Parents Guilty Of Child Abuse After Infant Found With Multiple Fractures, Georgia Jury Decides

Jury Finds Parents Guilty of Criminal Negligence and Contributing to a Child’s Dependency; Sentencing Set for September 4

A Cherokee County jury has found a Kennesaw couple guilty of charges related to the abuse of their 4-month-old son, who was found with multiple broken bones. The verdict was reached on August 22, concluding a five-day trial.

Derrick Lenard Bessix, 30, and Allison Catherine Keener, 27, were both convicted in connection with the 2020 incident, which came to light after a pediatrician noticed signs of abuse during the baby’s checkup. A subsequent evaluation at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta revealed the infant had multiple fractures in his ribs and legs.

During the trial, prosecutors from the District Attorney’s Special Victims Unit argued that Bessix intentionally ca