One twin died at 1 month old while the other was later treated for fractures, malnutrition and breathing trouble
ATLANTA, GA – A month-old Atlanta girl was rushed from her home to a hospital and died after an alleged car-seat suffocation, then her surviving twin brother arrived at a hospital weeks later with broken bones, breathing trouble, signs of malnutrition and THC in his urine — a chain of events that has now resulted in murder and child cruelty charges against two adults.
James Hayes, 32, and Kennedi Ponder, 31, were arrested Aug. 6 following an investigation that began with the May 2 death of Kaziah Ponder, according to the Atlanta Police Department.
Hayes has been charged with second-degree murder, first-degree child cruelty involving deprivation of necessary sustenance and second-degree child cruelty.
Ponder faces first-degree child cruelty involving deprivation of necessary sustenance and second-degree child cruelty.
The investigation began when officers were dispatched to a Mary George Avenue SW residence in Atlanta at about 7:49 a.m. May 2 after receiving a person-down call.
Kaziah was unresponsive when officers arrived.
Emergency medical personnel transported the infant to Hughes Spalding Children’s Hospital, where attempts to save her were unsuccessful and she was pronounced dead, Atlanta police said.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office subsequently took custody of Kaziah’s body.
An arrest warrant reported on by WXIA alleges Hayes had placed Kaziah in a car seat without fastening her restraints before falling asleep on a couch.
The circumstances allegedly resulted in probable positional asphyxia.
The investigation took another turn later in May when Kaziah’s twin brother, Kaiden Ponder, needed hospital treatment for a breathing problem, according to WXIA.
His medical examination revealed several bone fractures, according to police. Kaiden was also described as malnourished and suffering from electrolyte abnormalities.
A urine test was positive for THC, police said.
The information released by police does not explain how Kaiden sustained the fractures or how THC came to be present in his system.
Atlanta homicide investigators continued examining the circumstances involving both children before Hayes and Ponder were taken into custody without incident Aug. 6.
Police have not publicly identified the exact relationship between each defendant and the twins. A relative identified Ponder as the children’s mother in a social media post mourning Kaziah.
Hayes and Ponder are scheduled for preliminary hearings Aug. 31.
The criminal allegations against them have not been proven in court.
Key Points
- One-month-old Kaziah Ponder died after an alleged incident involving an unfastened car seat at an Atlanta home on May 2.
- Her twin brother was hospitalized later that month with multiple fractures, breathing trouble, malnutrition, electrolyte abnormalities and THC in his urine, according to police.
- James Hayes faces second-degree murder and child cruelty charges, while Kennedi Ponder faces child cruelty charges. Both were arrested Aug. 6.
