An 8-month old baby died Saturday night after police say the girl’s mother and her boyfriend beat her with a belt.
Brookhaven police said Sunday they will await results from an autopsy next week before deciding whether to upgrade charges against the girl’s mother, Shavone Whitehead, and her boyfriend, Edward F. Wilson, who are facing charges of cruelty to children and aggravated battery.
The baby girl, Kamonie Love Whitehead, had been struggling for her life at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Egleston after the incident in which police say the couple beat her with a belt to the point she had to be on a ventilator to breathe, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported.
The girl had injuries to her legs, buttocks, chin and arms. She also had multiple rib fractures, a hemorrhage and a possible skull fracture.
Whitehead initially denied she hit Love, but she later admitted to beating the baby on the legs and behind to punish her, according to records obtained by WSBTV.
In a 911 call, Wilson can be heard telling police Love “made a loud gurgling noise and then when we went to check on her she’s not responsive.” Whitehead was doing CPR to try and save her, Wilson said.