Babysitter Sentenced To 37 Years For Alyssa Rose Davis Death
GA Babysitter Suffering From ‘Delusional Thoughts’ Sentenced To 37 Years For Killing Toddler With Lethal Amounts Of Medicine & Hiding Mutilated Remains In Closet - Page 3
According to the DA's office, an autopsy determined Alyssa died from lethal levels of acetaminophen and diphenhydramine. Phillissa Diallo, 44, will serve the first 21 years of her sentence in prison.
L–R: Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office / Cherokee County DA
On May 18, Canton, Georgia-based prosecutors announced that 44-year-old Phillissa Diallo has been sentenced to 37 years, with the first 21 years to be served in prison, after entering a non-negotiated guilty plea for the 2022 death of two-year-old Alyssa Rose Davis. Diallo pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, second-degree cruelty to children, and concealing the death of another person, according to a press release from the Cherokee County District Attorney’s Office.
Authorities began investigating Alyssa Rose Davis’ death on Dec. 14, 2022, when Diallo walked into the Canton Police Department and reported that a child was dead inside her apartment on Hearthstone Landing Drive. Officers responding to the scene discovered the child’s mutilated remains hidden inside a plastic storage container filled with a salt-like substance and concealed beneath other belongings in a closet. Authorities said Diallo refused to provide additional details during questioning. Court records revealed that Alyssa had been in Diallo’s sole care for more than two weeks before her death. Reports from PEOPLE and WKRC identified Diallo as Alyssa’s babysitter.
According to the district attorney’s office, an autopsy later determined Alyssa died from lethal levels of acetaminophen and diphenhydramine. Investigators were unable to determine the exact date of death, though Alyssa was last seen alive on Dec. 8, and her body was discovered six days later.
Investigators also recovered ring camera footage indicating Diallo allegedly left the toddler alone in the apartment for extended periods. Authorities said the child’s mother remained in regular communication with Diallo and had no knowledge of Alyssa’s death until law enforcement contacted her.
Although investigators determined Diallo was the only person with the child in the days leading up to and following her death, prosecutors said there was not enough evidence to support a malicious murder charge under Georgia law
During the plea hearing, Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Rachel Hines of the Special Victim’s Unit told the court that Diallo admitted Alyssa was still alive the day of the incident. Prosecutors argued that seeking emergency help or calling 911 could have potentially saved the child’s life. Hines also rejected claims that Diallo’s reported struggles with anxiety and depression excused her behavior.
“Instead of taking steps to preserve the child’s health and well-being, the defendant demonstrated willful neglect. She then took gruesome, unimaginable steps to conceal her death,” said Deputy Chief ADA Rachel Hines. “Alyssa was not treated with the protection and dignity owed to every child, and that reality will haunt everyone involved in this case.”
The defense argued that Phillissa Diallo was suffering from “delusional thoughts” during the time of the incident.
Evidence presented by prosecutors included the storage bin where Alyssa’s remains were discovered, Ring footage allegedly showing Diallo bringing bleach into the apartment, and crime scene photographs enhanced with Blue Star forensic imaging that revealed areas where blood had been cleaned.
The defense argued that Phillissa Diallo was suffering from “delusional thoughts,” a type of mental health condition in which a person can’t tell what’s real from what’s imagined. However, a behavioral health expert with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health testified that Diallo was not experiencing mental health problems at the time of the incident.
Alyssa’s mother also delivered a heartbreaking victim impact statement, telling the court she was “robbed” of her daughter, while explaining that Alyssa’s siblings continue to mourn her loss and that their family has been permanently changed.
Prosecutors sought the maximum sentence allowed under Georgia law, recommending 40 years in prison, while the defense requested leniency. However, Judge Cannon ultimately landed on the final sentencing. He also ordered that Diallo have no contact whatsoever with Alyssa’s family.
