According to Sheriff Clark Millsap, additional warrants have been filed for James Phillip Lillie, 50, and Kimberly Ann Roberts, 47, in the May 16, 2020, death of a young child believed to have a self-inflicted gunshot wound after having been playing with a pistol at a campsite on Chitwood Cove in the Wilderness Camp Road area.
Lillie was arrested and initially charged with Involuntary Manslaughter, Reckless Conduct, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Roberts was also arrested and initially charged with Involuntary Manslaughter, Reckless Conduct, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Probation Violation- Felony.
After further investigation and review, both Lillie and Roberts have been charged with Murder.
The facts of the investigation have not changed however with Lillie and Roberts being convicted felons and possessing a firearm which later caused the death of the child led to the application of Murder charges under Georgia Law.
Lillie and Roberts are being held in the Bartow County Adult Detention Center without bond.
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Additional details have been released regarding the shooting death of 5 year-old Ashley (Raegan) Danielle Roberts in Bartow County over the weekend.
According to reports, deputies were dispatched to 80 Chitwood Cove in White in reference to a gunshot wound to a juvenile. While responding, the deputy was flagged down by a green Ford truck on Highway 20, which contained Roberts who had a gunshot wound in her head. The deputy shut down the highway and called for EMS.
A nurse was on the highway and started CPR on the child before transporting her to the hospital.
The deputy was told that they were camping on a dirt path off of Chitwood Cove and that they had been drinking. Two individuals went into their tent to fall asleep when they heard a gunshot and the child whimper. They found the young child with a gunshot wound in her head and rushed her to the truck for medical attention.
One individual was irate when speaking to the deputy and stated that they were in the tent sleeping and heard a gunshot. This individual stated that after he knew what happened he ran to the truck with the child.
The hospital then advised the deputy that the child had died. Roberts and Lillie were transported to the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office. Both were charged with receipt, possession or transfer of a firearm by a convicted felon or felony first offender, involuntary manslaughter, and reckless conduct. Roberts received an additional charge of probation violation from an incident that occurred in June of 2019.
More charges in the case have been given. Both received charges of involuntary manslaughter, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and reckless conduct from the incident. Roberts was also charged with probation violation, an offense that occurred in June of 2019. Roberts, the grandmother of the child, is listed as homeless, while Lillie has an address on Pioneer Trail in Cartersville.
Lillie and Roberts had previously been arrested in January of 2018 by the Euharlee Police Department, where they were charged with six counts of receipt, possession or transfer of a firearm by a convicted felon or felony first offender, aggravated assault, possession and use of drug-related objects, possession of marijuana less than one ounce, and probation violation. Roberts was dismissed on four counts of receipt, possession or transfer of a firearm by a convicted felon or felony first offender and aggravated assault.
WBHF contributed to this story,
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The Bartow County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting death of a young child at a campsite on Chitwood Cove in the Wilderness Camp Road area Saturday night.
According to Sheriff Clark Millsap, just after 8:30PM on May 16, 2020, deputies responded to the location for reports of a young child shot. The child had been taken from the site prior to law enforcement arrival by persons on the scene and they were met on another roadway by law enforcement where EMS and rescue units evaluated and transported the child to an area hospital. The child was pronounced deceased at the hospital.
The child apparently shot herself playing with a pistol at the site.
After the initial investigation, Kimberly Anne Roberts, 47, (grandmother of victim) and James Phillip Lillie, 50, (no known relation to victim) were both arrested and taken to the Bartow County Jail. Roberts is being held on a felony Probation Violation and Lillie was charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Both face additional charges and more information will be released once the new charges are filed.
