ALBANY, Ga. – A man was arrested on May 15 on charges related to the beating of his son in April of 2017. The boy was found beaten, bleeding, and completely nude, covered with only a jacket, on a neighbor’s porch.
The child’s father, Adrian Donta Shelton, now 46, allegedly beat the boy with a cord, a belt, a shoe, and his fists. A witness told police the boy was spitting up blood when he ran to her door for help. When police arrived, the boy was taken to Phoebe Main Hospital by ambulance. After his treatment, the hospital planned to release the boy to a child advocacy center.
According to reports, Shelton’s son was picked up from school early and dropped off with his father at Dent’s Barber Shop. When they returned home that afternoon, Shelton attacked the boy while he was naked and getting into the shower. Shelton beat the boy, then pinned him against a door by his throat when he tried to escape the room. The boy told police his father threw him to the floor, pressing his knee into his throat to suffocate him. The child escaped and ran through the woods to a neighbor for help.
Shelton was recently arrested on charges of aggravated assault, battery, obstruction, and failure to appear. He remains in the Dougherty County Jail without bond.
Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]
I responded in normal mode to [1600 BLOCK] C Pineview Ave in reference to Family Violence. I made contact with [VICTIM #1] at the back porch of [1600 BLOCK] C Pineview Ave. I observed him having a jacket wrapped around his waist. He had no shirt, shorts, underwear, socks or shoes on.
I was informed by [WITNESS #1] (homeowner), that she covered him up with a jacket. She informed me, [VICTIM #1] knocked on the front door repeatedly. She opened the door and saw him naked and throwing up spit and blood. She dialed 911 and waited for the police and EMS to respond. Med Unit 6 arrived on scene.
I observed [VICTIM #1] crying and huddled up in the fetal position. He said his dad (Adrian Shelton) and him left his dad’s barber shop at approximately 1630 hours. He said his dad beat him with an extension cord, a belt, a Nike Slide shoe, and with a closed fist and slapped in the face.
He informed me, He was told to get into the shower. He said his dad came into the bathroom, while he was naked, and forced him out of the shower and into a bedroom. He informed me after he was beaten by his dad, he tried to leave the room. He said his dad pushed him into the door and held him up with one arm with his hand against his throat and he was thrown on the ground.
He said his dad then put his knee across his throat to where he could not breathe. He informed me, his dad got up off of him and turned around to get something, at that moment he said he ran outside of the room and ran out of the house into the woods. Med Unit 6 and I traveled to Phoebe Main Hospital.
I made contact with [REDACTED] (God Mother) and [REDACTED] ([VICTIM #1] Mother) at the hospital. [REDACTED] informed me, she checked [VICTIM #1] out of school at approximately 1230 hours and took him to his father’s barber shop at 245 E. Oglethorpe Blvd (Dent’s Barber Shop) (Shackelford) and left.
[REDACTED] informed me, Adrian Shelton and her do not live together. Department of Family and Child Services was informed of the incident. Investigator L. Bryant responded to Phoebe Main Hospital and was informed of the incident. She informed me, [VICTIM #1] will be transported to The LIlly Pad Center after being released from the hospital.
I took photographs of the scene and of the injuries of [VICTIM #1] The injuries consist of multiple welts that looked like a ridge or lump raised on the body as by a blow or allergic reaction on [VICTIM #1]’s back, both shoulders and forearms. I also observed a cut on the top of his head. Sgt. P. Guhl responded to the scene and was informed of the incident.
This case is active and is forwarded to Investigations.
[End of Narrative]
