Columbus Ledger-Enquirer (GA)



Columbus Ledger-Enquirer (GA)

June 3, 2008

PARENTS CHARGED IN INFANT'S DEATH

GBI EXAMINER SAYS 3-DAY-OLD GIRL DIED FROM BLUNT-FORCE INJURIES

Author: ALAN RIQUELMY, ariquelmy@ledger-

The Columbus parents of a 3-day-old baby girl who died Sunday morning have been charged with murder.

Ashley Debelbot, 24, and Albert Debelbot, 22, both of 3700 Buena Vista Road, Apt. 106, were taken into custody at 1 p.m. Monday and charged with the murder of McKenzy Debelbot, Columbus Police Lt. Lynn Joiner said. The child, born Thursday, died around 4 a.m. Sunday at Martin Army Community Hospital, said Coroner Bill Thrower.

"Her parents have been charged with murder," Joiner said. "We're still investigating."

The Debelbots took their daughter to the hospital around 1:45 a.m. Sunday because she had breathing problems, Joiner said. Thrower pronounced the girl dead at 3:55 a.m.

The cause of death wasn't immediately determined, and the child's body was sent by Thrower's office to a medical examiner with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The examiner found that the child died from blunt-force injuries, and her death was labeled a homicide, Joiner said.

The Debelbots are scheduled for Columbus Recorder's Court today.

McKenzy Debelbot's death is not the first infant death in the area to spur a criminal investigation this year. The body of a newborn baby girl was found Feb. 4 at Tree Top Apartments in Opelika, Ala. Efernia Kaylee McClendon, 18, was indicted on a manslaughter charge in May and was arrested.

Sedrick Harrington, 3, and twin 23-month-old girls, Agena and Aliyah Battle, were found dead in Midland in March --- about two weeks after they disappeared with their father, Eddie Harrington, 27, who was also found dead at the scene.

Dan Rose, director of the Counseling Center at Columbus State University, said many new parents are overwhelmed by a child. It's fairly common at some point during a child's infancy for parents to have suicidal or homicidal thoughts. However, they only think about it --- they don't do it, Rose said.

"There is always a moment where you are completely overwhelmed," Rose said.

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