Police Arrest Mother At Funeral Home After Baby Died While Unattended In Bathtub

Shaquila Feaster, 31, was arrested Thursday at a Decatur funeral home where her daughter was scheduled for services on suspicion she drowned the child in a bathtub.

According to a People report, Georgia Police filed a second-degree murder charge against the mother of Lithonia. She stands accused of drowning her seven-month-old daughter around two weeks ago. The child died days after the infant seemingly drowned in a bathtub.

Reportedly, Feaster’s infant daughter, Ja’Lonnie Small, passed away on August 4. The baby girl is said to have died from her injuries days after she was allegedly left unattended in a filled bathtub. According to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office, Ja’Lonnie was reportedly left alone in the tub for “more than five minutes” on July 30, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office.

According to her funeral service program shared by family members in facebook, Ja’Lonnie was born in January 16, 2022. Since the mother’s arrest, Feaster has reportedly been in police custody and held without bond.

Mother Was Arrested At Funeral Home Where Baby’s Service Was To Be Held

According to the report, the family held the child’s funeral on Friday, August 12. It was unclear if Feaster was arrested while at a service for Ja’Lonnie. Police reports do confirm she was arrested inside the funeral business.

Police have not discussed a motive in this case, nor has Feaster appeared before a judge to enter a plea to the second-degree murder charge she faces.