Authorities say additional charges are possible as detectives review evidence and medical findings.
MARIETTA, Ga. — Two parents were arrested this week after their 5-year-old son died Wednesday morning, three days after a 911 call from the family’s Ramona Street home, police said. The boy had been on life support since Sunday night as investigators gathered statements and evidence.
Marietta police identified the parents as Michael Horn, 31, and Alexiss Eitrem, 31. Detectives say the case remains open while they analyze medical records and interviews taken since first responders reached the home around 6 p.m. Sunday. Authorities said the child was first taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital and then airlifted to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Arthur M. Blank Hospital. The Division of Family and Children Services took custody of the couple’s four other children. The immediate question now is whether the initial child-cruelty and related charges will be upgraded in light of the boy’s death.
Officers and firefighters arrived to find the child unresponsive on the floor as Horn performed CPR, according to police summaries of the response. Firefighters took over lifesaving efforts before paramedics transported the boy to Kennestone. He was moved by air to the Arthur M. Blank Hospital, where he remained on life support until just before 11 a.m. Wednesday. Arrest warrants were obtained Monday, and both parents were booked into the Cobb County Jail. “This 5-year-old who is now deceased had visible injuries that didn’t seem right,” Marietta Police Officer Chuck McPhilamy said in a briefing, adding that first responders noted signs of possible foul play on arrival.
Records list the current counts as follows: Eitrem faces five counts of second-degree cruelty to children. Horn is charged with aggravated battery, aggravated assault, one count of first-degree cruelty to children, and four counts of second-degree cruelty to children. Investigators said statements gathered at the scene and “an abundance of evidence” prompted the swift issuance of warrants. The family’s address on Ramona Street was secured as a crime scene for several hours while detectives photographed injuries, collected items, and canvassed neighbors. Authorities said the boy’s exact cause and manner of death will come from the medical examiner and could guide any change to the charges. Officials did not release the child’s name.
Police said the couple’s four other children were removed from the home and placed under state supervision pending the outcome of the case. The Arthur M. Blank Hospital and first responders were not authorized to provide independent comment on the boy’s condition. Neighbors described a heavy police and fire presence on the block Sunday evening as crews worked inside the house. Several nearby homeowners said officers knocked on doors late into the night asking whether anyone heard or saw anything unusual in recent weeks. Police did not indicate whether any prior calls for service had been made to the address.
Jail logs show both suspects were denied bond at initial appearances. Detectives said they will meet with the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office to discuss potential upgrades to the charges now that the child has died. A follow-up court hearing and the medical examiner’s findings are expected to set the next steps. Investigators said they will continue reviewing interviews, digital records and prior medical history to build a full timeline from Sunday’s 911 call through the boy’s death on Wednesday.
On Ramona Street, tape still fluttered across the front walkway Wednesday afternoon as officers came and went. A neighbor who gave only her first name, Shirley, said her daughter knew one of the children who lives in the home and called the situation “heartbreaking.” McPhilamy said detectives will keep contacting neighbors and school officials to track any earlier signs of injury or neglect. “Now that the worst possible outcome has happened,” he said, “we will review everything to determine whether the charges remain appropriate or need to be upgraded.”
As of Thursday, both parents remained in the Cobb County Jail while the investigation continues. The medical examiner’s report and a charging decision are expected in the coming days.
Author note: Last updated February 6, 2026.