Identified! GA - DeKalb Co., BlkMale 217UMGA, 5-7, in woods, Timberland boots, Feb'99 - William Dashawn Hamilton *mom arrested ‘22 - GUILTY concealing his death*

[Fuuro]

The way he was dressed insinuates that he died in the winter months (November 1998 - January 1999, or 1-3 months before being discovered). Maybe there was a preschooler or elementary student that someone remembers going home for Thanksgiving or Christmas break and never coming back? After his disappearance was noted by teachers, someone could have given an excuse that they were planning on putting him in a different school or homeschooling him after classes resumed, which could quell suspicion to some extent.

Also, the medicine in his system, the lack of obvious trauma, and the fact this child seemed oddly well taken care of (compared to other young children who are found dead under suspicious circumstances and go unidentified for decades) make me wonder if perhaps this was a sickly child who died of natural causes? If this was the case, though, and foul play was not directly involved, why was the death not reported?

I also remember hearing that a hysterical woman contacted authorities about this case, saying that the victim's name was Cabell Brown before hanging up. The call was traced back to somewhere in (Central?) Florida.

EDIT AGAIN: Found the article:

Oct 10, 9:24 PM
Group investigates Melbourne tip concerning Atlanta child's body
By Jennifer Ellis
FLORIDA TODAY

MELBOURNE. -- Three retired police officers, volunteering with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, arrived in Brevard County on Wednesday to investigate the 1999 death of a child near Atlanta.
The investigators are focusing their efforts on Brevard County because their only lead came from Melbourne, volunteer investigator Andrew Gnoza said.
The case involves the unsolved death of boy whose remains were found Feb. 26, 1999 in a shallow grave near a cemetery in DeKalb County, Ga. According to the medical examiner, the remains were those of a black male 5 to 8 years old.
According to DeKalb County police, the boy was wearing children's size 11 Timberland hiking boots. The child also was wearing a hooded blue plaid pullover and red denim jeans. Detectives say the child also had wide gaps between his bottom front teeth.
"He wasn't just dumped," Gnoza said. "The person who left him, left him with some dignity."
Although the cause of the boy's death could not be determined, it is believed the child died several months before his body was discovered, Heller said.
DeKalb County police Sgt. Steve Hall refused to release information on the years-old case when contacted by Florida Today.
"We knew they were going to Florida," he said. "This case could fill volumes."
Shortly after the gruesome discovery, an unidentified woman called DeKalb County investigators from a pay phone on University Boulevard in Melbourne and identified the child as Cabell Brown.
"She was crying when she talked to (DeKalb) police," Gnoza said. "The caller said the child had been abused, and then she got cut off accidentally, and police never were able to get a hold of her again."
Brevard County agents are helping the investigators for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in an attempt to gather further leads.
Anyone with information on the deceased child can call the Brevard County Sheriff's Office at (321) 633-7162.

Defunct link from a 17-year-old post on this website: DEKALB COUNTY (ATLANTA) UNIDENTIFIED JOHN DOE

Edit again: The Fall Line mentioned the Christmas break theory almost exactly as I mentioned it, which was freaky to hear.

 

[Goecke]

A lot about this case doesn't make sense. He was well taken care of, and he was wearing brand new shoes. Doesn't seem like your typical abused/neglected child. I wish they knew the cause of death. As the article said, he was placed where he was lovingly. At first I thought he could have died naturally/accidentally and his family placed him by the cemetery since they couldn't afford a funeral, but judging by his shoes and the fact that he wasn't malnourished or anything I don't think he came from an impoverished family.

 

[DaisyChains]

Tavish Sutton has already been looked at by law enforcement. I found this information through Doe Network when I contacted Rocky, the potential match database coordinator, a while back. I hope one day this young child will be identified, and given a name.

Interesting as I don’t see him on the rule outs. I’ll have to recheck.

 

[DaisyChains]

Dark Sleuth: Alisha Smiley - Missing from Atlanta, Georgia since 1985

Listing Alisha bc of the gap in the lower teeth and bc identifying sex of skeletal remains of children is difficult sometimes.

