Police arrested Shekinah Akbar, 30, of Cobb County. Jail records show Akbar is charged with felony murder, cruelty to children in the first degree and aggravated assault/strangulation.
Officers responded Monday morning to the Cumberland Crossings apartments in Marietta where they found the 5-year-old child unresponsive.
WSB-TV Cobb County Bureau Chief Chris Jose spotted police, firefighters and crime scene investigators at the apartment complex as they collected evidence Monday.
He spoke with a neighbor who lived next door to Akbar.
“You just never know what people are going through,” the neighbor said, asking not to be identified. “It’s a little weird and crazy, but her daughter was at my house a couple of days ago.”
Police say Akbar assaulted her 5-year-old daughter. According to an arrest warrant, the girl had “bruising throughout her body” and “visible injuries to her neck.”
“She’s an innocent child. I have a little boy. A child is innocent,” the neighbor said.
The girl later died at Kennestone Hospital.
Developing: A child is dead. Cobb police investigators are inside an apartment working to find out how it happened. We’re asking officers about the person they’re questioning, Live at 4. @wsbtv pic.twitter.com/th15LD0EgS
— Chris Jose (@ChrisJoseWSB) February 10, 2020
Police towed away a Toyota Camry with Alabama license plates. Neighbors told Jose the car belonged to the girl’s mother.
Akbar is currently in the Cobb County Jail with no bond.
Anyone with information is asked to contact detectives at 770-499-3945.
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