FLOYD COUNTY, Ga. — Charges against a man have been upgraded to murder after police say his girlfriend’s toddler son died days after a severe beating.
Hassan Rashad was arrested Friday and charged in the beating of the 2-year-old Floyd County boy. The young boy later died at a hospital.
The boy was identified as Adrian Mitchell Jr.
“When I first heard about it, I was heartbroken, cause I thought that could have been my child, you know?” neighbor Jasmine Askew said.
Askew said it’s disturbing to think of the pain and suffering the toddler went through before dying.
“You never know what situation somebody is in, behind closed doors of anybody's home,” she said.
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Floyd County police say they responded to the duplex apartment on April 13 on a call of an unresponsive child.
During their investigation, police learned the 2-year-old and another 5-year-old were in Rashad’s care when the toddler was severely injured.
Doctors say little Adrian suffered multiple internal injuries.
“How could you do that to an innocent child that can’t protect itself?” Askew said.
Relatives told Channel 2’s Tom Regan that Adrian was temporarily removed from the home by the Department of Family and Children’s Services last fall, but officials would not confirm that information.
Relatives told Regan they had questions about whether it was wise to allow the child to remain in the home. We have filed an open records request to find out if there was any history of abuse. Stay with Channel 2 Action News for updates.