Three months after a toddler who was brought to Gwinnett Medical Center because of convulsions and seizures died, police have charged her uncle with murder.
Gwinnett police Thursday arrested Rodney Hamilton on felony murder and first degree cruelty to children charges after the county medical examiner recently ruled Tamiah Hamilton’s death a homicide.
Tamiah Hamilton was taken to Gwinnett Medical Center about 4:25 p.m. Jan. 30, then immediately transferred to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Gwinnett police Cpl. Deon Washington said Friday in an emailed statement.
Staff there provided information that the girl’s injuries could have been caused by another person, he said.
The Division of Family and Children Services was notified and Gwinnett homicide detectives investigated, interviewing the two adults who lived in the home where Tamiah lived. Washington said Rodney Hamilton, who had adopted Tamiah, was the only adult in the home in the 24-hour period before the girl was taken to the hospital.
Three other children lived in the home, including the 2-year-old sister of Tamiah. After the incident, she was taken into state custody in Massachusetts. The other two children, ages 10 and 7, stayed in the home with their biological mother, police said.
“There was no evidence for police to make charges at the time,” Washington said. “All parties were released.”
But on April 24, the Gwinnett medical examiner ruled the girl’s death a homicide resulting from closed head trauma. Police interviewed Hamilton again Thursday and said he had no explanation for the medical findings.
He was taken to the Gwinnett County Detention Center, where he remained Friday.
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