Devon Jowers

Name:
Jowers, Devon Faye

Date of Booking:
10/15/2024

Reason(s) For Booking:
CRUELTY TO CHILDREN – 2ND DEGREE (FELONY)

MARIJUANA-POSSESS LESS THAN 1 OZ.

POSSESSION AND USE OF DRUG RELATED OBJECTS

POSSESSION OF A SCHEDULE II CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE

RECKLESS CONDUCT

Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]

On 10/15/2024, I Officer Edwards, responded code one to 95 Homer Street (Commerce Storage) in reference to a juvenile running away from a storage unit on site. Ultimately the child was released to DFCS custody and the mother was taken to Jackson County Jail.

When I arrived on scene I spoke with the two witnesses, Ms. [WITNESS #1] and Ms. [WITNESS #2]. I also noticed a young female sitting in the office area of the storage units. The witnesses stated that they noticed a bucket sitting outside of the storage unit with a toilet seat affixed to the top of it like a home made toilet. The witnesses stated that they then went out to the storage unit to “red lock” it due to the fact of the suspicion of the female and child living inside. Ms. [WITNESS #1] stated she went out and saw movement under the door and the door to the storage unit was slightly raised up. Ms. [WITNESS #1] stated she then turned away to go back inside and get Ms. [WITNESS #2] when a young female pulled on the back of her shirt and came out from under the storage unit door. Ms. [WITNESS #1] stated she was quite scared and it caught her off guard but immediately took the child inside to make sure she was ok and safe. Both witnesses told me the child stated her mother was still inside the unit asleep and a green truck had just left from the unit. Ms. [WITNESS #2] provided me with the ID of the woman that rented the unit and was the suspected mother of the child. I was then able to identify her as Ms. Devon Jowers.

Myself and Cpl. Crenshaw then went to try and make contact with the mother who was allegedly still inside the unit. While walking up the unit I noticed the bucket outside with the affixed toilet seat as well as what appeared to be fecal matter on the ground outside the unit. I opened the door and saw Ms. Jowers passed out on a love seat on the front right corner of the storage unit. Ms. Jowers did not wake up to any noise I made with opening the door. Ms. Jowers did not wake up until Cpl. Crenshaw raised his voice at Ms. Jowers. Ms. Jowers jumped up and was panicking seeing her daughter was not inside the unit anymore. I asked Ms. Jowers about her living situation and she stated they were not living there but trying to find a place to live since they were just evicted out of their home in Jefferson. When I asked Ms. Jowers where they were moving to she stated probably to Athens. I then asked again if she had a place in mind to move and she stated no but she could call someone to come and get them. I was then able to identify the young girl as [VICTIM #1]. Ms. Jowers stated her and [VICTIM #1] had only been staying at the unit for a day. Then Ms. Jowers stated they had only been staying in the unit for a couple hours. Ms. Jowers then went into depth about how she was evicted and lost her home. Ms. Jowers stated her old roommate pulled a gun on her and went to jail so she could not afford to pay $1,600 per month for rent.

Myself, Cpl. Crenshaw, and Ms. Jowers then made our way to the front gate area of the storage units. I met with Sgt. Branning and informed him on what I had discovered this far. I then went inside to speak with the witnesses and they provided me with user activity information for the gate of the storage unit complex. It shows all activity from when Ms. Jowers opened the unit on 10/03/2024 to 10/15/2024, today’s incident date. On the activity it shows entry and exit at times that are unreasonable for a 3 year old to be out in. Times were 4:00am, 3:00am, midnight, etc. When I asked Ms. Jowers about when she opened the unit she stated that it had only been a couple days. Ms. Jowers stated she has lived at her previous residence in Jefferson since March of 2024. Ms. Jowers stated she was evicted on Friday (10/11/2024). At this point Ms. Jowers stated she rented the unit out on 10/10/2024. Ms Jowers story changed multiple times from being at the storage unit for a few days, to a week, to a couple hours. Ms. Jowers stated she does have other children but they live an Dublin, GA. At this time I read Ms. Jowers her Miranda Warning which she agreed to.

