday. The boy was found suffering from a gunshot wound and rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.  

Investigators found that Lyons had been left in the care of his babysitter while his parent was at work. 

Family members previously told FOX 5 they had used the same babysitter since Armani was an infant and never had any previous concerns for his safety.

Dig deeper:

Loved ones gathered for a vigil Friday to honor Armani, whom his grandmother described as a joyful child who always ran to greet her. 

During the emotional gathering, the family called for justice and urged anyone with surveillance footage from the area to come forward. 

A GoFundMe has been established to help the family cover the toddler’s burial costs.

To see the GoFundMe, click here. 

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The Source: Information in this article comes from the Atlanta Police Department and prior FOX 5 reporting. 

AtlantaCrime and Public SafetyNews