News

Mom accused of starving daughter to death

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A Cobb County mother faces murder charges after her daughter was found dead.

Police arrested Ebony Berry, 38, on murder and cruelty to children charges.

Police said they found her teenage daughter dead in a home on the 600 block of Concord Road.

Police said the girl died of an extreme case of malnourishment and neglect.

"I was shocked and I felt kind of bad about it. Sometimes you wonder; maybe I could have done something," neighbor Miguel Vega told Channel 2's Carl Willis.

That is a common sentiment among neighbors in the Smyrna community, who said they wished they could have done more to save the girl.

Neighbors said police have been involved with the family that lived at the home at least twice before.

"That's amazing that parents can [allegedly starve] their kids," Vega said.

Neighbors said the girl who died had run away at least once and was later found at a department store.

They said her younger brother did the same and was found hiding in a tree.

Several neighbors also told Willis they never saw any of the kids going to school.

"I do know that they did not catch the bus and occasionally they would be out in the yard when school was going on," said one neighbor who asked to remain anonymous.

Police said an autopsy will be conducted to find out the girl's exact cause of death.

For now, Ebony Berry is being held in jail without bond.

The rest of the woman's children in the home appeared to be fine and are in DFACS custody.