North Fulton Today

A Georgia woman has been sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of the 2016 murder of her nine-month-old grandson.

In a recent report by FOX 5 Atlanta, authorities said Tonya Monroe mislead Sandy Spring police and the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office into believing her grandson Kobe Shaw had suffocated to death, but a toxicology report later showed that the young infant had actually died of an overdose.

"The jury verdict and the sentence reflect the tragedy that Kobe’s family has had to endure for six years," Deputy District Attorney Lauren McAuley told FOX 5 Atlanta. "I hope they find some closure and peace at the conclusion of this trial."

Originally scheduled to appear in court in 2016, Monroe fled the state, forcing U.S. Marshals to spend the next month chasing and tracking her across Georgia and Alabama. The first case ended in an 11-1 hung jury verdict, the report states.

During her second trial, the state presented evidence and expert testimony to show that Monroe poisoned Kobe, who had a rare genetic disorder, with methamphetamine, with the state also asserting that she acted with malice and intent to harm the baby.

At the second trial, Monroe was found guilty on all counts including malice murder, two counts of felony murder, cruelty to children in the first degree, and distribution of methamphetamine.

"This conviction was the result of a close partnership between our office, the Sandy Springs Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service," District Attorney Fani Willis told FOX 5 Atlanta. "After two trials over six years, I’m proud that we were able to get justice for the murder of this precious child."