Mom sentenced to life for murdering and dumping toddler’s body in Chattahoochee River

Breyanla Cooper learned that she will spend the rest of her life in prison for murdering her son Faheem by leaving his little body in the Chattahoochee River.

Cooper, 29, of Stone Mountain, pleaded guilty to malice murder, aggravated assault and concealing the death of another in the death of her 19-month old son. 

Cooper, who resided in Stone Mountain at the time of the incident, was sentenced to life in prison by Cobb Superior Court Judge Kellie Hill. 
Judge Hill said during the sentencing, “I cannot imagine how painful this has got to be for the family. There’s just nothing the court can say or do to make this any better for anybody.”

On July 1, 2021, a Cobb County firefighter attending a community event at the river noticed something floating in the water and discovered Faheem’s dead body in the river  

After media reports of the discovery, Breyanla Cooper called Cobb police “to see if she could identify the body,” said Prosecutors. 

Cooper told detectives an elaborate tale that a man had kidnapped her son because she owed him money and that she never reported the kidnapping out of fear.

Investigators checked into her story and looked at surveillance footage from the hotel. They found no evidence that the toddler was there or that any kidnapping took place. GPS data from the vehicle Cooper drove revealed to Detectives that was at the river on June 26, 2021, from 5:57 p.m. to 8:08 p.m., three days before the boy’s body was found. Officials believe it was then that she killed her son and left him in a river.

Cooper was arrested on July 1, 2021, the same day her son was found. Her cell phone revealed internet searches for foster care and the Chattahoochee River in the month leading up to the killing. “Detectives also interviewed Cooper’s older child who disclosed that Cooper told her that their time with Faheem was done,” prosecutors s

Cobb District Attorney Flynn Broady Jr said of Cooper, “It is unimaginable for anyone to take the life of a child least of all his own mother,” said .”We are committed to obtaining justice for all victims. We will hold all who are responsible accountable.”

Attorney Jennifer Adams, who represented Cooper at the hearing, said after the plea, “It is unfathomable that a human being could do this to a baby.”