FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — A judge sentenced a former day care worker to life in prison for killing a baby boy just shy of his birthday.
Prosecutors said Maria Owens beat the 11-month-old while babysitting him in 2011.
Channel 2’s Justin Wilfon talked with District Attorney Paul Howard on Wednesday night. Howard said he is a relieved man after fighting for the conviction for nine years.
“It means a great deal to us,” Howard said. “This child’s body was slammed down into what the medical examiner believes was either the side of the bathtub or the child was slammed down onto the floor.”
Channel 2 Action News has been covering the case since the tragedy occurred inside Owens’ home in Fairburn in 2011.
Her sister told us the woman was innocent.
“I know that’s not my sister’s character, so I’m like, ‘No, they have the wrong person,’” she said.
But Howard said Owens became enraged and broke little Jaylen Kelly’s back just after learning that Jaylen’s parents planned to remove him from her care.
That’s why Howard was shocked in 2013 when a judge in the case set aside a jury’s murder conviction and instead sentenced Owens on a lesser charge.
“The family members of Jaylen Kelly were very upset when Mrs. Owens was not put in jail,” Howard said.
Howard said he and his team went back to work and eventually won a new trial.
It ended Friday with another murder conviction for Owens, but this time, the judge sentenced her to life behind bars.
“We were really encouraged by the family because this was a family who had suffered a great loss,” Howard said.
Owens was running her day care without a license, so Howard said there’s an important lesson out of all of this.
If you’re taking your child to any kind of day care, make sure they are licensed. Here’s what you need to know.