MOULTRIE — Two people face charges of child cruelty, and one of them a charge of murder, in connection with the death of an 8-year-old boy in Colquitt County.

Jessie Dalton Johnson was charged with cruelty to children in the second degree and murder in the second degree. Julie Shaylin Hurst was charged with cruelty to children in the second degree. 

The Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office reported on its Facebook page that emergency personnel were called to a child who had apparently drowned in a bathtub in the early morning hours of July 8. The child was taken to Colquitt Regional Medical Center then transferred to Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, where he was pronounced dead.

Over the course of the investigation, detectives were in constant contact with the child’s medical support team and local prosecutors. They conducted numerous interviews with individuals who had been close to the child, as well as paramedics, nurses, doctors, the Department of Family and Children Services and school personnel. Investigators reviewed documentation concerning his history and care, all of which led to charges being filed, the CCSO release said.

“The case has deeply affected everyone involved,” said Sheriff Rod Howell. “We are grateful for the tireless work of our investigators and the GBI. Through careful examination of the facts, interviews and historical records, we were able to uncover the truth behind this child’s tragic death and take appropriate legal action.”