A west Georgia man has been charged in connection with the beating death of his 3-year-old stepson, according to Carroll County jail records.
Joshua David Richards, the 21-year-old son of Carrollton police Chief Joel Richards, was jailed Tuesday after police responded to a report of an injured child at the Hickory Falls Apartments, Villa Rica Capt. Keith Shaddix previously told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
MORE: Police chief’s son charged with child cruelty; 3-year-old had head injury
The boy’s mother had called 911. Police believe she was sleeping in a nearby room during the attack in which the boy sustained a “severe trauma” to the head.
Richards was previously charged with aggravated assault, aggravated battery, first-degree cruelty to children and possession of marijuana, police said.
A murder charge was added after the child died over the weekend.
In other news:
Support real journalism. Support local journalism. Subscribe to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution today. See offers.
Your subscription to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution funds in-depth reporting and investigations that keep you informed. Thank you for supporting real journalism.