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tony286 · 01-31-2008, 06:42 PM

I got sader:

Marietta boy dead after wrapping belt around neck

By YOLANDA RODRIGUEZ
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 01/31/08

The last time Mark Burns saw his stepson alive, the little boy was sitting on his bed, his head resting in his right hand.

"Looking bored," Burns said Thursday.

D'enthonee Davis, 8, was suspended Wednesday from Sawyer Road Elementary School, where he was in first grade.

His parents punished him for acting out at his Marietta school —he'd sent a crayon flying across a room, hitting a classmate just above the eye.

D'enthonee was not targeting the little girl. He threw the crayon randomly, said Preston Howard, an assistant superintendent, during a press conference.

The one-day suspension was to start Thursday.

Wednesday night, his parents confined D'enthonee to his room, no games, no talking, extra house chores.

"We wanted him to know that what he'd done was wrong," Burns, 37, said, in the living room of his Highland Court apartment.

The punishment would probably last only a couple of days, Burns said. He'd been acting out at school lately —a teacher had to talk to him about his behavior— and had been punished before.

Still, "he probably would have been right back outside, playing with the kids again this weekend," Burns said.

Late Wednesday, when Burns and his wife, Sonya Burns, brought home Domino's pizza, they sent an 11-year-old cousin to get D'enthonee.

That's when their world changed forever.

The cousin called out to D'enthonee's mother. Burns followed his wife, running to the upstairs bedroom.

D'enthonee was not breathing. A belt was wrapped around his neck.

"I grabbed him," Burns said, still struggling to understand what happened. "I felt for a pulse. There was no pulse. I looked to see if he was breathing. He wasn't breathing," he said.

Burns, a former Navy seaman and his wife, a nurse at a Douglas County nursing home, tried CPR to revive him.

Marietta police arrived just before 10 p.m. D'enthonee was taken to WellStar Kennestone Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Officer Mark Bishop, a spokesman for the Marietta Police Department, said they are still investigating D'enthonee's death. But they don't suspect foul play. They are treating the death as an accident or a suicide.

Marietta school officials sent a team of psychologists, social workers and counselors to Sawyer Road to talk with students and faculty about the boy's death.

The school also sent a letter home to parents.

Howard said teachers and administrators at the school had not seen any indications that D'enthonee might be considering suicide.

"He was generally happy and making good academic progress," Howard said.

D'enthonee's stepfather doesn't believe the little boy wanted to kill himself.

"I'll go to my grave with this in my heart," Burns said. "I think....he was messing around and it overwhelmed [him].....He was loved. It hurts, it hurts, it hurts."

D'enthonee was the youngest in the family. He had a 13-year-old brother and an 11-year-old sister. Two cousins, 10 and 9, also live at home. They were with relatives on Thursday.

He doesn't know what he'll tell the children.

"I'm just going to pray to God to give me the right words to say," Burns said.

01-31-2008, 06:42 PM
tony286 lurker Industry Role: Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: atlanta Posts: 57,021	I got sader: Marietta boy dead after wrapping belt around neck By YOLANDA RODRIGUEZ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 01/31/08 The last time Mark Burns saw his stepson alive, the little boy was sitting on his bed, his head resting in his right hand. "Looking bored," Burns said Thursday. D'enthonee Davis, 8, was suspended Wednesday from Sawyer Road Elementary School, where he was in first grade. His parents punished him for acting out at his Marietta school —he'd sent a crayon flying across a room, hitting a classmate just above the eye. D'enthonee was not targeting the little girl. He threw the crayon randomly, said Preston Howard, an assistant superintendent, during a press conference. The one-day suspension was to start Thursday. Wednesday night, his parents confined D'enthonee to his room, no games, no talking, extra house chores. "We wanted him to know that what he'd done was wrong," Burns, 37, said, in the living room of his Highland Court apartment. The punishment would probably last only a couple of days, Burns said. He'd been acting out at school lately —a teacher had to talk to him about his behavior— and had been punished before. Still, "he probably would have been right back outside, playing with the kids again this weekend," Burns said. Late Wednesday, when Burns and his wife, Sonya Burns, brought home Domino's pizza, they sent an 11-year-old cousin to get D'enthonee. That's when their world changed forever. The cousin called out to D'enthonee's mother. Burns followed his wife, running to the upstairs bedroom. D'enthonee was not breathing. A belt was wrapped around his neck. "I grabbed him," Burns said, still struggling to understand what happened. "I felt for a pulse. There was no pulse. I looked to see if he was breathing. He wasn't breathing," he said. Burns, a former Navy seaman and his wife, a nurse at a Douglas County nursing home, tried CPR to revive him. Marietta police arrived just before 10 p.m. D'enthonee was taken to WellStar Kennestone Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Officer Mark Bishop, a spokesman for the Marietta Police Department, said they are still investigating D'enthonee's death. But they don't suspect foul play. They are treating the death as an accident or a suicide. Marietta school officials sent a team of psychologists, social workers and counselors to Sawyer Road to talk with students and faculty about the boy's death. The school also sent a letter home to parents. Howard said teachers and administrators at the school had not seen any indications that D'enthonee might be considering suicide. "He was generally happy and making good academic progress," Howard said. D'enthonee's stepfather doesn't believe the little boy wanted to kill himself. "I'll go to my grave with this in my heart," Burns said. "I think....he was messing around and it overwhelmed [him].....He was loved. It hurts, it hurts, it hurts." D'enthonee was the youngest in the family. He had a 13-year-old brother and an 11-year-old sister. Two cousins, 10 and 9, also live at home. They were with relatives on Thursday. He doesn't know what he'll tell the children. "I'm just going to pray to God to give me the right words to say," Burns said.