2 days ago
Rodney McWeay faces trial: Father accused of kidnapping and starving daughter to death
The Brief
Rodney McWeay faces severe charges, including murder and child cruelty, with potential sentences of four life terms plus 112 years.
Investigations revealed McWeay's children lived in isolation and squalor, with his daughter Treasure dying from extreme malnutrition.
The Atlanta Police Department faced criticism for delayed responses and inadequate efforts to locate the children, leading to reforms for better coordination with child services.
ATLANTA - A man accused of kidnapping his children and starving his 4-year-old daughter to death appeared in court Monday as jury selection began in his murder trial.
The backstory
Rodney McWeay, 32, is facing four life sentences plus 112 years if convicted on a long list of charges, including murder, kidnapping, and child cruelty. Prosecutors say he declined a plea offer of 75 years in prison and instead opted to face a jury.
McWeay's daughter, Treasure McWeay, died just weeks before Christmas in December 2023, six months after the state removed her and her two brothers from their father's mold-infested duplex, only for him to allegedly abduct them from their mother.
According to arrest affidavits, the children lived in squalor and isolation. Investigators say McWeay locked them in separate rooms monitored by cameras, with no access to food, water, or bathrooms. Treasure's autopsy determined she was "extremely malnourished," weighing only 24 pounds at the time of her death.
"She was extremely emaciated. Just pure bone," said Atlanta Police Department homicide detective Summer Benton during a January 2024 court appearance.
Emergency dispatch audio from December 11 captured a frantic 911 call: "I'm trying to get an ambulance over here for a baby that's not breathing."
What we know
FOX 5's investigation found that the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) made repeated attempts to locate the children in the months before Treasure's death, often requesting help from Atlanta police. However, officers reportedly took more than an hour to respond at times and made little effort to gain entry into McWeay's home.
In one July 2023 body camera recording, Atlanta Police Sgt. Johnny Sutton was heard saying, "Even if, even if, say we knock on the door and the kids are in there, there's nothing at all we can do."
Following the incident and public scrutiny, five low-ranking Atlanta Police Department personnel received minor disciplinary actions. The department later instituted reforms to better coordinate with DFCS, including faster response times and stronger collaboration between officers and social workers.
"You have my commitment, Council Member, to keep enhancing this, so no child is ever caught in the bureaucracy of those unique gaps that may be created by government organizations," Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum told city council members in February.
What's next
McWeay's trial is expected to last two weeks.
SEE ALSO:
Bodycams show Atlanta police doing bare minimum to find 3 kids in peril
Atlanta police changes procedures following I-Team investigation into girl's starving death
Fulton jail records: Father charged with starving daughter stabbed in botched robbery
Bond denied for father who allegedly wouldn't open door for DFCS while daughter starved
Atlanta police launch internal investigation into handling of 4-year-old who starved to death
Atlanta man charged with murder, abuse and kidnapping of 4-year-old boy
The Source
The details in this article come from proceedings in Fulton County Superior Court. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting was also used with the links above.
