2nd suspect arrested after 3-year-old’s death

Woman, sister face murder charges; hearing is Nov. 9.

A second woman has been arrested following the weekend death of a 3-year-old southwest Atlanta boy from blunt force trauma, police said.

LaShirley Morris, 27, is in the Fulton County jail in connection with the death of Kejuan Mason, online records show.

She’s charged with murder, as is her sister, Glenndria Morris, who also is in custody. Glenndria Morris, 25, was Mason’s guardian, according to Atlanta police.

LaShirley Morris was taken into custody about 6 p.m. Thursday after a traffic stop in the 2600 block of Metropolitan Parkway, police spokeswoman Lisa Bender said in a statement.

Both women waived their first court appearances Friday and were denied bond. They are scheduled to be in court again Nov. 9.

Authorities began a criminal investigation after the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s office determined the cause of the child’s death. Police announced the charges Thursday afternoon.

Mason was pronounced dead at Atlanta Medical Center after a paramedic performed CPR on him at his Cleveland Avenue residence Saturday, according to a police incident report.

When officers asked Glenndria Morris what happened, she gave two different stories.

She first told police she gave Mason — and four other children inside the home — a cupcake and that he began choking on it, the AJC previously reported. Glenndria Morris said she and a man gave Mason CPR and that first responders took too long to arrive.

Glenndria Morris later “changed her story” and said Mason was choking on the cupcake, but it was removed and that he was “fine breathing and talking later,” according to the report.

She said a tired Mason went to sleep later, but he was unresponsive when they checked on him, according to the report.

When he didn’t wake up, they called 911.