Lauri Canning

Name:
Canning, Lauri Marie

Date of Booking:
01/09/2026

Reason(s) For Booking:
CRUELTY TO CHILDREN-CAUSES EXCESSIVE PHYSICAL OR MENTAL PAIN – 1ST DEGREE

BATTERY – FAMILY VIOLENCE (1ST OFFENSE) MISD

CRUELTY TO CHILDREN-ALLOW CHILD TO WITNESS FELONY/BATTERY/FAMILY VIOLENCE – 3RD DEGREE

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 01/04/2026 at approximately 1917 hours, I responded to [200 BLOCK] Somerset Place, Apartment [REDACTED], in reference to a welfare concern. Dispatch advised that the complainant was a child reporting that two juveniles were present and that their mother was hitting them and was intoxicated.

Ofc. Muffley and I arrived at the location and made contact with Lauri Canning. Ofc. Muffley remained with Lauri while I, with her permission, spoke with the children inside the apartment. I met with [REDACTED BY AGENCY] and [REDACTED BY AGENCY]. Both girls appeared fearful that Lauri would become angry because they had called the police. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated that Lauri came down from her room and told her that she hated her and that she should never have called DCFS. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] reported that she told Lauri to leave her alone and was afraid that Lauri would hit her. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] said that Lauri then struck her on the nose, causing it to bleed. According to [REDACTED BY AGENCY], Lauri denied causing the injury and insisted she was not going to jail. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] also stated that Lauri told her to leave. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] reported that her mother slammed her arm against a door, resulting in the breakage of a mirror she had received for Christmas.

When asked about Lauri’s alcohol consumption, [REDACTED BY AGENCY] said she did not know the amount. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated that her mother had been drinking that evening and confirmed that [REDACTED BY AGENCY] and Lauri had been arguing. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] said that while they were in the living room, Lauri hit her and called her names, which is when her nose started bleeding. When asked about their mother’s drinking habits, both girls said Lauri drinks frequently and keeps cases of beer in her room. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] specified that Lauri drinks twist-cap Miller Lite bottles. When I asked if Lauri had hit her, she replied, “not really,” stating she was trying to get [REDACTED BY AGENCY] and Lauri to stop fighting.

[REDACTED BY AGENCY] stated that when Lauri is not drinking, they do not fight, but that Lauri drinks so often that arguments are frequent. I checked [REDACTED BY AGENCY]; arms and nose for any visible marks. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] indicated that the marks on her arms were from Lauri grabbing her, and the marks on her face were from being hit in the nose. She said that other scratches on her arms were from the family cat.

I then spoke with Lauri outside. Lauri stated that she loves her children and did not understand why police were present. When asked, she admitted to having a couple of beers that evening. Lauri denied hitting her children, stating that [REDACTED BY AGENCY] nose had started bleeding for unknown reasons. She attributed the scratch marks on [REDACTED BY AGENCY] arms and face to the family cat. When questioned about her drinking habits, Lauri hesitated before admitting to drinking two to three beers every night. She repeatedly stated that she loves her children and did not recall putting her hands on them that night. Lauri expressed that she was struggling and did not know what to do, explaining that a recent DCFS case had been closed and that she was seeking help. She also mentioned difficulty keeping the apartment clean and said the children do not help, which causes additional stress.

I advised Lauri of available resources for assistance and recommended that she and the children separate for the night. I suggested they have a family meeting in the morning to develop a plan for working together and maintaining the household.

I returned inside and spoke with the girls, advising them to remain separate from Lauri for the night. I suggested that they meet with their mother in the morning to discuss a plan for cleaning the house and working as a team. At my request, the girls showed me Lauri’s room. Like the downstairs area, the floors were cluttered, and the room was messy, with trash and clothing scattered throughout. With Lauri’s permission, I entered her room and observed two cases of beer and a small bedside trash can full of empty beer bottles.

Based on the conflicting statements and lack of physical evidence to support the allegations, a report was generated in accordance with the Georgia Family Violence Act.

All documents and photos are available in the linked files tab.

[End of Narrative]