Son of local police chief charged in child’s beating death

Ellen Eldridge, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

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.

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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.