The Cobb County grand jury this week indicted the parents of a 17-month-old boy who drowned last month in his Kennesaw home, according to the district attorney.
Kenton Lydale Hamilton told investigators he fell asleep on the couch with his son, Devoneir Allen Hamilton, sleeping on his chest. But when a friend woke Hamilton later that morning, the child was gone. The toddler was found dead in a bathtub upstairs, according to Kennesaw police.
Hamilton, who lived in the Windsor Court home, told investigators the child got off the couch, “walked up two flights of stairs, climbed into the bathtub, and turned the water to the tub on and drowned,” an arrest warrant states. A 4-year-old was also in the home, the warrant states.
Hamilton was arrested early Aug. 2 and charged with second-degree homicide, second-degree cruelty to children, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and cocaine possession. He was indicted on additional charges, including tampering with evidence.
“Said accused while on the phone with 911 requesting help for the unresponsive Devoneir Hamilton, did ask another person to remove evidence from his home, did discard a bag containing a controlled substance while officers were at his home investigating the death of Devoneir Hamilton, and did, after his arrest, instruct other persons to retrieve contraband from his home... ,” the indictment states.
In addition, the child’s mother, Charlotte Angela Grasse, was indicted on a charge of tampering with evidence, the indictment states. She allegedly removed the illegal items from the home.
According to investigators, Hamilton had two bags of cocaine under the couch cushions. He was convicted of statutory rape in 1995 and was not legally allowed to have a gun, but Hamilton had four at the time of his arrest, his warrant states.
The child’s name was not previously released but appears in the indictment. Devoneir’s obituary identifies Hamilton and Grasse as his parents.
“Devoneir was a kind and gentle baby, very well known for his infectious laughter and warm smile,” his obituary states. “He was taken far too soon. This was a baby who could heal almost anyone who got to feel his warmth and love. He was our light in this dark world.”
Hamilton was being held without bond late Friday at the Cobb jail, booking records showed. Grasse was not in custody, but an arrest warrant was issued for her arrest, court records showed.
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