BUFORD, Ga. — A pair of Hall County parents are being charged with felony murder and first-degree child cruelty for the death of their 5-year-old daughter.
The young girl, Kylie, weighed seven pounds when she died, according to the Hall County Sheriff's Office. The World Health Organization lists that weight as a common weight for a newborn child.
The sheriff's office posted the details that led up to the girl's death on Facebook earlier this week. They wrote that on June 7, 2020, officials at Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton notified deputies about an unresponsive 5-year-old-girl who had been brought to the hospital for treatment by her parents, Jerrail and Porscha Mickens.
Kylie, who they said weighed just seven pounds, was flown to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta - Scottish Rite Hospital. Due to her condition and weight, deputies notified the Hall County Division of Family and Children Services and investigators with the sheriff's office.
One day later, Kylie died.
RELATED: She was 5 years old and weighed just 7 pounds. Months later, her parents are charged with murder
The sheriff's office began a four-month investigation into Kylie's death, which involved interviews, searches of the Mickens' home, and an autopsy by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Medical Examiner's Office.
The GBI autopsy report, according to the sheriff's office, detailed the girl's death as a result of "dehydration and malnutrition due to medical neglect," with the death being listed as a homicide in the report.
But, Corrine Mull, attorney for the girl's parents, said the 5-year-old suffered from 1p36 deletion syndrome, a rare chromosome disorder with several complications including "swallowing difficulties," according to the National Institute of Health.
Mull told 11Alive Friday doctors didn't expect the girl to live past 3 years old.
"So they kept (Kylie) alive two years longer than her expected life span," Mull said.
"She has a hard time eating," Mull added. "Everything has got to be liquefied into an oatmeal-like consistency. Has a hard time swallowing water - that has to be in the food."
Mull continued to say that there were no reports of neglect at the Mickens' home involving their two other children, a point supported in an investigative report into Kylie's death and released to 11Alive by the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services.
The report includes the quote, "Kylie was the middle child with one older school-age sibling and an infant sibling. There have been no reports regarding either of those children from the school or medical personnel."
The report, though, does include a description of DFACS interacting with the family several years ago: "There are two previous cases on the family from 2016 regarding the same allegations of neglect of maltreatment."
In the DFACS report, it is stated a caregiver in the home didn't have "the necessary emotional, behavioral, or cognitive protective capacities to provide for the child's basic needs ..." while being "emotionally detached and appeared not concerned."
Mull disputed the claim, while suggesting the caregiver in question is Kylie's mother.
"DFACS is wrong as usual," she said. "This comes from the fact - allegedly - she didn't cry, but she did cry. Everybody grieves differently, and some people don't grieve in public, they don't wail and scream."
Authorities said the case remains under investigation.
Mull filed a motion requesting a bond hearing. She also said a member of the Mickens extended family would have a separate hearing where they will be seeking custody of the couple's two other children.
On Nov. 11, Mull told 11Alive they were granted bond and were expected to be released Thursday, Nov. 12.