COLBERT COUNTY-On Saturday, June 17 Deputies from the Colbert County Sheriff’s Office responded to a requested a medical facility for a possible case of Child Abuse.
Upon arriving at the medical facility deputies found a 9-year-old boy who was “severely malnourished, weigh 37 pounds.” According to investigators the boy was also showing bruises to his body and blood coming from his ear. Maggots were also present coming from different areas of the boy’s body.
Through investigation it was determined the child had come from the Colbert Alloys Park campground where the family had been staying in a tent for the past two weeks.
At the hospital it was discovered the mother of the boy, Deja-Ariaha Geraldine Bankhead, and the stepfather, Demariez
Lavonski Mitchell were present with two younger children, the youngest child was three month old.
The Colbert County Department of Human Resources was notified to assist with the investigation. DHR also took custody of the children according to the Colbert County Sheriff’s Department.
Investigators with CCSO said the boy was transported to the Children’s Hospital in Birmingham due to the severity of his condition.
On June 18 after securing a search warrant for the tent where the family had been staying for the past two weeks Investigators served arrest warrants on the parents, Bankhead and Mitchell. The two are currently being held in the Colbert County Jail on $50,000 bond.
