Dad ‘violently squeezed' infant daughter, killing her, Georgia prosecutors say
The father of a 9-week-old girl dropped off at an Atlanta-area hospital with fatal injuries could spend the rest of his life in prison, Georgia prosecutors said.
Jurors convicted Khaliq Woods, 29, on two counts of felony murder and one count each of aggravated battery and first-degree child cruelty in the 2019 death of his infant daughter, according to the Gwinnett County District Attorney's Office
Woods, of Duluth, was suspected of 'violently squeezing' and shaking his child, killing her, prosecutors said in an April 22 news release. The then-23-year-old repeatedly searched her injuries online, hours before seeking medical care for her, according to prosecutors.
A judge sentenced Woods to life in prison with the possibility of parole.
'We grieve with the family of the deceased child Kamila Woods,' District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said in the release.
'This is a tragedy that an infant's life was taken,' she said. 'We pray that the outcome of this trial will help Kamila's family heal.'
Woods took his child to Northside Duluth Medical Center on Nov. 30, 2019, according to prosecutors. Doctors declared her dead on arrival.
Kamila's mom brought her to Woods' house the day before, according to prosecutors, and Woods told police he was playing with his daughter by 'tossing her in the air and catching her' later that day.
On one of the catches, he said he felt the infant's side go in and she began wheezing, prosecutors said.
Woods put Kamila down for bed at about 10 p.m., he reportedly said, and didn't check on her again until 2 a.m. During this time, Woods told police his daughter hadn't moved and wouldn't take a bottle, according to authorities.
He went back to check on her around 6 a.m. before calling a rideshare to take him to the hospital, prosecutors said.
Authorities got a search warrant for Woods' cell phone, which showed he searched the web for 'symptoms of broken ribs in children' at least nine times, according to the DA's office.
Additionally, an autopsy revealed the baby suffered multiple injuries including fractured ribs, a lacerated liver, swelling and bleeding on her brain, prosecutors said.
The jury returned a guilty verdict after 10 hours of deliberation, the district attorney said.
Duluth is about a 30-mile drive northeast from downtown Atlanta.
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