CATOOSA COUNTY, Ga. — A north Georgia jury has convicted a Tennessee man of attacking his family because of the way dinner was prepared, prosecutors say.
Stefon Smith, 43, was convicted of child cruelty, false imprisonment and family violence battery. He was sentenced to 50 years with the first 30 years to serve in prison.
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Prosecutors say that in May 2023, Smith was living with the mother of his 9-month-old, the baby and the woman’s 3-year-old and 5-year-old from a previous marriage.
They say Smith complained about the way dinner was prepared before yelling at the family and breaking things.
The mother locked herself and the children in a bedroom. When Smith got into the bedroom, prosecutors say he threw the 5-year-old and held the mother down on the 9-month-old.
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Smith proceeded to hold a gun to his head and demand that the woman shoot him before eventually leaving the home.
When the baby was being examined at the hospital, they found cocaine in her system. Smith later admitted to using cocaine and exposing the child to it.
“In Tennessee, he might have gotten a talking to and probation. In Georgia, he got 50 years. If you’re thinking about bringing your violent crimes across the border - don’t. In northwest Georgia, we don’t play,” the district attorney’s office wrote in a statement.
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