Mother Sentenced for Death of 13-Month-Old Daughter in Georgia

On October 17, 2025, 29-year-old Ariel Jamiyla Osbey entered a guilty plea to Second Degree Murder and Making a False Statement in connection with the death of her 13-month-old daughter, Imani Osbey, on October 10, 2023, in Newton County, Georgia.

According to court records and the Newton County Sheriff’s Office investigation, Osbey brought Imani with her to a residence where she was providing house cleaning services but left the child in her vehicle for approximately five hours while she worked inside. After finishing her work, Osbey drove a short distance before calling 911, claiming that her daughter was nonresponsive and had been sick during the trip. When deputies arrived, Imani’s internal temperature was measured at 107 degrees, and she was pronounced dead from hyperthermia at Piedmont Newton Hospital.

Investigators noted that the inside of Osbey’s vehicle was extremely hot, with hot air blowing from the vents. Imani’s zip-up hoodie, found on the floorboard, was damp. Surveillance footage from the residence contradicted Osbey’s account that Imani had been inside the home. The motion-activated cameras did not capture Osbey checking on the child at any point while she was inside.

The case was indicted by a Newton County Grand Jury on December 1, 2023. Court proceedings were delayed while a mental health evaluation of Osbey was completed at her request.

During sentencing, Osbey requested probation, but the court sentenced her to 35 years total, with the first 20 years to be served in prison and the remainder on probation. Conditions of her sentence include no unsupervised contact with children under 16 and mandatory mental health treatment.

Second Degree Murder in Georgia, in cases involving children, applies when a defendant causes the death of a child through criminal negligence—meaning Osbey did not act with malice, but her actions were extremely reckless and caused cruel or excessive physical or mental harm.

The prosecution was handled by Senior Assistant District Attorney Evan Hansinger, with assistance from Chief Investigator Kelly Whire, Senior Victim Advocate Shay Payne, Trial Assistant Ellen Bales, and Legal Assistant Lila Geiger. The investigation was conducted by the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, with support from local EMS, Piedmont Newton Hospital, and the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office.

Alcovy Judicial Circuit District Attorney Randy McGinley stated, “Any death of a child is heartbreaking. Imani’s death was not only preventable, but criminal. The Defendant chose to leave her 13-month-old child in a hot car for hours. Sadly, a short internet search will show that this still occurs far too often. I hope this case will serve as a reminder to anyone reading this to never let this happen.”

McGinley also praised the first responders, investigators, and prosecutors involved, noting the emotional difficulty of handling cases involving the death of a child.