Georgia mother accused of fatally stabbing her child who was found in apartment fire

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. (TCD) -- A 23-year-old mother faces murder and arson charges in connection with the stabbing death of her 6-year-old son.

On Thursday, Oct. 19, shortly before 8 a.m., the Gwinnett County Police and Fire departments responded to an apartment fire at 4900 Springs Lane in Peachtree Corners, where they could hear an alarm going off from a unit on the first level of the building. The initial call to dispatchers came from someone on a higher story in the complex.

Police said they entered the unit and found 6-year-old Jayveon Pruitt suffering from multiple stab wounds. The boy, who was the only occupant inside the apartment at the time, was transported to a local hospital and pronounced dead.

At around 9:15 a.m., police located a shoeless female behind the building wearing only a single sock and wet clothes. Officers took the woman, A’zaria Burton, into custody in order to "determine her involvement in this criminal investigation." Police said Burton lived in the apartment where the fire broke out.

Police booked Burton, Jayveon’s mother, into the Gwinnett County Jail on Friday, Oct. 20, at approximately 9:30 p.m. on charges of malice murder, felony murder, first-degree arson, aggravated assault, tampering with evidence, possession of a knife during the commission of certain crimes, and first-degree cruelty to children.

Burton remains held without bond. Police said the motive is under investigation.

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• Child died after being found with multiple stab wounds in apartment fire - Gwinnett County Police Department