A 9-week-old girl died in 2019 after suffering several injuries.
Her father is now headed to prison after being found guilty in a Gwinnett County courtroom Friday.
Khaliq Woods, 29, was convicted of two counts of felony murder, one count of aggravated battery and one count of first-degree cruelty to children in the death of Kamila Woods in November 2019, the Gwinnett district attorney’s office said. He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.
“We grieve with the family of the deceased child, Kamila Woods,” DA Patsy Austin-Gatson said in a statement. “This is a tragedy that an infant’s life was taken. We pray that the outcome of this trial will help Kamila’s family heal.”
An autopsy revealed that Kamila suffered multiple rib fractures, a lacerated liver and bleeding and swelling of the brain, according to DA’s office spokesman Marcus Garner.
Authorities said Kamila was already deceased when Woods took her to Northside Hospital in Duluth on the morning of Nov. 30.
He told police that the night before he had been playing with the baby by tossing her into the air and catching her. During one of those catches, officials said, he felt the baby’s side “go in” and heard her wheezing.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Woods reportedly put Kamila to bed around 10 p.m. and checked on her at approximately 2 a.m., Garner said. He reported to police that Kamila had not moved and she would not take a bottle or pacifier. Search warrant records showed that around that same time, Woods made several online searches for “symptoms of broken ribs in children.”
Around 6 a.m., officials said, Woods checked on the infant again before ordering a ride to the hospital.
Evidence presented at trial indicated that Kamila’s injuries were consistent with being “violently squeezed and shaken,” Garner said.
Jurors deliberated for 10 hours before reaching their verdict.
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