Shannen Grimes, 52, has been charged with murder and related counts after her 11-year-old daughter, Genesis, was found stabbed and staged in a recliner on Nov. 15. Grimes told investigators the moments before the killing felt 'like a dream' and said she had been experiencing paranoia after a trip to New Jersey. Police say Genesis suffered multiple stab wounds and defensive injuries and appeared to have been cleaned before being placed in the chair. A magistrate judge has ordered the case to proceed to a grand jury, and school counselors have been notified to support students and staff.
Mother Says Moments Before Killing Daughter Felt 'Like a Dream' — 11-Year-Old Found Staged in Recliner
Fulton County Sheriff's Office
Shannen Grimes, 52, has been charged in the death of her 11-year-old daughter, Genesis Grimes, who was found stabbed and positioned in a living-room recliner on Nov. 15, authorities say. Jail records reviewed by PEOPLE show Grimes faces charges including murder, first-degree cruelty to children, possession of a weapon during the commission of a felony and tampering with evidence.
According to testimony at a Dec. 10 hearing from Sandy Springs police Detective Isaiah Tomlin, Grimes told investigators, 'I never intended to kill my daughter,' and described the moments before officers arrived as 'being like a dream,' the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Tomlin said Grimes told police she had grown 'fearful and paranoid' after a recent trip to visit her elderly father in New Jersey and believed that killing herself would cause both her and Genesis to 'wake up... like a bad dream.' She also reportedly expressed concern that someone might try to harm them to gain access to her father's money or resources.
Police were alerted after Grimes sent a disturbing message to her sister on the morning of Nov. 16. In testimony cited by the AJC, the message read: 'If they are harming girls, they cannot have Gen. My beautiful, talented angel can sing her whistle tone in heaven.' Grimes's sister called 911, and officers arrived minutes later.
Officers found Shannen Grimes lying on a couch with injuries consistent with self-harm, the AJC and Atlanta News First reported. Nearby, investigators discovered Genesis unresponsive in a recliner; she had been covered with a blanket and had a Bible devotional in her lap. Tomlin testified that the girl had been stabbed at least four times, suffered defensive wounds — including a deep cut at the base of her right thumb — and appeared to have been cleaned before being placed in the chair.
"I never intended to kill my daughter," Detective Tomlin said Grimes told investigators. "The period before officers arrived was like a dream," the AJC reported.
Neighbors described the pair as polite and kind, and said the news left the community stunned. "You just say to yourself, how could I have not known what in the world was going on," neighbor Mona D'Agostino told FOX 5 Atlanta.
On Dec. 10, a Fulton County magistrate judge found there was sufficient evidence for the case to proceed to a grand jury. Authorities have notified Genesis' school and arranged counseling for students and staff who may need support. The investigation remains active as law enforcement and prosecutors prepare the case for grand jury review.
Sources: People, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, FOX 5 Atlanta, Atlanta News First.
