Father Confesses To Son’s Murder
Decatur Metro | July 13, 2010UPDATE: This new AJC article titled “Parents of dead 5-year-old boy were going through a divorce” gives greater detail of the issues surrounding the DeToma family prior to the horrific incident yesterday. Thanks to karass for pointing it out.
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According to this CBS Atlanta video, Gary DeToma Sr. confessed to Decatur Police last night that he suffocated his five year-old son and also tired to kill the younger of the two boys as well.
A DM reader has reached out to a relative about a potential vigil for Gary DeToma Jr. I will keep the community updated if there are any developments.
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This child was a beautiful, tiny little slip of a ray of sunshine. Always smiling, joyful, beautiful. I hope this monster rots for the rest of eternity. Your own child, your OWN child, [edited].
Too horrible for words.
Reading the mom’s blog brings tears to my eyes. It is clear that this mom loved her kids enormously and they seemed to be a happy little family. Obviously something went terribly wrong. I can’t imagine looking back at pictures and the words on her blogs, and mementos and such, and knowing that’s all you have left of your baby.
http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/parents-of-dead-5parents-of-dead-5-569077.html
This latest report makes it even clearer how difficult things were as this family was settling a divorce and custody arrangements. It also makes it clear that the mother tried extremely hard to get access to her children when they weren’t delivered as arranged. Finally, it makes it crystal clear that the co-worker’s going beyond the call of duty to find out what was going on, even so far as to put up a ladder up the second floor window, was critical in getting access to the boys, unfortunately too late for one of them. Can’t tell what the co-worker suspected–that harm had come to Gary DeToma or that DeToma had caused harm–but he persisted. We don’t have the whole story but the co-worker seems to have been a hero.
This has to have been beyond traumatic for every single person involved, even in a minor way, including apartment neighbors, co-workers, police officers, apartment manager, schoolmates, school teachers, etc., and of course all family, so I hope plenty of counseling and help is involved for all.
Gary Jr. was a classmate of my son’s and an adorable vibrant little boy. I’m still having a hard time accepting that his life has been cut so short and don’t know how I will ever (one day) explain this to my children. I know Melanie in passing from school functions and birthday parties and know that she lived her life for those boys. My heart breaks for her.
Call Suzanne; she was passing out memos on this today and I think Dan Kennedy is around the main CSD office if you need help explaining this to your kids.
Thank heaven for that co-worker, because he likely saved the 4-yr-old’s life. This is such a horrible crime– the death of a child under any circumstances is awful enough, but like this? That poor mother will be flogging herself (even though none of this is her fault in ANY way, shape or form) for the rest of her life, wondering whether there was anything at all she could have done to prevent this. The father, wretched creature that he is, must now face for all eternity the fact that he is a murderer of his own flesh and blood. The families of both these people have been fractured in the most brutal way imagineable, and there will never be any sufficient reason or answer as to why or how he could have done this.
If anyone knows of a fund for the mother and/or the baby’s funeral expenses, please post it somewhere, because I’d very much like to donate to it.
There has been an account opened at Decatur First Bank to accept donations for funeral expenses. Stop into either office to contribute. The name of the account is the Gary DeToma Jr. Fund.
Thanks, Fats.
Tragic. That guy is nothing but a pathetic swine. Actually, swine are pretty intelligent, so he’s a sub-swine. I have better words… but I’ll end up moderated,
Prison will be a horrible place for this most deserving “human being”.
A fund has been established at the Decatur First Bank: Gary DeToma Jr Fund
The bank is accepting cash and/or checks-checks should be made out to the Gary DeToma Jr. Fund.
Donations can be made at the bank or mailed–The mailing address is 1120 Commerce Dr. Decatur, Ga. 30030 or 720 Commerce Dr. Decatur, Ga. 30030
Does anyone know how to reach out to Gary’s mother? I have lost a child and it is bewildering, terrible, isolating, and unimaginable to those who haven’t walked in our shoes. I cannot imagine having to also live through the scrutiny of the media and the horrors of family violence. I have some community resources that might be of help to someone newly grieving.
The AJC Reported that her attorney is Blue Spruell. I believe that his practice is in Decatur. You might reach out to him.
Is there a City of Decatur prison, or is this scumbag going to be pawned off onto the Dekalb County Prison system?
I predict he’ll get Dahmered in jail within two years.
Heart wrenching! It just sends shivers down my spine of what the last moments of that child’s life were like. The surviving child will be scared for life. I’m going to hug mine a little tighter tonight.