Armani Lyons, a 3-year-old boy who was one month shy of his fourth birthday, was fatally shot shortly after midnight on April 5, 2026, while at his babysitter’s apartment on Washington Street SW in southwest Atlanta. First responders found Armani with a gunshot wound and he was pronounced dead after being rushed to a nearby hospital. Family described him as a bright, joyful child.

The Atlanta Police Department opened a homicide investigation. Within a week, investigators identified two people connected to the shooting and secured arrest warrants for 71-year-old Barbara Edwards and 35-year-old Jermaine Hardeman. Both were charged with felony murder, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and second-degree cruelty to children. Edwards, who was reportedly the babysitter that night, was taken into custody; body camera footage of her arrest was released. Authorities said both individuals allegedly lied to police during the initial investigation into what happened inside the apartment.

Who has information about Armani, the apartment complex, or the people present that night?