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Written by: A. Smith
Published November 25, 2025 @ 11:01 AM ET
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ga. – A Wrens woman has been charged in the death of her 8-month-old son, marking the second time she has been accused in the death of one of her children in a span of three years, authorities said.
Dakota Nicole Taylor, 21, was arrested Thursday and charged with malice murder, felony murder and first-degree cruelty to children in the January death of her infant son in Jefferson County, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office requested GBI assistance on Jan. 8 after the child was found unresponsive at a home in the 2100 block of Mt. Moriah Road in Matthews.
Deputies said the baby, identified by family as 8-month-old Caleb, was taken to a hospital, where he died.
Taylor was already being held at the McDuffie County Jail on unrelated charges out of DeKalb County tied to the 2021 death of her older son, 7-month-old Micah. That case was reopened this year after investigators obtained new information about his injuries and cause of death.
According to arrest warrants in the earlier case, Taylor is accused of killing Micah in September 2021 by obstructing his airway while the two lived in a group home. First responders reported at the time that Taylor showed an unusual emotional response as officers carried out the child, and the cause of death was initially listed as undetermined. DFCS caseworkers later documented inconsistencies in her statements and behavior.
The GBI says Caleb’s death in January also followed troubling circumstances. Investigators reported that Taylor dropped the child off with a family member and had placed a blanket over his car seat, preventing them from seeing him. When the blanket was removed inside the home, the baby appeared to have blue lips and was not breathing, authorities said. He was rushed to a hospital but could not be saved.
Warrants in the Jefferson County case allege that Taylor deprived Caleb of oxygen and caused “excessive physical and mental pain” shortly before his death.
Taylor now faces multiple counts of malice murder, felony murder, and first-degree cruelty to children in both cases. She remains in custody.
The GBI said both investigations remain active, and once completed, the case files will be turned over to prosecutors in the Atlanta Judicial Circuit and the Middle Judicial Circuit for review.