Murder Charge Dropped in Infant's Fatal Brain Injury Case

By Merylee Robbins

Published on August 24, 2005

Altlanta, Georgia police arrested Driskell after he claimed he found Samara not breathing when she was under his care. At the time, officers believed that the infant was killed immediately from brain injuries, as a result of violent shaking imposed by Driskell, and placed him under arrest. However, after extensive testing by the DeKalb County chief Medical Examiner, Dr. Gerald Gowitt, it was concluded that Samara's injuries could have been inflicted by another one of the multiple caregivers who was looking after Samara that day. Authorities discovered that there were three other adults watching Samara throughout the day, as well as an 11-year-old cousin.

Because evidence did not conclusively point to Driskell, prosecutors found themselves without sufficient evidence to prosecute him. It is still believed that Samara's death was the result of child abuse and Driskell is still considered a murder suspect. The investigation of Samara's premature death continues, however considering the present evidence, it is not likely that the case will conclude with a conviction.

Comment on this article →