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PEARSON, Ga. (WALB) - On Monday, August 18, an Atkinson County judge found all three teen defendants guilty of aggravated assault in the death of 16-year-old Pearson teen, Darion Davis.

The hearing for all three teens began on Monday, Aug. 18, and each received judgment and sentence at the end of the hearing.

The state prosecutor’s office confirmed all three teens have received the felony maximum sentence of 60 months in the Department of Juvenile Justice.

The victim, Darion Davis, was taken to Coffee Regional Medical Center on October 17, 2024, for what his mother, Kimberly Davis, was told was an asthma attack. He was then transferred to the ICU in Savannah, where he died on Oct. 22, 2024.

The night before his passing, his mother received a video, dated Oct. 12, 2024, that allegedly showed her son being assaulted.

According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the video showed that “during the fight, the 15-year-old grabbed a pipe and hit Davis multiple times.”

At that time, five people, including three juveniles and two adults, were arrested. 21-year-old Tashunika Jones, 17-year-old Verntron White, two 16-year-olds, and a 15-year-old were charged with:

• Felony Murder
• Aggravated Assault
• Aggravated Battery

In April 2025, the state prosecutor’s office said that all five defendants are now only facing charges of aggravated assault and influencing a witness. Davis’ mother petitioned the prosecutor’s office to reconsider the decision to remove any murder charges.

The medical examiner determined that the fight caught on camera was not the cause of death. This determination led officials to reduce the original charges.

Davis’ mother said she has accepted that the teens are not facing more than aggravated assault charges.

She said, “Because of my faith, I trust God. And I ask God to get vengeance for my child. Even if it’s not murder, He’s still getting vengeance for my child, so I am satisfied.”

The two adults in the case are still waiting to go to trial.

Previous coverage:

• Hearing held for 3 teens charged in Atkinson County 16-year-old’s death
• 4 teens, 1 adult charged in beating death of Atkinson County teen
• ‘I definitely feel like it does bring closure’: Five people charged in Pearson teen’s murder
• ‘I’m not done fighting, I’m going to always fight’: Murder charges dropped in Pearson teen’s death

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