Couple Charged In Infant’s Death

The Hazlehurst Police Department last week arrested two people in connection with the June 6 death of a 3-month-old infant in Hazlehurst.
Jessica Lynn Gay was charged with murder and cruelty to children in the second degree in the death of her son Dalton Aiden Lane Hand. And the child’s father, Matthew Hank Austin Hand was charged with parties to crimes and cruelty to children in the second degree. The cruelty to children in the second degree charges were in connection with the fact two other children were present during the alleged murder.
According to a Hazlehurst Police Department incident report, at around 10:30 p.m. June 6, city officers and other emergency personnel responded to 6 Elementary Street in reference to an infant unresponsive and not breathing. The child had been in the bathtub.
When officers arrived, emergency responder Wayne Feller was performing CPR on the child in an effort to revive him. When the ambulance arrived the child was immediately transported to Jeff Davis Hospital where further efforts to revive the child were unsuccessful.