Chicago man convicted, given life sentence for fatally shaking baby

By Marcus K. Garner

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A Fulton County jury on Tuesday convicted a man accused in the 2007 shaking a 9-month-old baby to death.

Rodney Noel, 38, of Chicago, was found guilty of three counts each of felony murder,  aggravated assault, aggravated battery and first-degree cruelty to children for the death of his girlfriend's son.

Noel was sentenced to life in prison by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Tom Campbell.

Baby Tyrell Williams was removed from life support and died on April 1, 2007.

The baby had traveled with his mother and Noel from Chicago to Atlanta a week older for a doctor's appointment. The couple rented a Sandy Springs extended stay hotel room, and the mother left the baby alone several times with Noel, court officials said.

On one occasion, the mother returned to find the baby's lip bleeding. Noel told the mother the baby fell, court officials said. After a second time away, the mother returned to find the baby unconscious in the doorway, and a maintenance man on the phone with 9-1-1.

Court officials said Noel claimed the baby choked, but gave conflicting statements to the police regarding his involvement in the baby's injuries.

At one point, Noel adamantly denied shaking the baby, then admitted to "slightly jostling" the child's car seat, court officials said.

Tyrell suffered severe brain damage consistent with abusive head trauma and Shaken Baby Syndrome, according to testimony from child abuse experts.