Alabama Man Accused Of Murdering Girlfriend’s 2-Year-Old Son While Babysitting

An Alabama man was arrested in connection with the death of his girlfriend’s 2-year-old boy in Mississippi, authorities announced.

According to the Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Office, Justin Atkins, 33, was recently charged with the murder of Layton Nabors.

On March 19, 2021, Atkins called 911, and he “told medical personnel and deputies that the child had fallen from an ottoman or couch and was injured,” Sheriff Leo Mask said, the Pontotoc Progress reported.

“The child was taken to the hospital where he died,” the sheriff continued. “The bruises and injury to the child were not consistent with a fall and the child’s body was taken to Jackson for an autopsy.”

At the time of Nabors' death, the suspect was babysitting the boy and the boy’s sister while their mother was at work.

It took 16 months for authorities to receive the autopsy results, which state Nabors died from blunt-force trauma.

“We asked Atkins to come back in and when he did, we charged him with murder,” the sheriff said.

Atkins’ bond was set at $100,000.