GUILTY GA - Aleigha Lee, 2, died from severe burns and fractures, Coweta County, 9 Dec 2018 **Arrests

[Niner]

Father's charges upgraded to include murder after toddler dies with severe burn, skull fracture
Examiners said that the child had different injuries "from her head to her toes."

December 9, 2018

"COWETA COUNTY, Ga. — The father of a 2-year-old who died after severe alleged abuse now faces a murder charge.

Daniel “DJ” Lenwood Lee, 28, initially faced charges of second degree child cruelty for the death of his daughter Aleigha, who died with a fractured skull, severe burns and multiple bruises.

Prosecutors, however, argued he should face the more serious charge of murder because he did not intervene to help his daughter. A Coweta County magistrate judge agreed, after he found probable cause for Lee.

His wife, Elizabeth Lynn Lee, 29, meanwhile is still charged with felony murder and aggravated battery....

According to a warrant from Coweta County, the child suffered "excessive physical and mental pain" from a severe burn on her right leg, a skull fracture and other injuries.

Examiners said that the child had different injuries "from her head to her toes." There were bruises and ligature marks around her neck, along with a burn that extended from her hip area all the way to her foot....

Medical examiners determined that the child had blunt force trauma to her face, had a swollen brain and lacerated liver. The 2-year-old also suffered dehydration and severe burns. Investigators ruled the injuries as "non-accidental trauma."..."

Father's charges upgraded to include murder after toddler dies with severe burn, skull fracture

(Aleigha Lee)

 

[Niner]

If someone can find these two "persons" birth dates, I can access the court site.

 

[YESorNO]

Coweta couple accused of killing 2-year-old completed drug treatment program, 911 call released

Nov 9, 2018

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[YESorNO]

If someone can find these two "persons" birth dates, I can access the court site.

Can't find it....

 

[ILikeToBendPages]

Oh Lord not another one.

 

[MsMarple]

Oh Lord not another one.

Yep. And everyone is shocked because they were such good parents. Uh, okay.

She [the mother] said the girl’s leg somehow got caught inside the two prongs of her hairstyling iron, with the ceramic plates on those prongs reaching temperatures of up to 410 degrees.

But investigators said the burns to the girl's leg covered her entire leg, and were so severe that she lost use of her leg; they do not believe the burns were accidental.

Daniel: “We woke up and she’s barely breathing. She’s like, really white.”

911 operator: “OK, is she breathing at all? Do we need to start CPR?”

Daniel: “Maybe, [sounds of tearful sobbing], please hurry.”

He told the 911 operator that their daughter had been sick.

911 operator: “What’s she been sick with?”

Daniel: “I’m not sure, um, I know she burned her leg and she had a cold. She was in our room with us and she was doing – she was doing better.”
911 calls in Coweta 2-year-old girl's death released

Daniel Lee, 28, called 911 around 6:30 a.m. Sunday. The call was placed from his grandparents’ Senoia home, where the Lees lived with their six children, including 2-year-old Aleigha.

Lee told the operator he was on a corded phone while his wife Elizabeth was trying to revive the child in a nearby bathroom. His grandmother can be heard yelling for the operator to hurry and get EMS to the house.

A member of Aleigha’s previous foster family gave Channel 2 permission to use Aleigha’s photo in this story, as they made memorial arrangements.

The girl and her five other siblings were taken into state custody two years ago, amid their parents’ methamphetamine addiction.

Jennifer Barnett is an administrator in the Coweta County Family Court system, a program in which the Lees successfully completed in June of 2018. They were profiled in the local paper for turning around their lives after living in a van with the kids and being addicted to drugs.

Parents accused of killing toddler highlighted as court success story months earlier

Additional information from the autopsy report. Warning!! Graphic!!
Dead toddler’s injuries too extensive to be accident, investigators sa | Atlanta: News, Weather and Traffic

 

[Niner]

Thanks all for the videos & articles!

So - no court date?

 

[Jovi Girl]

Whaaaaaaaat ?.. Oh that poor child. They were living with his grandmother and she didn’t see that this child was suffering ? She also needs to be charged with neglect. People cannot stand by and let these things happen !,

 

[MsMarple]

Here's the feature article from July 2018 about the "successful" outcome of the time the parents spent in the Family Treatment Court program. More at the link(s).

