Decatur man convicted of murder in beating death of girlfriend’s 19-month-old son

DECATUR, GA– Kentavious Hardnett, a 28-year-old Decatur man, has been convicted of murdering his girlfriend’s 19-month-old son, according to DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston.

A jury found Hardnett guilty on Thursday, May 21, in connection with the toddler’s death on Jan. 24, 2021. Harnett was convicted of Felony Murder and Cruelty to Children in the First Degre after an investigation determined he severely beat the child, whom the mother had left in his care while she was at work. 

According to the investigation, the victim’s mother had known Hardnett for two years and had been in a relationship with him for two months. On the morning of Jan. 21, 2021, she took her son to Hardnett’s apartment on Hatton Drive in Scottdale and left the toddler in Hardnett’s care and headed to work around 3:30 p.m. The mother reported that her son had no visible injuries or behavioral changes during a video call she made around 5 p.m.

At approximately 7 p.m., Hardnett took the toddler, who was unresponsive, to a neighbor’s apartment. The neighbor contacted 911, but when emergency response took too long, she drove Hardnett and the toddler to Emory Decatur Hospital. When they arrived, the toddler was in cardiac arrest and respiratory failure. He regained a pulse after medical professionals in the ER performed CPR and intubated him. Medical staff noted bruising on his forehead and ears.

The toddler was transported to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA). A CT scan revealed bilateral subdural hemorrhages, as well as retinal hemorrhages in both of his eyes that were too numerous to count. He never regained consciousness and could not breathe on his own. The victim was declared brain dead, and life support was removed on January 24, 2021.

Officers with the DeKalb County Police Department detained DeHardnett at Emory Decatur Hospital on January 21, 2021, and transported him to police headquarters. He denied assaulting his girlfriend’s son. Hardnett told investigators that the toddler fell asleep at approximately 5:30 p.m., and he put him in bed. Hardnett stated that the toddler fell off of the bed, and when he picked him up, he was unresponsive and making an odd moaning sound. Defendant Hardnett said that was when he took the toddler to the neighbor’s apartment for help.

The Child Abuse Pediatrician at CHOA diagnosed the victim as suffering from abusive head trauma. His autopsy revealed multiple subgaleal contusions on his scalp that were consistent with blows to his head. The Child Abuse Pediatrician, medical examiner, and pediatric neuroradiologist all concluded that the victim’s injuries were inflicted, and not consistent with a fall from a bed.

 DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Nora L. Polk will schedule a sentencing hearing in the coming weeks.

The case, assigned to the Child Crimes Unit, was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Sarah Hilleren, with assistance from Senior Assistant District Attorney Emily Donkervoet, District Attorney Investigator Antoinette Beyah, and Supervising Victim Advocate Yuzellie Garcia. DeKalb County Police Department Detective Moore led the initial investigation.