4-year-old found dead in southwest Atlanta townhome; suspect arrested in Wilkes County

4-year-old found dead in southwest Atlanta townhome; suspect arrested in Wilkes County

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — A 4-year-old boy was found dead inside a southwest Atlanta townhome Monday night, and a 32-year-old woman was arrested hours later in Wilkes County, according to Atlanta police. Police said Jasmaine Smoak left the scene with three children before officers arrived. One of those children was injured and is in the hospital, according to Atlanta police. Officers responded to the Aviary Park townhome community on Cardinal Drive around 7:20 p.m. Monday for a welfare check. Inside the townhome, they discovered the 4-year-old child had been killed. The Fulton County Medical Examiner identified the boy as Colby Cooks. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Woman charged in connection to death of 4-year-old Atlanta boy, police say Amber Burks, who lives in the community, said she heard officers banging on the door and moved closer to see what was happening. “Everyone goes rushing in, of course, at that point. That’s when they start bringing out the yellow tape, closing off the area,” Burks said. Burks recorded cellphone videos of the police response. She said she could see the scene from one of the rooms in her home. “I literally stayed and watched until they brought the stretcher in and brought the child out,” she said. Hours later, Atlanta police used license plate reader technology to track Smoak to Washington, Georgia – about two hours east of Atlanta – where Wilkes County sheriff’s deputies arrested her. Smoak is charged with second-degree cruelty to children and…

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