The Georgia man who ordered a boy to hold buckets of paint for hours in the summer heat has been sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years, officials say.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Omar Pitts, 32, pleaded guilty to murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, aggravated sexual battery, and cruelty to children yesterday in connection with 12-year-old Jay’tavious Mahone's death. Citing the Fulton County District Attorney's Office, the Journal-Constitution detailed the horrific treatment that Mahone, the brother of Pitts' girlfriend, was subjected to prior to his 2010 death:
Jay’tavious, the younger brother of Pitts’ girlfriend, was forced to stand outside several hours on June 17, 2010, and hold paint buckets as punishment for taking his shoes off, according to investigators. The boy was also forced to wear a dress and makeup during his punishment, the DA’s office said.
Young Jay’tavious frequently complained of thirst and fatigue and eventually collapsed and passed out after several hours in the sun, the DA’s office said in an emailed statement Friday.
Pitts then kicked the boy repeatedly, leaving bumps and bruises all over his body, according to investigators. Around 3:40 that afternoon, police and paramedics were called to the 300 block of Camelot Drive after it was reported a child had a heat stroke.
Mahone died at South Fulton Medical Center, and his sister, Sabrina Powell, was arrested along with Pitts. The Journal-Constitution notes that Pitts had previously faced the death penalty prior to entering his guilty plea.
