A DeKalb County jury on Friday convicted 28-year-old Kentavious Hardnett of felony murder and first-degree cruelty to children in the beating death of his girlfriend’s 19-month-old son. The boy was brought to Emory Decatur Hospital in cardiac arrest in January 2021 and was later declared brain dead. Prosecutors said medical testimony and an autopsy showed injuries that did not line up with a simple fall and instead pointed to multiple blows to the head. Hardnett now awaits sentencing in DeKalb Superior Court.
How the Case Unfolded
According to prosecutors, the toddler’s mother left her son in Hardnett’s care at his Hatton Drive apartment while she went to work, checking in by video call around 5 p.m. and seeing no obvious injuries on the child. Investigators say that about 7 p.m., Hardnett carried the unresponsive toddler to a neighboring apartment. The neighbor called 911, then decided to drive Hardnett and the child to Emory Decatur Hospital when it appeared emergency crews were not arriving quickly enough. Jurors returned guilty verdicts this week, according to 95.5 WSB.
Background and Earlier Reporting
Hardnett was arrested shortly after the child was hospitalized in January 2021. He initially told investigators the 19-month-old had become unresponsive after falling off a bed. Local reporting at the time noted that authorities later upgraded the case after questioning that explanation and brought felony murder and child-cruelty charges. As reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, police took Hardnett into custody in Stone Mountain in late January 2021.
Evidence Presented at Trial
Doctors testified that the toddler arrived at the hospital in cardiac arrest and respiratory failure, with medical staff noting bruising on his forehead and ears. Imaging at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta revealed bleeding on both sides of the brain, and the child never regained consciousness before life support was removed. Prosecutors told jurors that medical experts described the injuries as consistent with abusive head trauma and that the autopsy pointed to multiple blows to the head, per 95.5 WSB.
Legal Details and What Comes Next
Hardnett was convicted on counts listed on DeKalb County Superior Court’s criminal calendar as murder and first-degree cruelty to children, with the case handled in DeKalb Superior Court. The calendar lists the case number and courtroom assignment, and the matter will move to sentencing after post-trial procedures conclude. See the DeKalb County Superior Court calendar for the official listing of charges and court division.