I then asked ms. Jowers some questions about her and [VICTIM #1]’s situation. Ms. Jowers stated she just got to the storage at some point in the middle of the night but she does not remember when exactly. Ms. Jowers stated [VICTIM #1] ate pot roast the night previously from a friends house in Jefferson named [REDACTED]. Ms. Jowers stated this morning [VICTIM #1] ate a pop tart for breakfast. I asked Ms. Jowers the last time [VICTIM #1] had water, Ms. Jowers stated [VICTIM #1] had soda in her cup. I then asked when the last time [VICTIM #1] was bathed due to her hair and skin that appeared dirty. Ms. Jowers stated [VICTIM #1] bathed sometime last night at a friend of a friend’s house. Ms. Jowers stated she has just been in and out of the unit but never stayed in the unit. Ms. Jowers even denied being asleep at the time when we found her asleep in the unit. I then asked Ms. Jowers if there was anything inside the unit that was illegal. Ms. Jowers stated no.

At this time EMS arrived on scene and began to check the well being of [VICTIM #1]. [VICTIM #1] stated to EMS that she was sick last night. EMS stated that [VICTIM #1] seemed to have symptoms of dehydration and her teeth were in bad conditions. EMS also noticed [VICTIM #1]’s hair was knotted and her skin appeared dirty like she had not taken a bath.

I then took pictures of the storage unit and living conditions which will be attached to this report. Chief Harmon then got on the phone with DFCS to get them en route to the scene to check the well being of the child and determine next steps for [VICTIM #1].

Ms. Jowers did give consent for units on scene to search the contents of the unit. Units on scene located multiple glass pipes with burnt residue, marijuana, baggies, scales, and a white crystallized substance suspected to be methamphetamine. Where the substance was located was inside a pink plastic container which also contained [VICTIM #1]’s pop tarts and snacks. Pictures of all will be attached to this report. The white crystallized substance will be submitted to evidence along with the marijuana. The white crystallized substance will be also submitted to GBI for testing.

I then went back to the office and spoke with the employees/witnesses at the business. The showed me a tag for a older model green F150 that returned to a [REDACTED]. The witnesses stated that was the truck that had left prior to officer arrival. I had gotten out with the truck a few weeks prior at the Commerce Storage location on Ila Road as a suspicious vehicle. I did identify the male as [REDACTED] and found him passed out in the driver seat of his truck. Mr. [REDACTED] stated he was helping people move and was tired.

I then talked with Ms. Jowers again to get her old address which was [1700 BLOCK] Academy Church Road. Ms. Jowers then told me a story of how this is not the first time that [VICTIM #1] has ran away. Ms. Jowers stated she lived in the attic of the home with [VICTIM #1]. Ms. Jowers stated one day she noticed [VICTIM #1] was not there when she woke up and was woken up to the police at the door of the home. Ms. Jowers stated law enforcement had found [VICTIM #1] walking down the side of the road. Ms. Jowers stated the yard was flooded with police.

At this time all units on scene were waiting for the arrival of DFCS to determine the next steps with [VICTIM #1]. DFCS a short time later arrived on scene and determined that [VICTIM #1] did not have sustainable living conditions and the custody of [VICTIM #1] was turned over.

I then placed Ms. Jowers under arrest for cruelty to children 2nd degree, possession of marijuana less than 1oz, possession of a controlled substance, reckless conduct, and possession of drug related objects. I placed Ms. Jowers hands behind her back where they were placed into handcuffs. The handcuffs were double locked and checked for fit. I then placed Ms. Jowers into the back of my patrol car where she was placed into a seat belt for her safety.

I then transported Ms. Jowers to Jackson COunty Jail where custody was transferred. All the proper intake paperwork was completed. My back seat was checked and cleared.

[End of Narrative]