I’m aware she disappeared years prior to this doe’s discovery, but am just listing just in case.

 

[DaisyChains]

As for the tip call made from Florida, could the sobbing woman have said Cordell Brown? The name Cordell is a common name among African American males in the southeast.

I’m going to search out Cordell Brown.

Btw, I’ll be covering this case on a podcast soon with Jason Futch

 

[Goecke]

Dark Sleuth: Alisha Smiley - Missing from Atlanta, Georgia since 1985

Listing Alisha bc of the gap in the lower teeth and bc identifying sex of skeletal remains of children is difficult sometimes.

I’m aware she disappeared years prior to this doe’s discovery, but am just listing just in case.

They have his DNA, so I assume they would be able to confirm his sex pretty easily. It's also believed that 'Dennis' had only been deceased for a few months, I'd be looking at children that disappeared a few years back but over 10 is a stretch unless (I hate saying this) Alisha's body had been frozen or something. Either way, I still don't think this is her since I would assume DNA testing would confirm he was male.

 

[Skully]

Interesting as I don’t see him on the rule outs. I’ll have to recheck.

Tavish Sutton may not have been able to rule in or out. Sometimes they can't get enough DNA to get a full profile. And sometimes (I know for a fact) they make mistakes and say it's not a match but it is... it depends on who is doing your lab work, and how they do it.

 

[Melt71]

Bumping for this little guy - we just passed his 21st anniversary of being found.

 

[aThousandYearsWide]

In cases like this I almost wonder if it is like a Bobby Whitt situation and a parent is also a murder victim in another location. I actually learned about Dennis's and Bobby's cases around the same time and was elated when he was ID'd! Time for Dennis to get his name back also!

 

[Grungster]

It sounds to me like either Dennis got sick (he had anti-nausea medicine), died, and for whatever reason, his poor parents placed his body near the cemetery.

 

[aThousandYearsWide]

It sounds to me like either Dennis got sick (he had anti-nausea medicine), died, and for whatever reason, his poor parents placed his body near the cemetery.

I briefly forgot about that detail!

If it was a natural death could they have concealed it due to payments they were getting to care for him?

Or could the natural death been brought on by some negligence on their part somehow? Maybe a punishment gone wrong. The whole soap in the mouth thing comes to mind.

 

[Grungster]

Here is a photo of Dennis's skull. Got it from Paloma Galzi's IG.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

I hope they are trying or will soon try to solve this one through forensic geneology.

 

[Goecke]

In cases like this I almost wonder if it is like a Bobby Whitt situation and a parent is also a murder victim in another location. I actually learned about Dennis's and Bobby's cases around the same time and was elated when he was ID'd! Time for Dennis to get his name back also!

Going off this theory, I decided to search NamUs for unidentified black women who died around the same time as Dennis, and I found a few possibilities for women who could be his mother.
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) - My #1 choice. Found behind a vacant lot in Atlanta, GA in August 1999, PMI of months. I'm from the Atlanta area and Decatur, where Dennis was found, is a very close suburb of Atlanta. DeKalb and Fulton counties border each other. So based on timeline, location, and circumstances, if this was a Bobby Whitt-type situation and Dennis's mother was a located UID, she'd be my top guess.

Here's a few other, less likely possibilities:
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) (found 6 hours away from Decatur)
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) (7 hours away)
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) (7.5 hours away)
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) (4 hours away)
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) (6 hours away)

 

[Melt71]

@othram one to add to the long list of potentials?

 

[othram]

@othram one to add to the long list of potentials?

Yes, thank you. We will reach out.

 

[HmmMysterious]

Identified today as William Dashawn Hamilton.

 

[HmmMysterious]

William Dashawn Hamilton had recently located to Charlotte with his mom Teresa Ann Bailey Black. She is facing charges of felony murder, concealing a death, and child abuse. Bailey Black was arrested on June 29th in Phoenix, Arizona.

 

[Grungster]

Rest in peace William

 

[HmmMysterious]