A second woman has been arrested in connection with the death of a 4-year-old boy in Atlanta, Georgia, police announced Thursday.
Jasmine Jenkins, 30, was charged with murder and cruelty to children in the death of Colby Cooks. Jasmaine Smoak, 32, who was responsible for watching the boy and his brother, had already been charged with murder, aggravated assault and cruelty to children.
According to a press release from the Atlanta Police Department, officers found Colby dead inside an apartment on Monday evening while performing a welfare check. Police said Smoak fled the apartment with the surviving children before officers arrived.
Authorities tracked her vehicle to Wilkes County using license plate readers. When police found her, she was with three other children, including Colby’s brother, 5-year-old Cayden Cooks. Cayden was suffering from “visible injuries” that required him to be hospitalized.
At the time of her arrest, Smoak was initially charged with cruelty to children and concealing a death. Authorities have not identified her relationship to the other two children she was found with.
Cause of death
Local Fox reported that the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy on Colby and determined he died of blunt force trauma. His manner of death was listed as homicide.
Friend’s account
WAGA spoke to Destyne Akoon, a friend of the boys’ mother. She said Cayden’s father was at his son’s bedside while he recovered from severe head trauma and other injuries.
Akoon told the station that the boys’ mother was incarcerated and had entrusted Smoak with her children while she was behind bars. But she said “since they were in the care of Jasmaine,” the boys allegedly had “marks” on them.
Jail and next steps
Smoak was booked into the Wilkes County Jail and is expected to be transferred to Fulton County. Her name did not appear on the inmate roster as of Thursday. Authorities did not release her next court date.
Both women are charged but have not been convicted, and the allegations have not been proven in court.