On January 16, 2025, my 3-year-old nephew was shot inside his father’s bedroom in Harlem, Georgia — a small town in Columbia County. He survived — but the truth remains unresolved. 

Instead of protecting him or fighting for the truth, the Harlem Police Department protected the wrong person — his father, a local firefighter.

From the beginning, Harlem PD immediately labeled the shooting  an accident. They refused to bring in outside help from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office or the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. They failed to collect critical evidence and disregarded people who were in a position to provide important information.

These weren’t oversights. These were choices. Harlem PD dismissed anything that didn’t support their narrative — because they didn’t want the truth.

Because in Harlem, Georgia — a small town with just 11 police officers — connections matter more than truth. And this wasn’t the first time the father used his position as a firefighter to his advantage. This time, it meant a 3-year-old child was nearly killed, and the investigation was swept under the rug.

It wasn’t until months later that it became clear how much had been ignored or mishandled from the start. By then, evidence was lost — and the path to accountability became that much more difficult.

Why? Because the father is deeply connected in the city of Harlem — and instead of protecting a child, the department protected one of their own. 

My nephew is alive — but there has been no justice. And unless Georgia changes the law, this will happen again.

We are calling on Georgia lawmakers to pass legislation that ensures:

• Mandatory outside agency involvement (e.g., GBI or a neighboring sheriff’s office) in all non-property-related criminal investigations conducted by small-town or limited-capacity police departments, especially those involving violence, abuse, or serious injury.
• Immediate notification to the District Attorney’s Office in all serious criminal investigations, particularly when a child is a victim or witness.
• Automatic referral of cases when a conflict of interest exists — such as when the suspect or witnesses have personal or professional ties to the police, fire department, or local government.
• Required documentation and public accountability for why outside assistance was or was not requested in every non-property criminal case.

This isn’t just about our family. It’s about protecting every family in Georgia from injustice, silence, and small-town cover-ups.

No one should ever have their truth buried — especially not a child.

Please sign and share. Help us demand real accountability, real oversight, and a law that ensures all serious crimes in Georgia are investigated fairly — no matter who’s involved, and no matter how small the town.