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Written by: A. Smith
Published July 21, 2025 @ 7:45 AM ET
DECATUR COUNTY, Ga. – A 13-year-old boy and his grandmother have been arrested in connection with the shooting death of 8-year-old Kylen Powell at a Bainbridge home on July 11, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
The teen is accused of shooting Kylen, reportedly his cousin, in the face with a 9mm handgun while the two were staying at their grandmother’s house on the 3000 block of Vada Road. Authorities said no adults were home at the time, though a 1-year-old child was also present and not injured.
The Decatur County Sheriff’s Office requested the GBI’s help with the investigation just before midnight. When a deputy arrived, Kylen was found unresponsive on the living room floor and was determined to be beyond life-saving measures, according to an initial incident report. Investigators noted the firearm was not located near the child’s body.
On July 15, agents arrested the 13-year-old and 49-year-old Knisha Ann Perkins. The teen is charged with felony murder and aggravated assault. Perkins is charged with three counts of second-degree cruelty to children and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Authorities have not said how the teenager accessed the gun or what led up to the shooting.
Deputy Decatur County Coroner DeWitt Phillip called the incident another tragic reminder of the need for gun safety in homes with children.
“Kids get a hold of them, and they don’t think,” Phillip told WALB-TV. “We need people to secure ‘em so we don’t have these children dead. Don’t leave them out where kids can play with them, because they just don’t understand.”
The 8-year-old’s body was sent to the GBI Crime Lab for an autopsy. The teen was booked into the Decatur County Youth Detention Center, and Perkins remains in the Decatur County Jail.
The case is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Thomasville at 229-225-4090 or submit an anonymous tip at 1-800-597-8477.