A 3-year-old boy, Armani Deshawn Lyons, was in the care of his babysitter, Barbara Edwards, when a fatal shooting took his life on April 5, Easter Sunday. Reports say authorities have charged Edwards in connection to Lyons’ shooting and took her into custody, while a second suspect reportedly remains at large.
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Babysitter Faces Charges After 3-Year-Old Child Is Fatally Shot
Officers responded to a call about a shooting around 12:37 a.m. on April 5 near the 900 block of Washington Street SW in Atlanta, Georgia, according to PEOPLE. When they arrived, they found a young boy suffering from a gunshot wound. Paramedics rushed the child to the hospital, but doctors later pronounced him dead after he suffered a gunshot wound to the head.
CBS Atlanta identified the child as Armani Deshawn Lyons. At the time of the shooting, Armani was allegedly with his babysitter Barbara Edwards. Homicide investigators later established probable cause and secured arrest warrants for Edwards and 35-year-old Jermaine Hardeman, who authorities believe remains the second suspect at large.
More About Barbara’s Charges & What’s Next For Her?
CBS News notes that the investigation remains ongoing. However, authorities have reportedly charged Barbara Edwards and Jermaine Hardeman with murder, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and cruelty to children in the second degree. Officers took Edwards into custody on April 13 after responding to a home on Landrum Drive. Per reports, Hardeman has not yet entered custody.
Armani’s Mother Speaks Out After His Tragic Passing
Following Armani’s death, his mother reacted his tragic passing. She said it breaks her heart to know she will never see him again.
“I’m not gonna see him again. No more laughing. No more playing. No more nothing.”
Additionally, an alleged GoFundMe for Armani shares that he was full of life and would’ve been celebrating his fourth birthday on May 3. “Our hearts are completely broken… Armani was full of life, joy, and innocence. No family is ever prepared for a loss like this,” the GoFundMe statement read.
