In a tragic turn of events, 7-year-old Mariasia Denise Thomas, a young female, was fatally wounded on April 12, 2019, inside her foster home in Ellenwood, Georgia, part of the metro Atlanta area. That evening, at approximately 11 p.m., while she was watching television on the couch, multiple gunshots were fired into the residence. Several bullets penetrated the front door and windows of the home, with one tragically striking Mariasia in the head.
She was rushed to a Children's Healthcare of Atlanta hospital where she remained unresponsive. After fighting for her life for ten days, Mariasia succumbed to her injuries and passed away on April 22, 2019. At the time of the incident, she was in the custody of the Division of Family and Children Services and had been living in the foster home for about two weeks.
The investigation into the senseless shooting led by the DeKalb County Police Department resulted in the arrests of three family members a month later. Siblings Keadesia Allen, 23, and Antoine Allen, 21, along with their 27-year-old uncle, Dwayne Allen, were taken into custody and charged with felony murder and aggravated assault in connection with Mariasia's death. The motive for the shooting reportedly stemmed from an incident involving Keadesia Allen, who claimed she had been drugged and robbed at the home a few days prior to the shooting.
During a preliminary hearing, it was revealed that the three family members provided conflicting accounts to investigators regarding who fired the AR-15 rifle that was used in the drive-by shooting. A judge determined there was sufficient evidence for the case against all three suspects to proceed. Law enforcement officials credited community involvement and dedicated police work for the swift arrests in a case that cut short the life of an innocent child.
