In the summer of 2018, a tragic incident in Augusta, Georgia, cut short the life of 4-year-old Justin Alan Foss Jr. On a Saturday in July, the young boy was at his family's apartment on Skinner Mill Road when he discovered a loaded handgun. Believed to be an accidental shooting, Justin sustained a gunshot wound to the head. He was rushed to Augusta University Medical Center, but tragically, he was pronounced dead about an hour after authorities were called to the scene.
The investigation
into Justin's death quickly led to the arrest of his parents, Justin Foss Sr., then 27, and Shelby Foss, then 24. The couple told investigators they were sleeping when they were awakened by a loud bang and found their son with a gunshot wound. The loaded gun had been left under the couch where the young boy was sleeping. Justin Foss Sr. was initially arrested on a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon due to a 2013 strong-arm robbery conviction in South Carolina.
Subsequently, a grand jury indicted both parents on more severe charges. Justin and Shelby Foss were each charged with second-degree murder and cruelty to children in the second degree, with the grand jury alleging criminal negligence in their parental responsibilities. Justin Foss Sr. also faced a charge of felony murder connected to the weapons possession charge. Following their arrests, both were held in the Richmond County jail. While a judge denied bond for Justin Foss Sr., Shelby Foss's bond was later reduced after she had been incarcerated for nearly two years. Her bond conditions included no contact with her husband or any other children.
