On March 19, 2024, six-year-old Tobias Perkins Jr. was fatally beaten by 24-year-old Dashon Jones, the boyfriend of the child's mother, while Jones was babysitting Tobias and four siblings at a residence on Sparks Street in Atlanta. According to arrest warrants, Jones hit the child numerous times, causing massive internal bleeding. Tobias's older sister reported hearing loud banging from a room where only Tobias and Jones were, and then saw Jones carry a limp Tobias to the bathroom and place him in the tub. The child's grandfather later rushed the unresponsive boy to Atlanta Fire Station 14 on Lee Street around 11:15 p.m., and he was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy revealed multiple blunt-force injuries to his head and abdomen, with severe liver damage causing fatal internal bleeding; a medical examiner stated Tobias would have been incapacitated within minutes of the injury. Jones was charged with murder and cruelty to children while already in the Fulton County Jail on unrelated charges.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
The 11alive article states that according to warrants, on March 19 Jones "hit the child numerous times, causing massive internal bleeding and death." Additionally, the autopsy showed "multiple blunt-force injuries to his head and abdomen" and "Tobias' liver was severely damaged, causing internal bleeding."
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
The 11alive article states that "Jones was reportedly babysitting his girlfriend's five children for hours while she attended to a family matter at her home on Sparks Street. Tobias was one of her kids." Jones was explicitly serving in the role of babysitter at the time of the fatal incident.
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
All three sources identify Dashon Jones as the boyfriend of the child's mother. The WSB-TV article quotes the child's cousin: "Apparently, [Jones] was the boyfriend of the mother." The Fox5 article states "Perkins Sr. says Jones was the boyfriend of the boy's mom." The 11alive article describes Jones as "babysitting his girlfriend's five children." Jones was charged with murder and cruelty to children in connection with Tobias's death.
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
All three sources report that 24-year-old Dashon Jones was charged with murder and cruelty to children. The WSB-TV article states: "Investigators charged 24-year-old Dashon Jones with murder and child cruelty after determining he was responsible for the death." Jones was already in custody on unrelated charges when the warrants were served.
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Multiple sources state that Jones was already in custody on unrelated charges at the time the murder warrants were served. The WSB-TV article states: "Jones was already in the Fulton County Jail on unrelated charges." The 11alive article similarly notes: "The warrants were provided to the Fulton County Jail, where Jones was already being held on unrelated charges." These unrelated charges constitute prior criminal history separate from Tobias's death.
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
Several notable details emerge from the sources. First, after the beating, Jones reportedly carried a "limp Tobias" to the bathroom and placed him in the tub rather than seeking immediate medical attention, as described in the 11alive article based on the older sister's account. The family raised concerns about the delay in seeking help, with the WSB-TV article quoting the cousin: "the family wants to know how much time passed before someone tried to save the little boy." Second, the child's grandfather ultimately rushed him to the fire station rather than an ambulance being called. Third, the 11alive article notes the family's policy recommendation that "parents thoroughly talk to their kids about whether they feel safe," suggesting a preventive measure. Additionally, the incident occurred at a location on Sparks Street—not the family's apartment on Peeples Street SW—while the mother attended to a family matter, indicating the children were at a different location under Jones's care.
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