Georgia – In a deeply disturbing case in Georgia that caught nationwide attention, a 32-year-old father, identified as Rodney M., was found guilty by a jury on all 14 charges tied to the horrific abuse and neglect of his children, an ordeal that led to the death of his 4-year-old daughter, identified as Treasure M., in what prosecutors described as a “house of horrors.”
Rodney was convicted of malice murder, felony murder, three counts of first-degree child cruelty, false imprisonment, kidnapping, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He now faces a lifetime behind bars for what prosecutors say was an extended campaign of cruelty against his three children. On December 11, 2023, authorities responded to a report involving an unresponsive child transported to a children’s hospital. That child was 4-year-old Treasure, who was later pronounced dead. According to the medical report, Treasure weighed only 24 pounds, far below a healthy weight for a child her age, and had less than an ounce of water in her stomach.
District Attorney M. Hodge told jurors during opening statements, “He controlled everything, so no one got in — not even law enforcement. Until Treasure died.” Police immediately launched an investigation into Treasure’s death. When officers arrived at Rodney’s home, he was not there. However, his two sons were inside and were rushed to the hospital. Both were found to be severely malnourished and showed visible signs of prolonged neglect.
Authorities say the children had been subjected to inhumane conditions for more than two years—from May 2021 to December 2023. During that time, Rodney locked all three children in a single room, only letting them out when he granted permission. According to investigators, there was no food or children’s clothing in the house when police searched the property. Instead, the home had multiple surveillance cameras—some of which were pointed directly at the children’s beds. Prosecutors argued this setup was part of Rodney’s effort to exert total control and ensure his children could not escape or seek help.
In addition to the physical abuse, investigators detailed how Rodney isolated his children from others and kept them hidden from authorities. In one shocking instance, after Georgia’s Division of Family and Children Services removed the children from his custody in June 2023 due to a complaint about the home’s conditions, Rodney traveled to Maryland, took the children from their mother’s care, and returned to Georgia. Police said he even stole the mother’s car and abandoned it at a train station to avoid being tracked.
Rodney remained on the run for about two weeks following Treasure’s death. Officers eventually arrested him after spotting him leaving the front door of his residence, where he had been under surveillance. During the trial, courtroom footage captured Rodney maintaining a stoic, expressionless demeanor as the guilty verdicts were read aloud. His defense attorney admitted that Rodney made “some wrong decisions,” but insisted he loved his children and did not intend for them to be harmed. The jury did not agree.
Treasure’s death has become a symbol of systemic failure and unimaginable cruelty. A once-vibrant little girl, she was found severely dehydrated and starved—her life cut short by the very person who should have protected her. Rodney is expected to be sentenced in the coming weeks. Given the malice murder conviction, he faces life in prison. This case has reignited conversations about child protective services, abuse detection, and the haunting reality that some children suffer behind closed doors for years before anyone intervenes. As the community mourns Treasure’s loss, prosecutors hope this conviction delivers a measure of justice for her short life and brings awareness to the horrors too many children endure in silence.
