Cobb police charge woman in case of toddler found in Chattahoochee

Stone Mountain resident Breyanla Cooper was charged this week by the Cobb County Police Department in the case of a toddler whose body was found floating in the Chattahoochee River on Thursday morning. Cooper, 27, is charged with concealing the death of another person. She is being held at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center without bond. She is also accused of hindering investigators’ ability to determine if the death involved foul play.

As they were engaged in training exercises on the river in the Vinings area at the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Cobb Fire Department personnel discovered the young body floating in the river.

In the hopes of identifying him, authorities released a sketch of the boy. Incoming tips received by the department led to Cooper’s arrest within 12 hours after Cobb firefighters spotted the boy’s body and announced to the public the grisly discovery.

Authorities believe the boy was between 18 months and 3 years old and that his body may have been in the river for five days before the remains were discovered, according to the arrest warrant. Cobb police spokesman Sgt. Wayne Delk said on Friday, “As of now, the relationship between Cooper and the toddler has not been confirmed.” However, Cooper’s warrant indicates it was a case of domestic violence. The arrest warrant says the child was placed in the water on June 26, sometime between 5 and 5:30 p.m.

The child’s body was turned over to the Cobb County Medical Examiner’s Office, as authorities work to determine the exact cause and manner of death. Cooper remains held at the Cobb County jail without bond.