A Sandy Springs woman is facing charges after her 11-year-old daughter was found dead in their condo, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta. Following a welfare check requested on a Saturday morning by a concerned family member, officers discovered the body of the child at the Laurel Grove Condominiums on Carpenter Road. The mother, identified as Shannen Grimes, has been charged with murder, cruelty to children, and other related counts.
After being taken to a hospital for evaluation and subsequently released, Grimes was booked into Fulton County Jail. While speaking to FOX 5 Atlanta, Sgt. Leon Millholland of the Sandy Springs Police relayed that the relative who requested the welfare check had been "alerted to behavior that just wasn't right," prompting the need for police intervention. As officers arrived, they immediately secured the scene and began their investigation into the unsettling circumstances found within the home.
Neighbors have expressed their shock and disbelief at the tragedy, recounting the mother and daughter as kind and polite individuals. "You just say to yourself, how could I have not known what in the world was going on," Mona D'Agostino, who lived above Grimes for about a decade, said in an interview with FOX 5 Atlanta. The community, now grappling with the death, has been reminded of the importance of wellbeing checks on neighbors. As one local stated, "Just because they have a smile on their face doesn't mean they're okay, you don't know what's going on."
Meanwhile, the Sandy Springs Police Department, while maintaining privacy regarding certain details due to ongoing investigations, has highlighted the profound impact of the case on everyone involved. "It's a tough situation for everyone, it's tough for the family, our thoughts go out to the family, it's tough for the community, it's tough for the police officers that had to deal with this," Sgt. Millholland described the tragedy, speaking with 11Alive. Grimes was last reported to be still in the hospital, with detectives awaiting a chance to speak with her, as their investigation progresses.
Community members, including those who knew the young girl through local theater, remembered her fondly. "She loved acting, we'd gone to see her play in the summertime, she was in 'The Wizard of Oz' for heaven's sake," recounted D'Agostino in a statement to 11Alive. The school where the young Genesis was enrolled is working to provide counselors for students and staff in need of support during this time.
