Acworth woman convicted in 2018 death of Decatur 5-year-old

A DeKalb County jury found an Acworth woman guilty Wednesday in the 2018 crash that killed a 5-year-old boy in Decatur.

What’s Happening: Jurors found 59-year-old Michelle Wierson guilty but mentally ill of Homicide by Vehicle in the First Degree, and guilty of Reckless Driving in the death of Miles Jenness. DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Courtney L. Johnson sentenced Wierson the same day to 15 years, with five years in custody and 10 years on probation.

What’s Important: On September 27, 2018, Wierson was driving 51 mph in a 25 mph zone when she rear-ended a car stopped at a red light at Midway Road and South Candler Street in Decatur. Witnesses said she did not appear to brake. The force of the crash pushed both vehicles across the intersection. Miles, properly restrained in a car seat, suffered brain and spinal injuries doctors determined were not survivable. He died two days later at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston.

What We Know: Wierson’s attorneys argued at trial that she had a psychotic break and believed God told her that her daughter was in danger and that she needed to save her. The guilty but mentally ill verdict means jurors found she was mentally ill at the time of the crash but still criminally responsible for her actions.

How This Affects Real People: Miles’s father, Sam Jenness, was also in the car. He suffered a laceration to the back of his head and briefly lost consciousness. When he came to, he found Miles unconscious and pinned between the back seat and the front passenger seat.

The Path Forward: Wierson will be held at a Department of Corrections facility, where officials will determine her treatment plan in line with the guilty but mentally ill conviction. Once released to probation, she cannot drive for the remaining 10 years of her sentence and must meet medical and mental health requirements for the full duration.