ATLANTA — The Atlanta Police Department is investigating the death of a 6-year-old.
Police said that on Tuesday, March 19, after 11 p.m., officers went to Fire Station 14 at 1203 Lee St. S.W. in reference to an unresponsive six-year-old who was brought to the location. The child was sent to the hospital and later died.
When APD's Homicide Unit began an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death, information led police to obtain warrants charging 24-year-old Dashon Jones with murder and cruelty to children in relation to this case. The warrants were provided to the Fulton County Jail, where Jones was already being held on unrelated charges, police said.
Warrants released on Monday revealed Jones allegedly beat the child to death. The documents suggest that the child was actually taken to the fire station by his grandfather after he found the child unresponsive at an Atlanta home.
The family identified the child who died as Tobias Perkins, Jr. Tobias' father, of the same name, started an online fundraiser to raise money for his funeral expenses.
Tobias Jr.'s cousin Cedric Perkins said Tobias Jr. was happy, sweet, caring, sharing, energetic and full of life. He expressed how the family is feeling.
"Devastated; this sudden tragedy hit our family," Cedric said. "And two years ago, I lost my mom which was his sister--my uncle's sister. And now, he's having to face another tragedy by losing his son that's named after him."
Cedric declined to comment about Tobias Jr.'s mother but said his uncle is doing his best to hold it together.
The family wants more answers from the police and suggests parents thoroughly talk to their kids about whether they feel safe.
According to warrants released on Monday, it appears the man was the mother's boyfriend, who was allegedly watching him and her four other children at the time of the beating. The warrants stated that Jones allegedly "hit the child numerous times, causing massive internal bleeding and death." The cause of death was ruled "blunt force trauma to the head abdomen," according to an autopsy.
Police said this is an ongoing investigation.
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