More than four years after a 4-year-old girl died from alcohol poisoning, her father and aunt have been indicted on murder charges, according to the Fulton County District Attorney's Office.
A Grand Jury last week indicted Wilguens Decelien and Mara Decelien with murder in the death of Shakira, who died in January 2011. At the time of her death, Shakira had a blood alcohol level of .272, more than three times the legal limit for an adult driver.
Police and firefighters were called to Planter’s Ridge condos on Homestead Trail just after midnight on a Friday on a report that the girl was unresponsive, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported. Shakira was airlifted to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite, where she was pronounced dead, police previously said.
The girl’s father and aunt were arrested after her death, but had not been indicted until last week. The mother’s whereabouts at the time of the girl’s death were unknown. Investigators have also not said how they believe the girl consumed the alcohol.
Prosecutors say they have been investigating the case since 2011, but declined to say why they are pursuing the charges.
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