A federal grand jury last week indicted a US soldier and his wife on multiple murder counts in the death of their child.
The indictment revealed on Friday accuses Brandon Kelley, aged 29, and Stacey Kelley, aged 26, of felony murder (child abuse) and two counts of second-degree murder regarding the death of Vyolet Kelley.
The indictment does not specify the child’s age but confirms she was below 18 years old. It details that between October 26, 2024, and approximately November 22, 2024, the accused “worked together” to inflict “severe physical and mental suffering by denying her sufficient food and medical attention,” ultimately leading to her death.
During the period mentioned, Brandon Kelley “was serving as an enlisted soldier,” as stated by the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia. The couple resided at Fort Stewart in Liberty County during this time.
“The accusations in this case are tragic on multiple fronts. Our agency remains committed to collaborating with law enforcement to seek justice,” declared Acting United States Attorney Tara M. Lyons.
It remains uncertain whether Kelley continues his military service. As per Law&Crime, he recently sought several leaves of absence for the future months through an attorney, but the source did not specify from which entity those leaves were requested.
The US Attorney’s Offices said the Kelleys face up to life in prison without parole if convicted.
Reported by WJXT, both Kelleys are detained at the Liberty County Jail. Stacey Kelley had her first court appearance on Monday and is anticipated to have a detention hearing in the upcoming week. Brandon Kelley is slated to appear in court on Wednesday.
