4-YEAR-OLD DIES HORRIBLE DEATH—STEPFATHER GUILTY

Carlos White Pleads Guilty to Beating to Death Stepson

Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard announces the conviction by guilty plea of 23-year-old Carlos White of Atlanta to the charge of murdering his 4-year-old stepson, Jerrius Reachell. The child was brought, unconscious, to Hughes Spalding Children’s Hospital on January 31, 2006. He never regained consciousness. Jerrius died of blunt force trauma to the head and abdomen. His liver was ruptured, three of his ribs were broken and he was covered with bruises, literally, from head to toe. District Attorney Howard calls Jerrius’s murder “another needless death of a child that we have to work harder to prevent. This is exactly why we need a Children’s Advocacy Center.”

A jury had been empanelled and sworn in this morning and opening statements had been delivered when the defendant decided to plead guilty to murder. Superior Court Judge Constance Russell sentenced White to life in prison, with the possibility of parole.

The child’s mother, Chanteria Reachell, is charged with felony murder and cruelty to children in the first degree, for failing to protect Jerrius from the physical abuse. Her trial date has not been set.

Senior Assistant District Attorneys Ron Boyter and Brett Pinion prosecuted and investigated the case along with Atlanta Police Department Investigator N. Redlinger, Fulton DA Investigator Tina Fleming and Fulton DA Victim-Witness advocate Jenni Riski.

CONTACT: Lyn Vaughn, 404.730.6860 (office); 770.597.6963 (cell); lyn.vaughn@co.fulton.ga.us