THOMSON, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A 21-year-old mother is behind bars, charged with murder in the death of her 7-month-old son who died in September 2021.

Dakota Nicole Taylor was arrested Tuesday at an apartment complex in McDuffie County on charges of malice murder, felony murder and cruelty to children in the first degree in connection with the death of Micah Taylor.

According to a grand jury arrest warrant, Taylor “with malice and forethought” caused the death of Micah Taylor by obstructing his airways. The DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office said they arrested Taylor with help from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

In January, Dakota’s other child, 8-month-old Caleb Taylor, also died. The GBI is currently investigating his death as well.

The case highlights potential failures by DFCS and DeKalb County in their handling of the situation.

Body camera footage from the night DeKalb County police officers arrived at a group home shows the scene after Micah was found unresponsive inside. According to police reports, Dakota was giving Micah a bath upstairs that night. When she finished, she brought him back downstairs into his swing.

Workers noticed Micah was slumped over, pale and unresponsive. The Department of Family and Children Services file states that Dakota’s responses to hearing her son died and processing the grief in the following days was unusual. Officers on scene made similar observations.

“I don’t know if this has anything to do with anything, but the mother, didn’t … She was very … Like alright, whatever. And I was like your baby is …” an officer said in body camera footage.

Another officer described Dakota’s demeanor as “nonchalant” when they were carrying the baby out.

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Officers questioned Dakota at the home after the incident. The case remained unclear for an extended period, with investigators not beginning serious questioning until two years after Micah’s death.

Dakota Taylor was under DFCS supervision during this time, raising questions about why the agency did not intervene after Micah’s death.

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