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Child Homicide June
7, 2001
On June 6, 2001, Investigators with the Whitfield County Sheriff’s
Department arrested a Dalton woman on charges of Cruelty to Children and Murder.
The investigation was initiated on April 30, 2001, when officers were summoned
to a residence located at 3875 Lake Kathy Road in reference to a death. The
Whitfield 911 Center had received a call at approximately 1:15p.m. advising that
a child had died. Upon arrival officers observed the deceased body of Joshua
Daniel Porter, age 4, lying in a baby-bed in a bedroom of the residence. The
child appeared to have been under-nourished and the conditions surrounding the
child appeared to be unsanitary. Investigators discovered the child had an extensive medical history due to complications at birth. The child had brain damage from the time of birth and had to be fed with the assistance of a feeding tube. Because of the condition of the child, he had to be cared for 24-hours a day. The mother informed officers that she had last checked on the child a couple of hours earlier before returning to the bedroom to find him dead. The child’s father does not live in the residence. Due to suspicious circumstances surrounding the case, Investigators had the child's body sent to the GBI Crime Lab for an autopsy. Investigators also obtained all of the child’s previous medical records and had them sent to the Crime Lab. Investigators determined during the last year the mother had failed to take the child to several doctor appointments that were scheduled, and also failed to keep appointments with visiting in-home medical staff. Crime Lab personnel performed the autopsy and conducted research into the medical history of the child in order to determine the cause of death. On June 5, 2001, Crime Lab personnel contacted investigators and informed them that they had concluded their investigation. Their investigation revealed the child died as a result of neglect, specifically from being malnourished and dehydrated. They ruled the death a Homicide.
On
June 6, 2001, investigators arrested the child’s mother at a residence on
Waring Road, where she had recently moved. Stephanie Ann Saine, age 26, of 2440
Waring Road was charged with one count of Cruelty to Children in the first
degree, and one count of Murder. She is being detained at the Correctional
Center without bond. Investigation to continue. The District Attorney’s Office
and the Coroner’s Office are assisting in the investigation. |
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