DeKalb County Father, Girlfriend Sentenced for Fatally Beating 5-Year-Old Over House Chores, a resident listed in public arrest records, was taken into custody on April 5, 2025, in Featured County, Georgia. According to the official booking report, the arrest was made by local authorities and the subject was charged with the following offense(s): unspecified charges. This incident was officially recorded and made publicly available by law enforcement agencies in the state of Georgia. The details provided reflect the arrest information at the time of booking and do not indicate guilt or conviction. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
DeKalb County Man and Girlfriend Sentenced in Death of 5-Year-Old Daughter
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. – A Decatur man and his girlfriend have received lengthy prison sentences for their roles in the 2021 death of his five-year-old daughter, Janiyah Herring.
Unchinna Myrick, 28, pleaded guilty this week to voluntary manslaughter and two counts of first-degree cruelty to children, according to the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office. Her sentencing follows the earlier conviction of Cedric O’Neal Herring, 30, who was found guilty in September 2023 of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and multiple child cruelty charges.
The tragic case began on May 29, 2021, when Herring brought an unresponsive Janiyah to Emory Decatur Hospital, claiming she had been injured in a car accident. He told emergency room staff that she had been knocked unconscious in a multi-vehicle crash and never woke up.
Medical staff quickly realized that Janiyah wasn’t breathing and rushed her into emergency treatment. Despite extensive resuscitation efforts, she was pronounced dead. Doctors noted severe bruising and trauma on her body, raising immediate suspicions of abuse.
When questioned by police, Herring’s story about the crash fell apart. Investigators found no evidence of an accident and confirmed he hadn’t been driving the car he claimed was involved. He later admitted to physically disciplining his children with a belt.
An autopsy determined Janiyah died from blunt force trauma and ruled her death a homicide.
Further investigation revealed disturbing details from Herring’s other children. On the day of the incident, Janiyah had refused to help clean the house. In response, authorities say Myrick beat her with a cord. When the child tried to run, Myrick allegedly tied her to a bed and continued the assault.
Later, Janiyah collapsed after being untied. Herring then entered the room, shouted at her to get up, and beat her again when she didn’t respond. Realizing she was unresponsive, he tried to revive her with an ice bath before rushing her to the hospital.
Herring was sentenced in October 2024 to life in prison. Myrick has been sentenced to 50 years, with 30 to be served behind bars and the remaining 20 on probation.
Disclaimer: All data provided here is taken from public arrest records. This publication does not imply guilt or final conviction.
More Arrests in Featured on April 5, 2025
No other arrests found on this date in Featured.
