Noah Bush. | Source: GoFundMe/Gracie Yoder
The Georgia drowning death of an 8-year-old Black boy at the hands of two white children has been determined to be a homicide, as stated in a press release from the Davis Bozeman Johnson Law firm.
On July 10th, 2024, authorities arrested and charged two juveniles, ages 10 and 11, in connection with Noah Bush’s killing in the city of Jesup. The arrest comes nearly two months after Noah, was found deceased underwater in a construction borrow pit near his home on May 16. He went missing on May 15. Medical examiners ruled Noah’s death as a homicide by drowning.
Now, the mother of one of the white boys has been charged in the case, as well.
#DBJLAW BREAKING NEWS • Natalie Hardison, mother of one of the Juveniles detaines in the manslaugter of 8 year old Noah Bush, has been arrested on a Felony Charge for False Statements in the investigation in the heinous drowning in Jesup, Georgia. #wholetruth #justicefornoah pic.twitter.com/p090EjYitc
— Francys Johnson (@francysjohnson) July 13, 2024
According to the report, the 11-year-old suspect is facing multiple charges including Simple Battery, Involuntary Manslaughter, Concealing the Death of Another, and Criminal Trespass. The 10-year-old was charged with Concealing the Death of Another and Criminal Trespass. The charges came after a probable cause hearing where a lead detective testified.
Mawuli Mel Davis, an attorney representing the Bush family, stated that according to the lead detective’s testimony, the 11-year-old was captured in a video before Noah’s death and shown assaulting the Black boy and repeatedly using racial slurs against him.
“We can’t rule out that race may have played a factor in these juvenile’s unthinkable acts the day Noah died,” Davis said.
Both juveniles were ordered detained with bail set at $10,000 for the 11-year-old and $5,000 for the 10-year-old.
Additionally, Natalie Hardison, the mother of the 11-year-old juvenile, was arrested on felony charges for providing false statements during the investigation into Noah’s death.
Noah’s mother, Demetrice Bush, expressed gratitude that at least one adult was being prosecuted, emphasizing the family’s determination to hold all involved accountable.
“Our family is grateful that at least one of the adults involved is being prosecuted. Until everyone involved, in any way is held accountable under the law we will not stop fighting for justice. We thank the community for their ongoing support,” Demetrice Bush said in a statement.
“The arrest of this child’s mother is another significant step towards full justice for Noah’s family. We knew that something of this magnitude could not have happened and some adults not know about it and be involved,” the Bush family’s lead attorney, Francys Johnson, added.
Investigations are ongoing to determine if any adults had knowledge of or involvement in Noah’s tragic death.
Per the Georgia Gazette, initial reports from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office indicated Noah had “wandered” into the pit and drowned, with no suspicion of foul play. However, Noah’s parents were skeptical because he had a fear of deep water and would not likely have entered the pit voluntarily. They hired a private investigator to delve deeper into the case.
Amid mounting pressure from Noah’s family and local protesters for a thorough investigation, the narrative surrounding Noah’s death evolved. During an interview with WRDW, Johnson said that he believes Noah went with the two boys, trusting them, but their interaction escalated into a dispute that tragically resulted in his death.
“He walked away with people he thought were his friends and trustworthy,” Johnson said.
As highlighted by WRDW, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office said in its initial report that it was waiting on Noah’s autopsy. It received the autopsy report on July 8, which confirmed the absence of any injuries to the 8-year-old’s body consistent with a “fight” or use of a weapon.
“The story they were told was that their son accidentally drowned. They knew that was not true then, and today, we confirm the same,” Johnson told the outlet.
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The post Justice For Noah Bush: Mother Charged After 2 White Kids Accused Of Drowning Black Boy, 8 appeared first on NewsOne.