A 4-year-old Georgia boy’s battered and lifeless body was found buried beneath a pile of clothes — and his mom’s friend has been arrested, according to authorities.
Little Cobee Cooks died last week from multiple blunt force injuries and a lacerated liver and spleen, according to an arrest warrant obtained by 11 Alive.
The young boy also had other serious injuries in varying states of healing that appeared to show a pattern of regular physical abuse, the warrant detailed.
Cobee’s tiny body was discovered underneath a mountain of clothes in an upstairs closet while police conducted a welfare check at the Atlanta home.
He had more than 20 injuries in total, including cuts, burns and broken bones, according to police.
“He was 4; he was just the sweetest little boy ever, always smiling, and he loved his mommy; both of them did,” Cobee’s aunt told 11 Alive.
Two women have since been arrested and charged with murder in his death.
Jasmaine Smoak — a 32-year-old friend of Cobee’s mom — allegedly fled Atlanta with Cobee’s 5-year-old brother, Kayden, and two other children before she was busted near Augusta some 140 miles away three days after cops found the dead child.
The boys’ mom is incarcerated in Clarke County and Smoak was described as their caretaker.
Jasmine Jenkins, 30, who was staying in the home with Smoak when Cobee was killed, was also arrested.
Smoak was charged with murder, aggravated assault, and cruelty to children.
Jenkins was charged with murder and cruelty to children.
Police claim Smoak “maliciously [caused] a child under the age of 18 cruel or excessive physical or mental pain by hitting, burning and beating.”
The investigation began after Smoak’s father called 911 on Oct. 26 and reported she had told him a child was unresponsive after getting into medication, Fox 5 Atlanta reported.
Police found Cobee upstairs and determined he had been dead between 12 and 24 hours.
The day before the slain boy was found, Smoak had fled the home in a white Mercedes-Benz with Cobee, his brother and two other kids.
Cobee’s great-aunt has since launched a GoFundMe to help raise money to cover funeral and medical expenses.
She claimed Cobee’s father and other family members had concerns about his safety and had “made attempts to intervene,” including calling authorities.
Cobee was remembered as “affectionate, playful, and full of energy.”
“He loved to eat, loved to play, and had a special way of making the funniest little faces just to make everyone smile,” read part of the tribute.
“He was our little burst of sunshine, always full of life and personality.”
