Man Convicted Of Killing 3-Year-Old Daughter: Gwinnett DA

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA — A Gwinnett County man has been convicted of killing his adopted 3-year-old daughter, according to the Gwinnett district attorney’s office.

Rodney Allen Hamilton, 52, was convicted of felony murder and aggravated battery Feb. 2.

On Jan. 30, 2015, Rodney Allen Hamilton called 911 reporting that his Tamiah Hamilton would not wake up after her afternoon nap. Gwinnett paramedics found Tamiah non-responsive, with her tongue protruding from her mouth and her jaw clenched down on her tongue. She exhibited audibly distressed breathing as well. She was transported to Gwinnett Medical Center and then airlifted to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta with a severe head injury.

Hamilton said he did not know why or how she sustained a head injury. Based on any lack of explanation for the injury, hospital staff then contacted Gwinnett Police Department. Tamiah died four days later from complications from her head injury.

During trial, the state presented medical evidence from several doctors from CHOA and two medical examiners who conducted an autopsy on Tamiah’s body. The medical evidence established that she sustained a massive head injury that would have rendered her immediately unconscious. There was also evidence that Hamilton delayed calling 911 based upon the advanced stage of swelling in her head by the time she arrived at the hospital.

Evidence also established numerous inconsistencies between Hamilton’s statements to police and hospital personnel versus his phone records and testimony from the children’s part time babysitter. Hamilton’s timeline as to finding Tamiah and calling 911 was inconsistent with his phone records, which indicated he attempted to call his wife twice before calling 911. Based on his statements and phone records it was at least 20 minutes after finding Tamiah non-responsive before he called 911. Hamilton’s statements were also inconsistent with those of Tamiah’s part-time baby sitter, who saw her twice during the week before her death. Testimony from the baby-sitter was inconsistent with Hamilton’s statements that Tamiah had fallen down the stairs a week before, had been acting unusual that week and had potty training accidents since the fall.

The defense argued that Tamiah’s head injury was old and must have been re-aggravated by falling down the stairs or other unknown accident.

The defendant was found guilty on all counts. Sentencing has been deferred to a later date.

Photo courtesy Gwinnett County Police Department