ATLANTA, Ga. — A Georgia father is facing serious criminal charges following the death of his 4 month old daughter, who authorities say suffered fatal injuries consistent with abusive head trauma. According to investigators, Marcus Woolery has been charged with felony murder and first degree cruelty to children in connection with the death of his infant daughter, Ma’liyeh Woolery. Authorities report that the child, born on December 8, was found unresponsive on April 11 at a residence on 3rd Avenue Southwest in Atlanta. A 911 call was placed, prompting a response from emergency personnel. Despite medical intervention, the child succumbed to her injuries. An autopsy determined the cause of death to be abusive head trauma, with injuries commonly associated with shaken baby syndrome.

The Victim: Ma’liyeh Woolery, 4 Months Old

Ma’liyeh Woolery was born on December 8. She was just 4 months old at the time of her death. She was an infant, a baby who had only just begun to experience the world. She had not yet learned to sit up, to crawl, to speak her first words. She had not yet celebrated her first birthday. She had not yet experienced the love of a family that should have protected her. Her life was stolen by the very person who was supposed to keep her safe.

The original article does not provide additional biographical details about Ma’liyeh. There are no stories of her smile, her laughter, her personality. She was only 4 months old. She had not yet developed the traits that would have defined her. But she was a person. She was someone’s daughter. She deserved to live. She deserved to be protected. She was failed.

The Injury: Abusive Head Trauma

An autopsy conducted by the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office on April 15 determined the cause of death to be abusive head trauma. Officials reported extensive internal injuries, including bleeding in the brain, eyes, and spinal region. These findings are commonly associated with what is often referred to as shaken baby syndrome.

Shaken baby syndrome occurs when an infant is violently shaken. The baby’s head whips back and forth. The brain moves inside the skull, tearing blood vessels and causing bleeding. The eyes can bleed. The spine can be injured. The damage can be fatal.

The injuries to Ma’liyeh were extensive. She had bleeding in her brain, her eyes, and her spinal region. These are not injuries that occur accidentally. They are not the result of a fall or a minor accident. They are the result of severe, violent trauma. Someone shook this baby. Someone shook her so hard that she bled inside her skull. Someone shook her so hard that she died.

Investigators noted that such injuries would typically result in visible and severe symptoms within a short timeframe. Ma’liyeh would have become unresponsive. She would have stopped breathing. She would have had seizures. Her body would have shut down. She was found unresponsive on April 11. A 911 call was placed. But it was too late.

The Response: Emergency Efforts Fail

Responders with Grady EMS transported the infant to Hughes Spalding Hospital for initial treatment. The hospital is a pediatric facility in Atlanta, equipped to handle critically ill children. Doctors and nurses fought to save her. They worked quickly. They tried to stabilize her. They did everything they could.

Due to the severity of her condition, she was later airlifted to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite for advanced care. Scottish Rite is a major pediatric trauma center, one of the best in the country. The medical helicopter landed on the roof. Ma’liyeh was rushed inside. Surgeons, neurologists, and intensive care specialists worked around the clock. But the damage was too severe.

Despite medical intervention, the child succumbed to her injuries. She died at the hospital, surrounded by strangers in scrubs, rather than by the family who should have loved her.

The Suspect: Marcus Woolery, Father and Sole Caregiver

Marcus Woolery has been charged with felony murder and first degree cruelty to children. He is the father of Ma’liyeh Woolery. He was supposed to protect her. He was supposed to keep her safe. He was supposed to love her. Instead, he is accused of causing her death.

During the course of the investigation, authorities learned that the child’s mother had been hospitalized days prior for an unrelated medical condition and was not present at the time the injuries occurred. The mother was not there. She was in the hospital, recovering from her own illness. She could not protect her daughter.

Detectives determined that Woolery was the sole caregiver responsible for the infant during the critical period. He was alone with Ma’liyeh. He was the only adult present. He was the one who caused her injuries. He was the one who shook her. He was the one who killed her.

Based on the findings, law enforcement officials moved forward with charges against Woolery. He is facing felony murder, which carries a sentence of life in prison. He is also facing first degree cruelty to children, a serious felony charge. He will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

The Mother: Hospitalized and Devastated

The child’s mother was hospitalized days prior for an unrelated medical condition. She was not present when her daughter was injured. She could not have prevented what happened. She will have to live with the guilt of not being there, even though it was not her fault.

She has lost her daughter. She has learned that her partner, the father of her child, is accused of killing that child. She is grieving. She is angry. She is devastated. She will need support and counseling.

The Investigation: Ongoing

The case remains under active investigation as authorities continue to gather additional evidence and prepare for legal proceedings. Detectives are interviewing witnesses, reviewing medical records, and analyzing physical evidence. They are building a case against Marcus Woolery.

The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office has completed the autopsy. The report will be used as evidence in court. The injuries documented in the report will be presented to a jury. The jury will see the bleeding in the brain, the eyes, and the spine. They will hear the medical examiner testify that these injuries could only have been caused by abusive head trauma.

Woolery will be arraigned. He will enter a plea. He will likely plead not guilty. His defense attorney may argue that the injuries were accidental, that Ma’liyeh fell, that someone else caused the injuries. But the evidence is strong. The medical findings are clear. Ma’liyeh was shaken. She was killed. Her father is responsible.

The Community: Outrage and Grief

The Atlanta community is outraged. A 4 month old baby was killed by her own father. The case has sparked conversations about shaken baby syndrome, about the dangers of leaving infants with caregivers who are not prepared to handle the stress of crying, about the need for education and support for new parents.

Ma’liyeh’s family is devastated. They have lost a baby, a granddaughter, a niece. They are planning a funeral instead of celebrating a first birthday. The pain is immeasurable.

Holding Onto Memories

As the legal case moves forward, the family and friends of Ma’liyeh Woolery are left to do the hardest work of all. They must hold onto their memories of her while also confronting the reality of her death. They must grieve her loss while also seeking justice. They must find a way to go on without her.

Ma’liyeh was 4 months old. She had her whole life ahead of her. She had dreams that will never be fulfilled, love that will never be given, moments that will never be experienced. That is the unspeakable tragedy of her death. It is not just the loss of what was. It is the loss of what could have been.

But what was still matters. The 4 months that Ma’liyeh lived, the people who loved her, the joy she brought, the memories she created these things are not erased by her death. They remain. They are the inheritance of her family, her friends, and everyone who knew her. And as long as those memories are held and shared and cherished, Ma’liyeh Woolery will never truly be gone.

Conclusion: A Father Accused of Killing His Infant Daughter

The death of Ma’liyeh Woolery, 4 months old, who died from abusive head trauma while in the care of her father, Marcus Woolery, is a tragedy that has left a family shattered and a community in mourning. Marcus Woolery has been charged with felony murder and first degree cruelty to children. The mother was hospitalized at the time of the injuries and was not present. The investigation is ongoing.

As Atlanta mourns, the community stands together in grief, offering prayers and support to Ma’liyeh’s family. Rest in peace, Ma’liyeh Woolery. You were loved. You will be missed. And your memory will live on in the hearts of everyone who knew you. Gone too soon, forever remembered.