ALBANY, Ga. – Rashad Nelson, 19, is being held in a Tallahassee jail in connection to a child’s death in Albany.
It happened on the 100 block of Marie Road after the mom found the 1-year-old unresponsive. Dougherty County Coroner Michael Fowler identified the child as Zy’ionn Luke.
He said when he was called to the hospital to assess the body, there were unusual injuries on the child that shouldn’t have been there.
District Attorney Greg Edwards said after the coroner made his observations, the child’s body was sent to the GBI Crime Lab.
“It was after that point that it was determined a homicide and that we needed to investigate all persons who had an opportunity to commit a homicide,” said Edwards.
Edwards said after contacting persons of interest, investigators determined there was probable cause for Rashad Nelson.
US Marshals said they apprehended Nelson at a hotel in Tallahassee. They found him there with a woman from Albany.
Marshals said he took off running when they tried to arrest him.
He was chased through an outdoor bar and tased before they caught him in a parking lot nearby.
Albany Police say more charges could come.
District Attorney Greg Edwards says Nelson stayed at the 100 block of Marie Road, with the one-year-old’s mother.
“He is not the biological father of the child, but the mother, as I’m understanding, is with child from him.”
According to Dougherty County Jail, Nelson did not have previous violent arrests.
The motive hasn’t been released.
“The case is still pending so it’s very limited on what I can describe or reveal in terms of evidence, but after the forensic autopsy, it revealed that the child died due to blunt force trauma,” said Edwards.
The baby was found dead on May 21 after a cardiac arrest call came in. The autopsy Edwards mentions was done on the 25th of May.
The incident report is not being made available, due to concerns it could hinder the investigation.
This is an ongoing investigation.
