Couple charged in 5-year-old daughter’s death who weighed 7 pounds

A Georgia couple is facing murder charges in the death of their malnourished 5-year-old daughter – who weighed just 7 pounds when they took her to a hospital, sheriff officials said.

Jerrail Maurice Mickens, 31, and Porscha Danielle Mickens, 29, were arrested Tuesday at their Buford home on charges of felony murder and first-degree cruelty to children in the June death of their daughter, Kylie L. Mickens, Hall County sheriff officials said.

Investigators were alerted about the unresponsive child due to her emaciated condition and weight of only 7 pounds after the pair took Kylie to a hospital in Braselton for treatment on June 7, sheriff officials said.

Kylie was then flown to another hospital in Atlanta, where the severely underweight girl died a day later.

An autopsy completed earlier this month found the girl succumbed to dehydration and malnutrition due to medical neglect. A coroner ruled her manner of death to be a homicide, sheriff officials said.

Deputies launched a four-month investigation once they were notified of the girl’s death by hospital officials, including a search of the couple’s home, authorities said.

Both Jerrail and Poscha Mickens remained held without bail Wednesday at the Hall County Jail, online records show.

The couple is expected to make their initial court appearance Wednesday afternoon, WMAZ reported. It’s unclear if they’ve hired attorneys.