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Written by: A. Smith
Published June 2, 2025 @ 10:15 AM ET
FULTON COUNTY, Ga. – A 3-year-old boy found alone and in distress outside a southeast Atlanta home last week led police to arrest his mother and stepfather on child cruelty charges, authorities said.
The child, wearing only underwear and clutching a blanket, was discovered at the front door of a residence on Belfort Road, according to Atlanta police.
“I found a little kid in my front yard at the front door,” a 911 caller told dispatchers. “He looks about 3 or 4 years old. He was screaming and crying.”
Responding officers said the child appeared to be malnourished and had visible scratches and minor lacerations. Emergency medical responders with Grady EMS assessed the boy at the scene before taking him to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding Hospital for treatment, where he remained on Thursday.
As police investigated, they contacted the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services and began canvassing the area in an effort to identify the child’s guardians.
By around 9 a.m. Thursday, investigators located and arrested the child’s mother, Lakisha Holmes, 30, and his stepfather, Andre Roundtree, 30. Both were charged with second-degree cruelty to children and reckless conduct, felonies under Georgia law.
Roundtree also faces an obstruction charge after allegedly becoming combative with officers during his arrest. Holmes was booked into the Fulton County Jail, while Roundtree was taken to the Grady Detention Center, according to police.
Lakisha Holmes, 30, was given a $50,000 bond during a Friday court hearing, with $25,000 set for each of the two felony charges she faces: second-degree cruelty to children and reckless conduct. A judge also ordered her to have no contact with her son or any other children under the age of 18.
Her partner, 30-year-old Andre Roundtree, faces the same charges but did not appear in court. It remains unclear whether bond was granted in his case.
The Atlanta Police Department’s Special Victims Unit is continuing to investigate the case.
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