Sheriff's Department: Juvenile Dead As A Result of Child Abuse

Shayaa Yusef Forbes, 32, was arrested and charged with Cruelty to Children in connection to an incident that occurred at his residence on Friday Oct. 11, at 9:54 p.m, according to Corporal Ashley Henson. Deputies with the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office responded to 181 North Springs Drive Acworth, reference a 911 call where there was a reported drowning.

Deputies and EMS personnel arrived on scene where they found a 12-year-old boy unconscious in the residence. He was later pronounced dead.  He was subsequently transported to Paulding Wellstar Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Deputies on the scene immediately called in Detectives with the Crimes Against Children (CAC) Division to begin an investigation. The male juvenile, who had multiple bruises, bite marks, lacerations, and other marks that are consistent with physical abuse, appeared to have endured abuse for quite some time.

CAC Detectives, working in conjunction with Agents from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI); interviewed, arrested and charged Forbes the evening of the incident with Cruelty to Children (F). The autopsy was performed by the GBI Crime Lab in Atlanta over the weekend. CAC Detectives explained that once the results of the autopsy are returned, more charges are likely.

There was a female juvenile who was also lived in the residence with Forbes. The female juvenile is now in the custody of the Department of Family and Children Services. If you have any information that would assist in the investigation, contact the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office Crimes Against Children Division at 770-445-6105.