Baby Dies After Man Kills Mother and Abducts Her in Georgia

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Giulia Carbonaro is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on the U.S. economy, housing market, property insurance market, local and national politics. She has previously extensively covered U.S. and European politics. Giulia joined Newsweek in 2022 from CGTN Europe and had previously worked at the European Central Bank. She is a graduate in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University and holds a Bachelor's degree in Politics and International Relations from Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Italy. She speaks English, Italian, and a little French and Spanish. You can get in touch with Giulia by emailing: g.carbonaro@newsweek.com.

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A 1-year-old in Georgia was fatally shot by her father who had allegedly killed her mother and then abducted the child, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) said on Sunday.

The abduction of the baby girl from Covington, a city some 35 miles from Atlanta, had raised an Amber alert, as the toddler was suspected to be in extreme danger after being taken by the man on Saturday. The GBI said she was last seen travelling in a black Honda Accord vehicle.

But the Amber alert was recalled today as the girl, Jaquari Bennett, was found dead, together with the suspect.

The Newton County Sheriff's Office (NCSO), which is investigating the case, said the suspect was the toddler's father, 38-year-old Darian Javaris Bennett, who allegedly shot and killed the child's mother at a home on Chandler Field Drive in Newton County on Saturday, according to FOX5.

A call to 911 was reportedly issued from the house at around 11:14 p.m. Responding deputies found the child's mother shot dead. The child's grandmother was taken to hospital by helicopter, having also suffered a gunshot wound. She also informed police officers that Darian Bennett had taken the child, according to FOX5.

The NCSO said the suspect called 911 from Clayton County at around 7:30 a.m. on Sunday and let them know he was with the toddler at a church on Riverdale Road and Adams Drive in Clayton County.

He threatened to harm the child and himself, and according to the sheriff's office, he did then shoot the child before turning the gun on himself.

It is unclear when the officers responded to the call and arrived on scene at the church.

The death of the baby was announced by the GBI on Sunday with a tweet.

The GBI shared a mugshot of the suspect when they issued the Amber alert over Jaquari's abduction, but it's unclear what crime the man had previously been charged with.

The Newton County Sheriff's Office is still investigating the case and anyone with information can call them on 706-717-9915.

Shooting toddler Georgia
A photo montage showing 1-year-old Jaquari Bennett next to Darian Javaris Bennett, her father. The man is thought to have killed the baby's mother and then the toddler before shooting himself. Georgia Bureau of Investigation
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About the writer

Giulia Carbonaro is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on the U.S. economy, housing market, property insurance market, local and national politics. She has previously extensively covered U.S. and European politics. Giulia joined Newsweek in 2022 from CGTN Europe and had previously worked at the European Central Bank. She is a graduate in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University and holds a Bachelor's degree in Politics and International Relations from Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Italy. She speaks English, Italian, and a little French and Spanish. You can get in touch with Giulia by emailing: g.carbonaro@newsweek.com.

Writers Page

Giulia Carbonaro is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on the U.S. economy, housing market, property ... Read more