Duluth father found guilty, sentenced to life in 2019 murder of his 9-week-old daughter

Written by: A. Smith

Published April 23, 2025 @ 5:01 PM ET

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. – A Gwinnett County man was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after being convicted in the 2019 death of his 9-week-old daughter, officials announced Tuesday.

A jury found 29-year-old Khaliq Woods guilty on two counts of felony murder, as well as aggravated battery and first-degree cruelty to children, in connection with the death of his infant daughter, Kamila Woods. Jurors deliberated for 10 hours before reaching a verdict.

The case began on Nov. 30, 2019, when Woods brought the unresponsive baby to Northside Duluth Medical Center. Kamila was pronounced dead upon arrival. Investigators said the child’s mother had dropped her off at Woods’ apartment the day before.

Woods told investigators he had been tossing Kamila into the air and catching her while playing. He said that during one of those moments, he felt her side “go in” and heard her wheezing. He put her to bed around 10 p.m., but when he checked on her around 2 a.m., she was unresponsive and would not take a bottle or pacifier. He used a rideshare service to take her to the hospital around 6 a.m.

An autopsy revealed Kamila had multiple fractured ribs, a lacerated liver, and bleeding and swelling of the brain. Medical experts testified that the injuries were consistent with being violently shaken and squeezed.

Authorities also uncovered that Woods searched “symptoms of broken ribs in children” nine times on his phone around 2 a.m. the night of the incident.

“We grieve with the family of the deceased child, Kamila Woods,” said Gwinnett District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson. “This is a tragedy that an infant’s life was taken. We pray that the outcome of this trial will help Kamila’s family heal.”