They were jobless, addicted to meth, and all five of their children were in foster care. The Division of Family and Children’s Services was ready to file for termination of parental rights, and they were about to lose their children – forever
....
On June 25, DJ and Elizabeth graduated from the 18-month program with all six of their children – including baby Gracie – there to cheer them on. The Lees have a home and are off drugs, and DJ has a job where he has been promoted several times. Just seven months into the program, the family was back together.

Parents, children back together thanks to Family Treatment Court
http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...ily-treatment-court+&cd=9&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
From December 8:

FOX 5 was there last month at the family’s home when investigators went back to the crime scene in search of drugs. Jordan testified that the couple confessed to not seeking medical attention for their daughter because they were meth addicts who had lost their 5 children before to DFACS.

“They were so consumed with meth that they didn’t want DFACS back in their life,” Jordan said on the stand.

Parents facing murder charges in death of toddler

So it appears the parents slid back into drug use. What I have a hard time understanding is how that escalated into not just child abuse but severe abuse, including possible sexual abuse, that led to Aleigha's death.

IOW, this is not a case of parents neglecting their kids because of their drug use; these people tortured Aleigha. So far there hasn't been any mention of abuse towards the other children so it looks like she was the target of rage. Why her?
MOO.

 

[YESorNO]

So far there hasn't been any mention of abuse towards the other children so it looks like she was the target of rage. Why her?

I hope we find out more when this comes to trial. Poor little girl...

 

[2Hope4]

Only back in their custody for 4 months and now dead. Outrageous!

 

[Niner]

Bumping up for Aleigha!

Anyone find a birth date for either of them? Can't search for them unless I have that....

TIA!

 

[MsMarple]

Bumping up for Aleigha!

Anyone find a birth date for either of them? Can't search for them unless I have that....

TIA!

Try March 25, 1990 for Daniel Lee. I don't know if it's the right person but worth a try.

ETA: Also, I found info on past cases here:
Case Management Web Search - Party Name
But if I enter any of the case numbers in the other search page (linked below) it comes up zero results. So either there are other Daniel and Elizabeth Lees in the system or they're not on the calendar yet. Or I'm doing something wrong.
https://www.cowetastatecourt.com/mainpage.aspx

 

[MsMarple]

Okay, I found this which says Daniel Lee has a court date on January 17 for case #2017-SU-R-34- which appears to be an adjudication of guilt related to a probation violation from 2017.

https://www.coweta.ga.us/home/showdocument?id=17927

No mention of the murder case so I guess we'll have to wait and see. And that's about all I want to search on this case - Niner, I don't know how you do it!!

 

[Niner]

Thank you MsMarple for all the above info!

and at this site where input his birthdate - it brings up only oldies

for Lee:

Case # Defendant Judge Status Filing Court Date
13TB07828 LEE, DANIEL LENWOOD SEAY VANPATTEN POULAKOS CL 9/20/2013 10/16/2013

16CR1928-1 LEE JR, DANIEL LENWOOD SEAY VANPATTEN POULAKOS CL 10/4/2016 3/15/2017

link: https://www.cowetastatecourt.com/mainpage.aspx


So nothing on this site either....

 

[Niner]

Okay, I found this which says Daniel Lee has a court date on January 17 for case #2017-SU-R-34- which appears to be an adjudication of guilt related to a probation violation from 2017.

https://www.coweta.ga.us/home/showdocument?id=17927

No mention of the murder case so I guess we'll have to wait and see. And that's about all I want to search on this case - Niner, I don't know how you do it!!

LOL! I have a MS Word list of ALL cases I'm following. I used to be an Admin - so I keep myself busy now!

 

[Niner]

Still nothing new in the Coweta Court site for Lee.

 

[mistivon]

Frustrating not to find any info. It just says awaiting trial on the jail site but no additional info

 

[Niner]

Still nothing on the court site either....

Need to find Elizabeth Lee's bday date....

 

[MsMarple]

Still nothing on the court site either....

Need to find Elizabeth Lee's bday date....

Try 01/04/1990 (January 4, 1990)