Father charged with child cruelty following death of son

PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — A Paulding County father remains in jail being held without bond after the death of his son.

Police said they were called to a home on North Springs Drive in Acworth around 10 p.m. Friday for a reported drowning.

When they arrived they found the beaten body of a 12-year-old boy.

Classmates and neighbors identified the boy as Eric Forbes, a sixth-grader at Sammy McClure Middle School in Paulding County.

"I saw him come to school with some cuts and stuff but that's pretty much it," classmate Adrianna Mantha said.

Mantha said Eric never let on that there were problems at home.

Police said the boy had multiple bruises, bite marks, lacerations and other marks that are consistent with a history of abuse when they discovered his body.

Investigators said they interviewed the boy's father, Shayaa Yusef Forbes, 32, and charged him with child cruelty.

"It's heartbreaking to see a child and to see how this young man has suffered, it's very troubling," Cpl. Ashley Henson from the Paulding County Sheriff's Office said.

Investigators told Channel 2's Aaron Diamant that corporal punishment was a "regular part of the disciplinary process" for the boy.

Police said the boy's sister also lived at the home. She is now in state custody.

"That's an awful thing. It's just an awful thing. I can't believe it's happened," neighbor Jerry Pritchett said.

Right now investigators are in the process of trying to track down the boy's friends and schoolmates to learn more information about the boy.

"I can assure you of one thing, the detectives will work their hardest to ensure that justice is serviced," Henson said.

Classmates told Channel 2's Amy Napier Viteri that Eric loved football and often went out of his way to help others.

"He would joke around in class. He was just fun to be with," Mantha said.

"It's just really sad to see him gone because you see him one day and then he's gone the next," student Mori Bryant said.

Police said they expect more charges to be filed against Forbes after autopsy results come back from the medical examiner.

WSBTV